North Carolina’s General Assembly is about to take the unprecedented step of seizing Asheville’s municipal-run water system, which the city has owned and operated for more than 100 years.

The legislation would also force Asheville to turn over control of its pristine 20,000-acre watershed to the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County. The system has high marks from the state for water quality and management.

Despite the unanimous opposition of the Asheville City Council, and a referendum in which 86 percent of the citizens voted against it, the legislators involved intend to proceed with a forced transfer of the water to an unelected board controlled by the General Assembly.

The precedents being set could be used to seize the assets of any municipality in the state. Your city could be next (see www.SaveOur WaterWNC.com.

The Carthage Town Board should be commended for passing a resolution opposing the forced transfer of a municipal water system.

Please contact your state representative, Allen McNeill (allen.ncneill@ncleg.net), your state senator, Jerry Tillman (jerry.tillman@ncleg.net), and Gov. McCrory (www.patmccrory.com/contact/) to voice your opposition to the legislation.

Beth Jezek

Asheville