The Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District, a municipal corporation was created by the North Carolina State Board of Health on April 21, 1931 and by virtue of an act of the General Assembly, ratified on March 4, 1927, providing for the creation, government and operation of Sanitary Districts. Three board members elected by the citizens residing in the Sanitary District govern the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District. The Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District operates in compliance with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the North Carolina Local Government Commission (LGC) requirements.
The purpose for which the District was formed is to (1) promote public health, safety, and welfare through the improvement of the quality and quantity of water delivered to the public and to (2) collect and treat the wastewater generated from the residential, commercial, and industrial community.
The District is comprised of the City of Roanoke Rapids, the Town of Gaston, and the unincorporated areas of Greenbriar, Lincoln Heights, West Rosemary, Lakeview, and Becker Industrial Park. Bulk sales of water are provided to the adjacent counties.