The rule change came from a 2023 bill out of Raleigh that only recently went into effect. It essentially caps how much new development counties can approve beyond their current sewer system capacity. That means counties can’t greenlight as many new projects, even if they could boost capacity by the time new buildings are actually finished.
Specifically, the project only applies to the top 20 fastest-growing counties in the state, according to the law, which says that those counties “may not allocate more than the permitted projected capacity after expansion without approval by the Department.”
Brunswick County spokesperson Meagan Kascsak says, “DEQ’s change only affects future applicants for any new sewer line extension permit requests.”…