Discount offered to tap on any Polk line until end of year

The Polk County Board of Commissioners approved a $1,353,491.59 bid to extend its water line from Peniel Road in Green Creek to the Hwy. 9 crossroads in Mill Spring that will essentially connect the region in water sources.

Commissioners met Monday, June 17 and unanimously approved the low bid from Carolina Specialties Inc. out of Hendersonville.

The county also approved offering discounted tap fees for anyone wishing to tap onto any Polk County water line for $700 (for a ¾ inch tap) between July 1 and the end of the year. The regular tap fee is $1,200.

Commissioners met with engineer Dave Odom, who reviewed six bids received with the highest coming in at $2,000,000. Odom said contractors should break ground on the project in mid July with water flowing through the line near the end of the year.

The new line is what Odom referred to as the “missing link” to connect the region with water sources.

The county’s two systems will be connected following the new water line, including a connection to the Town of Columbus, which is connected to the Town of Tryon and the City of Saluda. Saluda is connected to Hendersonville, which is connected to Asheville. All the county’s water will be received from the Broad River Water Authority, which is maintained by Inman Campobello Water District (ICWD).

The new line will also mean the county will be out of the water business for a while in terms of billing and books, with the current well system at the middle school in Mill Spring no longer needed. The county’s well system will be taken off line, interim county manager Marche Pittman said, but will still be used for irrigation. ICWD, who currently handles the county’s Green Creek water system will take over the new customers as well as current customers who receive water from the county’s well system.

Commissioners also amended the capital project budget ordinance, which was formerly $99,650 for a survey on the project. Commissioners approved a new project ordinance for $1,450,000, which includes the bid amount, money for unknown factors and contingency. The county will fund the project out of its fund balance.