By Mike Barnhardt
Enterprise Record

The news about growth in eastern Davie County has been ongoing for years. A new hospital and related commercial development, Ashley Furniture bringing in 550 jobs are already on the books.
Is the county ready? A January rate increase puts it on the right track, but there is a long way to go.
Currently, the county has an agreement with Winston-Salem/Forsyth Utilities to serve 550,000 gallons of wastewater per day. Of that, only about 100,000 gallons of non-allocated use is left, Andy Lovingood of McGill Associates told county commissioners earlier this month.
Increasing that capacity won’t be cheap.
McGill’s study estimated costs for increases: ranging from $18 million to upgrade and increase the current line to Forsyth; $25 million to build a line and upgrade a plant in Cooleemee; and $17 million to construct a new wastewater treatment plant on the Yadkin River in eastern Davie.
While more capacity will be needed with the agreement with Forsyth, McGill is recommending the county start the process to build a new plant. “It provides you …