By Nicole Bowman-Layton

EDENTON — Chowan County residents will have an opportunity Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, to weigh in on a proposed water rate increase tied to the county’s planned reverse-osmosis treatment plant, along with proposed changes to solid waste fees and county land-use regulations.

The Chowan County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at the Chowan County Public Safety Center, 305 W. Freemason St. A special meeting will begin at 5 p.m., when commissioners are scheduled to enter closed session for attorney-client privilege and contract negotiations. The meeting agenda appears below this story.

The regular meeting includes three public hearings, with the proposed water rate increase likely to draw particular attention as the county moves forward with plans for a new reverse-osmosis, or RO, water treatment plant.

Water rates and the RO project

Commissioners are considering increasing the county water rate from $7 to $11 per 1,000 gallons. County staff says a rate of at least $10.80 is needed for the county to qualify for up to 75% loan forgiveness on financing for water-system improvements, with staff recommending rounding that amount to $11 for billing purposes and to provide funding for additional capital projects.

For a customer using 2,000 gallons per month, the water portion of the bill would increase from $14 to $22. The last county water-rate increase was approved in September 2017.

The financing is connected to approximately $13.9 million in proposed improvements to the Cape Colony water system, where aging lines need to be replaced in preparation for the RO plant. The board will separately consider authorizing an application to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure for funding for the Cape Colony improvements.

The Albemarle Observer previously reported that the county’s current water system is essentially operating at a break-even cost-recovery ratio. County Manager Kevin Howard has said the financial picture will change as Chowan takes on the new infrastructure associated with the RO project. The county has about $30 million in state funding toward the plant and has been seeking additional state funding, while the most recent cost discussed by commissioners was approximately $65 million.

The proposed plant represents a significant change from the county’s existing treatment process. It would use membranes to remove dissolved minerals and other substances from groundwater before necessary minerals are added back to the treated water. County officials have said the existing water meets drinking-water standards, but the RO process would address minerals and other substances that the current treatment system cannot.

For readers who want a deeper explanation of the project, the Albemarle Observer recently sat down with Howard for a video podcast about the proposed RO plant, why the county is considering the change, how the treatment process differs from the existing system and what the project could mean for water customers.

The Sept. 21 hearing will give county water customers an opportunity to comment on the proposed rates before commissioners consider the budget amendment.

Solid waste fee could also increase

A second public hearing concerns a proposed increase in the county’s monthly solid waste fee from $18 to $21.

For customers who pay both charges and use 2,000 gallons of county water per month, the water and solid-waste portions of their bills would rise from a combined $32 to $43 per month if both proposals are approved.

Land use regulations

Commissioners will also hold a public hearing on updates that would unify the county’s land-use ordinances into a single set of Land Use Regulations. The proposed ordinances are available for review through the county Planning and Inspections Department.

Other business

Other items on Monday’s agenda include a request to declare a house at the county water plant surplus and approve a $9,800 demolition bid, an $11,000 grant application for new Senior Center equipment and a trial expansion of Senior Center hours through 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday during October.

Commissioners will also review proposed changes to the county personnel policy stemming from a classification and pay plan study, although final approval is scheduled for Oct. 5. The board will consider a letter supporting the Town of Hertford’s application for infrastructure funding for a new electrical substation needed to serve MiTek and the Perquimans County Marine Industrial Park.

Finance Officer Cathy Smith is scheduled to present budget amendments and preliminary June financial reports, and Howard will discuss the county’s membership in the National Association of Counties during his manager’s report.