Stanly County is close to acquiring Richfield’s sewer collection system.

County Manager Andy Lucas said the county will take action on the asset purchase agreement during its Monday meeting. Richfield will also take action during its Oct. 28 meeting.

The plan has been in the works for the last year and a half, Richfield Town Administrator Carolyn Capps said.

As part of the acquisition, Lucas said the county will take on an outstanding loan of $225,000 the town had with Uwharrie Bank.

Lucas said acquiring the sewer collection system will be a win-win for the county and Richfield, adding that no rate increases will occur for Richfield residents after the county acquires the system.

“We get a system that we can operate and maintain and it relieves them of a financial burden,” Lucas said.

Capps said the sewer system is not much of a money-maker and as the system ages it will require additional maintenance.

“We’re just too small of a town to be able to keep it up like it needs to be kept up,” she said.

She said the county, which already controls Misenheimer’s sewer system, is in a better position to grow Richfield’s sewer system when and where it needs to be expanded.

The commissioners approved the securement of three easements from Norfolk Southern Railroad, where the sewer pipe crosses the railroad, at its meeting last week.