Environmental Finance Center, EPA Region 4, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Rutherford County, North Carolina



Location

Rutherford County is in southwestern North Carolina, at the headwaters of the Broad River, which serves as a water supply for much of South Carolina.

Water Supply

Two public water supply systems serving approximately 14,000 metered connections and representing five municipalities and the county.

Source Water Assessment

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources completed a preliminary source water assessment for Rutherford County (it was the state’s first pilot SWAP) and identified it to the efc@unc as a likely candidate for a unified source water protection plan.

Local Team
  • The planning team included managers from the involved towns, the county, the water systems, water and wastewater system operators, local industrial users, the agricultural community and a citizens group. The planning team met for over 18 months before drawing up a source water protection plan.
  • After the plan was formally adopted, unanimously, by all of the participating town boards, the county commission, and the soil and water conservation district, an implementation group was formed by appointments from the participating units of local government.


Priority Contamination Threats
Major threats to the two water supplies include an upstream point source discharger, runoff from agriculture, forestry and development, underground storage tanks, and transportation accidents.

Protection Measures

In addition to a contingency plan on what to do and who to contact in case of an emergency (e.g., a spill or other contamination incident), Rutherford County’s source water protection plan includes a list of management measures for the community to implement to reduce the risk of contamination. Most of these measures, if not completed, have begun implementation. They include:
  • system interconnection
  • offstream storage
  • streambank erosion control measures
  • extending the critical area around intakes under the state water supply watershed act
  • county-wide land use planning with a focus on water supply protection
  • expanded pesticide and fertilizer use education for homeowners and golf courses
  • expanded education on forestry best management practices
  • creation of a local sediment and erosion control program
 Environmental Finance Advisory Board
EPA Environmental Finance Program
EPA Region 6 Drinking Water Program