At its August 1, 2023 regular meeting, Sanford City Council signed an interlocal agreement with the Town of Pittsboro to become the utility provider for Pittsboro.
“This historic decision for the City of Sanford and Town of Pittsboro sets a foundation for both parties to succeed now and into the future,” says Mayor Rebecca Wyhof Salmon. “To make this happen without placing a burden on Sanford’s rate payers is a tremendous achievement and credit to our team.”
Sanford’s expansive infrastructure, along with its existing partnership with Pittsboro, puts the City in an ideal position to help Pittsboro meet its current water and wastewater needs – which are quickly exceeding the Town’s ability.
Sanford and Pittsboro worked with consulting firm Freese and Nichols to explore the merger. The firm identified several capital projects in Pittsboro’s system that will need to be completed within the next several years. These projects will be funded by Pittsboro’s rate payers.
Freese and Nichols noted many benefits for Sanford residents resulting from the merger. A merged system allows Sanford to better leverage future grant funding opportunities, create a beneficial relationship for future capital projects, and grow both economies of scale and revenue diversification. The firm identified no negative impact for Sanford’s rate payers.
Supplying water to Pittsboro could also allow Sanford to access pipelines from the Western Intake Partnership, which will treat and deliver water from Jordan Lake to member municipalities. This new interconnectivity adds more options for Sanford and Pittsboro residents in the case of a water emergency.
Pittsboro signed the agreement at its regular town meeting held on July 24, 2023. The Town’s assets will be transferred to Sanford no later than June 30, 2024. Pittsboro’s infrastructure, meters, software, billing and accounts, customer service, and other systems will be integrated no later than that date.
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