Beaufort County has received more than $3 million in grants and another $1.8 million in interest-free loans to convert the county water system from gaseous to liquid chlorine treatment.

The grants and loans — at 0 percent for 20 years — are through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Drinking Water Reserve program. Conversion is expected to begin next year for the project that Beaufort County Manager Brian Alligood called a “huge safety project for us,” as inhalation of enough gaseous chlorine can be fatal for those working with it. Alligood said the conversion will not affect usage for county water customers.

“There won’t be any change in disinfection, just a change in the process,” Alligood said. “There’s a fair amount of construction, but there’s no impact to the end users of the water.”

The combination of grants and loans will allow for conversion in the following water districts: District 1, Washington Township, will receive $534,800 for conversion of a booster pump station; District 4, Bath Township, $978,000 for conversion of two booster pump stations; District 5, Pantego, $534,800 for a pump station; $672,000 for the District 7, Edward treatment plant, conversion; and Chocowinity Township, District 6,  is the recipient of a $1,115,500 grant and a $1,115,000 loan for the conversion of the Southside treatment plant, two wells and a two booster stations, Alligood said.

“We’re very fortunate in being able to get what we got,” Alligood said.

Engineers with the firm McDavid & Associates have been hired to work on design of the system.