Holly Springs, NC, Jul. 17, 2025 — When you turn on the tap, it’s easy to forget how far your water travels to reach your glass. For Holly Springs residents, that journey starts miles away—through rivers, treatment plants, and pipelines.
Unlike Cary and Apex, which operate their own joint treatment facility, Holly Springs doesn’t treat its own water. Instead, the town buys treated drinking water from regional partners and manages the local distribution.
A Shift from Wells to Regional Supply
Until the mid-1990s, Holly Springs relied on community wells as its primary source of water. As the town began to grow, officials evaluated long-term options and, by the early 2000s, signed a major purchase agreement with Harnett County. That agreement, still in place, provides up to 10 million gallons per day of treated water from the Cape Fear River.
In 2008, Holly Springs ceased regular water purchases from Raleigh and now primarily relies on Harnett County for its water needs. A conservative planning estimate suggests a daily usage capacity of around 6.7 million gallons.
A New Pipeline from Sanford
To prepare for continued growth, Holly Springs is partnering with Fuquay-Varina on a new 11-mile pipeline to bring treated water from the expanded Sanford Water Filtration Facility, now part of the TriRiver Water System. That facility is increasing its capacity from 12 to 30 million gallons per day.
The two towns signed a 99-year Interlocal Agreement in 2024 (link) outlining joint ownership, construction, and maintenance responsibilities. Holly Springs will own 37.5% of the infrastructure, while Fuquay-Varina will own the remaining 62.5%. Fuquay-Varina will also oversee construction and project administration…