HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-02-1999 - 10aORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 2, 1999
Action Agenda
Item # /0'q
SUBJECT: Report on Chatham County's request to access its Jordan Lake water allocation
through OWASA's Jordan Lake property and approved intake location
DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: Yes No
ATTACHMENT(S): BUDGET AMENDMENT: Yes No
(under separate cover) INFORMATION CONTACT:
Draft County Letter County Engineer Extension 2303
Cazrboro Letter
Chapel Hill resolution TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
OWASA Letter & attachments Hillsborough - 732-8181
Durham - 688-7331
Mebane - 227-2031
Chapel Hill - 967-9251/968-4501
PURPOSE: To present to the BOCC: a) a report on Chatham County's request to access its Jordan
Lake water supply allocation through OWASA's Jordan Lake property and approved
water supply intake site as well as responses from the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro
to OWASA relative to that request; and b) for the Boazd's review, revision and approval a
draft letter from the BOCC to OWASA outlining the County's response to the Chatham
request.
BACKGROUND: On October 1, 1998, elected and appointed officials and staff from Carrboro,
Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Orange County and OWASA met with elected officials
from Chatham County at the OWASA offices in Cazrboro to discuss utility,
planning and watershed protection issues of concern to all. The primary issue
discussed was Chatham County's inability to obtain a sufficient supply of raw
water from Jordan Lake through the existing intake structure, pumping system and
raw water mains on the east side of the lake (controlled by Cary and Apex).
Mazgazet Pollard, Chair of the Chatham BOCC indicated that it was unlikely that
the equipment in the existing intake system could or would be upgraded to meet
Chatham's raw water demands. Ms. Pollazd also indicated that the most viable
solution appazent to Chatham would be for Chatham to withdraw water using the
approved intake site on the western side of Jordan Lake. She suggested that
Chatham County would be willing to participate financially in an OWASA project
to construct the intake structure and associated site infrastructure necessary to
provide raw water to Chatham in the near term and to OWASA customers in the
long term.
Other issues that were mentioned or discussed during the meeting included:
a) increasing the level of watershed protection within the Chatham County portion
of the University Lake watershed using some manner of land use based density and
impervious surface restrictions; b) additional watershed protection measures for the
Jordan Lake watershed; and c) developing interconnections of the Chatham County
and OWASA water systems with attendant contractual agreements necessary for
Chatham County and OWASA to aid one another by sharing water supplies during
water shortage emergencies.
The meeting concluded with the understanding that each of the jurisdictions
represented on the OWASA board would provide some level of guidance or input
to OWASA relative to the policy issues discussed. By way of a letter from the
mayor to the OWASA chair, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen indicated to
OWASA that it could support developing: 1) an emergency water sharing
arrangement between OWASA and Chatham County; and 2) a policy whereby
OWASA would allow Chatham County to access Jordan Lake by way of
OWASA's intake rights. The Carrboro board also went on record as not
supporting the use of Jordan Lake water supplies for consumption by OWASA
customers. Insofaz as Chatham's use of OWASA's Jordan Lake intake rights were
concerned, the Carrboro boazd acknowledged that there were a number of
considerations to be evaluated to insure the protection of the interests of all parties.
The Chapel Hill Town Council considered a resolution at its 1/25/99 meeting
encouraging additional work by Chatham County and OWASA to explore joint
development of OWASA's Jordan Lake intake site for immediate use by Chatham
County and future use by OWASA. Furthermore, the Chapel Hill resolution
proposed that Chatham and Orange Counties, the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel
Hill and OWASA to work jointly to encourage that a study and long term plan be
initiated to protect and preserve Jordan Lake water quality.
Orange County staff has created a draft letter from the BOCC to the OWASA
Boazd of Directors recommending that OWASA: 1) develop emergency water
supply agreements and infrastructure interconnections; 2) explore the use of
OWASA's intake site to provide immediate access to Jordan Lake for Chatham
County while preserving future access for OWASA; 3) work with potential
Jordan Lake water users to explore watershed and water quality protection
strategies; and 4) work with Chatham County to develop enhanced watershed and
water quality protection strategies for University Lake.
RECOMMENDATION: The Administration recommends that the BOCC:
• receive and review the attached material including the draft of the letter
providing input to OWASA
• identify the major issues the BOCC wishes to address
• direct staff to revise the letter as necessary to accurately reflect BOCC
intentions
• direct staff to bring the revised letter back for BOCC review and
approval at a future meeting