Residents upset over proposed sewage plant

WAKE COUNTY Many people who live in the New Hill community say they do not want the proposed plant that would serve Cary, Apex and Morrisville. The Army Corps of Engineers have proposed to place the plant in between US-1 and Old US-1.

On Tuesday night, residents had an opportunity to make their voices heard at a community meeting.

"When you flush the toilet it has to go somewhere, I agree with that, they all agree with this, but don't put it right in the middle of New Hill," one resident said.

As the plant passed through the Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, and Morrisville town councils, New Hill residents say their worries were not heard. Many of them say they have been under represented during the planning and approval process.

"Site 14 is being imposed upon on our community by outside forces with no advanced involvement from the new hill community," Paul Barth with the New Hill Community Association said.

"I'm embarrassed that our raw sewage is going to be pumped through miles of beautiful countryside to the backyards of the beautiful community like New Hill," a Cary resident said.

And opponents argue there are better locations for the miles of raw sewage lines --risking residents' groundwater.

"Why do we have to be right in the middle of New Hill, just because we live next to a nuclear power plant their life that bad already, move it away just a little bit," another resident said. "There are three other viable alternatives with little or no viable impact and there will be no impact to our historical district."

But supporters say it's necessary.

"It's critical to public health of the region, the project is so import congress has appropriated millions of dollars to move it forward," Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht said.

A decision is slated to be made on whether the New Hill location will be approved for the plant in August.

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