NEW HILL - As four western Wake County towns finalize preparations for construction of a $327 million sewage plant in New Hill, they're also focused on securing an easement for a nearly 12-mile pipeline that would carry their treated wastewater through southeast Chatham County to the Cape Fear River.

That pipeline would allow Cary, Apex, Morrisville and Holly Springs to put their water back where they got it - the Cape Fear River Basin - thereby satisfying a state environmental mandate directed at Cary, Apex, Morrisville.

But to build the pipeline in Chatham, the Wake towns first need the Chatham County Commissioners to grant them an easement.

But first, Chatham leaders want to hear from the landowners whose property the pipeline would cross, and from other residents with questions about the project.

"We're not going to approve anything until we've had a chance to meet with property owners," said Chatham commissioner Mike Cross, who represents citizens in the southeastern corner of the county.

The commissioners scheduled a public meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 at the Moncure Fire Station.

The meeting will include an overview of the project, exhibits and time for attendees to ask questions. A representative of the Western Wake Regional Wastewater Management Partnership will provide project details.

"The main purpose of this meeting is to listen to what residents have to say about the project, especially the proposed discharge line," said Sally Kost, chairwoman of Chatham County Commissioners. "This is particularly important because the commissioners will have to vote at some point on providing access for the discharge line in our county."

Chatham County has for years purchased Jordan Lake water from Cary. But Chatham is not scheduled to receive wastewater services from the New Hill plant.

More than eight miles of a 5-foot-wide pipeline from the New Hill facility would cut through areas of the Chatham County near New Hill and Merry Oaks, continuing southward near Christian Chapel Church Road and Buckhorn Road to the Buckhorn Dam on the Cape Fear River. More than half of the land the pipeline would cross is owned by Progress Energy.

The pipe will also cross Chatham tracts owned by 14 private residents.

"As we build the pipeline, we plan to parallel an existing public utility corridor and minimize impacts to private property," said Alexandra Jones, an engineer with the town of Cary.

Jones estimates it would take at least one year to construct the pipeline.

She said that construction is most likely to start from the Cape Fear River and work its way up toward New Hill in sections.

Jones says each section would be covered up soon after the pipe is placed a minimum of 42 inches under the ground. The pipeline would transport a maximum of 38 million gallons of water per day, which is enough capacity to serve the needs of western Wake's biggest towns for at least two decades.