Chatham County commissioners voted Oct. 20 to retain the decommissioned Bynum water tank, encapsulate the old lead paint by repainting it and move forward with limited soil remediation at the adjacent volunteer community garden after county testing found elevated lead and chromium levels in the immediate vicinity.

The board’s decision follows air- and soil-sampling after preparatory grinding work on the tank prompted community concerns this spring. County staff said a first round of spot tests showed elevated lead near the tank; the county then commissioned a grid sample extending roughly 50 feet from the tank and tested surface and shallow subsurface samples. Those tests showed contamination concentrated in the top soil immediately surrounding the base of the tank.

County Assistant County Manager Carolyn Miller told commissioners the county had received alternate bids for demolition and for repainting; after seeking updated prices the low demolition bid was about $32,000 while the lowest painting/encapsulation bid was about $52,000. Miller said the county chose the repaint option and emphasized the board must accept ongoing maintenance responsibility if it keeps the tank. "If it is ours, we're going to take care of it," Miller said, noting Parks & Recreation has already begun mowing and clearing the fenced site and that Tri-River will disconnect and cap the booster/pump equipment so the asset will not re-enter the utility system.

At the meeting several Bynum residents had earlier urged preservation. Maggie France and Logan Frederick — both speakers during public comment — described the tank as a local landmark and urged a solution that preserves the structure and the community garden beneath it. County staff said the garden beds will be removed and the top 6 inches of soil replaced in the garden plots and at an affected private yard, per North Carolina DEQ recommendations; that work has already been budgeted and scheduled.

The board approved a motion to keep and repaint the tank; the motion passed by voice vote. Commissioners and staff said they would explore whether a community group such as the Bynum Front Porch could take part in ongoing upkeep but stressed that, absent a signed agreement, maintenance responsibility remains with the county. Miller said contractors who provided bids have agreed to honor their quoted prices through the end of the calendar year.

The county also said Tri-River — which will operate the county’s water utility assets moving forward — declined to assume cost or ownership of the tank because it is no longer an active utility asset. Tri-River will, however, ensure the booster station is physically disconnected to avoid any cross‑connection risk. Miller said potential long-term repaint cycles are expected every eight to ten years and that staff will pursue any volunteer or private funding offers but must plan the work as a county obligation for budgeting purposes.

Commissioners discussed a community request that the county consider transferring ownership to a private organization; staff said they had not explored a formal transfer but would accept offers and would bring back any specific proposals. The board’s decision closes a months‑long episode that began when contractors working on a repaint preparatory task prompted residents’ concerns, triggered DEQ consultation and ultimately produced the more extensive grid testing that revealed elevated surface lead concentrations near the tower.

The county said it will move quickly to complete the garden soil replacement so the community garden can resume operations next growing season.