REBIC – Update on Charlotte Water’s Interbasin Transfer (IBT) Request

From REBIC - 5/27/2026

Charlotte Water is the largest public water and wastewater utility in North Carolina, serving more than a million customers across Mecklenburg County. The Charlotte region has seen high growth over the past fifteen years and that is expected to continue at a significant rate. Charlotte Water is charged with ensuring the community it serves has a reliable water supply that maintains pace with this development and meets future water demands.

As such, in February of 2024, Charlotte Water issued a Notice of Intent to modify its current Interbasin Transfer (IBT) certificate to increase the maximum limit. At this point, Charlotte Water is still determining the demand needs and what that exact number should be to serve the area for the next 30 years. Charlotte Water has not formally requested a modification.  A Notice of Intent was filed with the NC Environmental Management Commission in February 2024.

The IBT process is a multi-year, highly regulated procedure that encourages stakeholder participation and feedback and ensures that if approved, the modification will not be environmentally damaging to either source or receiving water basins. The schedule past the scoping process is dependent on many technical studies and associated environmental evaluations.

Here’s a look at the IBT Modification Schedule:

• Notice of Intent for a modification request (February 2024)

• Public scoping meetings for State Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (May/June 2024) & comment period (August 2024)

• Extended stakeholder engagement and input (February 2025 – ongoing)

• Incorporate and address public meeting comments

• Alternatives analysis

• IBT studies – demand, conservation, drought, monitoring

• NC DEQ drafts Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

• EMC public hearing and determination of adequacy of EIS

• CLTWater submits IBT Modification Request to NC DEQ

• EMC public hearing of the IBT modification request

• Response to comments on draft determination

• Settlement discussions (if needed)

• EMC issues final determination on IBT modification

See this link for additional information on Charlotte Water’s IBT Request

My Take:  We are supportive of Charlotte Water’s request to increase the amount of its current Interbasin Transfer amount as it seeks to meet the current and future water needs of a growing community. A statutory moratorium on significant surface water transfers is currently in place and is set to expire on March 1, 2027. Language has been added to the Regulatory Reform bill (Senate Bill 445) that would extend this moratorium until August 1, 2028. This delay is unnecessary and we ask you to reach out to your legislators, specifically Members of the House, and ask them to strike the provision from the bill. Taking the time to place a phone call, even if you have to leave a message, is the best approach to gaining a positive outcome. If you need a little extra help, here’s how to find out who represents you.