Pender County residents waited 30 years for water. Now they may get their money back.

BURGAW, N.C. (WECT) — Decades after collecting upfront fees to expand county water lines, Pender County commissioners are deciding how—and if—to refund more than 1,500 residents who have waited since the 1990s for service that never arrived.

The Board of Commissioners’ attorney has recommended the county adopt a uniform policy to govern how affected residents get their money back. During recent discussions, commissioners weighed three options: automatically refunding everyone affected, waiting for residents to individually request a refund, or notifying residents that a refund is available and letting them decide.

The board did not reach a final decision.

The county originally collected the fees so residents could reserve a water hookup, with the understanding they would connect once infrastructure was installed. While a tap cost just $100 in 1990, that cost has since risen to as much as $3,000. There is currently no set timeline for water service to reach the affected areas.

According to the board’s attorney, the county is not in breach of contract because the original agreements did not include deadlines for service delivery.

However, Commissioner Jerry Groves called the lack of communication “shameful.”

“I think it [is] shameful the citizens of Pender County that are waiting on water were never told there is no plans to supply water to them,” Groves said in a statement to WECT. “This came to light after I pressed staff to be honest.”

Extending water lines to the unserved areas would cost millions of dollars, according to Commissioner Brent Springer, who described the situation as an ongoing issue tied to infrastructure.

“I think the county has been grossly, gravely in trouble,” Springer said, referencing the water contracts alongside other county agreements.

While Springer supports returning money to residents who want it, he noted that if water infrastructure is eventually built, the cost of connection will be significantly higher than what residents originally paid.

“I think it’s disadvantageous to both sides—the county and the taxpayers,” Springer said. “In a way that because they paid it and they were, quote-unquote, from my understanding, promised to get water, you know, we have to do the right thing.”

Springer has proposed a resolution and expects a presentation at the next board meeting. He anticipates the board may seek support from state and federal representatives, including members of the General Assembly, to help fund a long-term infrastructure solution.

In the meantime, Springer said residents who paid tap fees can visit the county utility office in Burgaw to request a refund. The county will process refunds where records exist.