The State is considering a request from the City of Greensboro to draw water from the Haw River.
Tonight the Division of Water Quality will listen to citizens at the first of several public hearings. As of now Greensboro takes its water from Lakes Higgins, Brandt and Townsend. Greensboro's Interim Director of Water Resources Kenny McDowell says the proposal to use the Haw would allow the city greater flexibility.
Kenny McDowell: "We'll be able to use the in-take when a certain amount of water is in the stream. There is currently a small damn on the Haw River, and when a certain amount of flow is going over that damn is when we're able to use the pump station and pump the excess water"
There would be some development restrictions in a 10-mile area around the intake along the Haw River. The Division of Water quality says the protected area would include parts of Guilford, Alamance, Rockingham and Caswell counties.
