HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-15-1998 - 10cORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: September 15, 1998
1
Action Agenda
Item #~ n _ ~
Subject: OWASA Comprehensive Water/Sewer Master Plan Project
Department: County Manager Public Hearing: Yes X No
Budget Amendment Required: Yes X_ No
Attachment(s): Information Contact:
Correspondence from Joal H. Brown Manager's Office, Extension 2300
Telephone Numbers:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 227-2031
• Chapel Hill 967-9251
Purpose: To receive as information the attached correspondence from Joal H. Brown, Chair, OWASA Board
of Directors, which provides an update of OWASA's Comprehensive Water/Sewer Master Plan
Project.
Background:
Recommendation: After reviewing the update, the Board of Commissioners may wish to convey questions
or comments to the OWASA Board of Directors.
OWASA ORANGE WATER & SEWER ALiTH ~ ~ ~ v ~
Quality Service Sin 77
AUG 2 41998
August 20, 1998
Mazgazet Brown, Chair
Orange County Boazd of Commissioners
PO Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278 _
Deaz Ms. Brown:
I'm writing to provide a brief update of OWASA's Comprehensive Water/Sewer Master Plan project,
which will begin later this fall. As we've reported previously, OWASA will conduct a major review of
ail its facilities and their expected needs for upgrade, maintenance, a*zd expansion in the years to come.
The project is ambitious in scope and will involve interaction with Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Orange
County, the University, and UNC Hospitals. We expect the entire project to be completed 18 to 20
months after it begins.
As you may know, the OWASA Boazd selected the consulting firm of CH2M HILL for the Master
Plan. Our staff and Board are currently finalizing a detailed scope of work and negotiating a contract
that we hope to execute within the next one to two months. An overview of the project is attached far
your information.
A key element of the Master Plan will be forecasting future demands for water and sewer service over
the project's 50-yeaz planning horizon. Our staff and consultants anticipate a great deal of contact with
both Towns, the County, and the University in consolidating the demographic and growth information
on which these forecasts will be based. OWASA will make every effort to incorporate the best
information available from previous and ongoing studies and reports, including Chapel Hill's soon-to-
be-updated Comprehensive Plan, Carrboro's Facilitated Small Area Plan, and UNC's Central Campus
Master Plan.
We plan to keep you and your staff fully advised as to our progress, and we anticipate a healthy level
of public discussion. OWASA is committed to making this project as valuable as possible to the entire
community.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.
Attachment
cc: Boazd of Directors
Ed Kerwin
John Link
n erely,
1. ~ ~ ~./ ~ /~"-r~~.~
Joal H. Broun, Chair
i Board of Directors
400 Joncs Fcrry Road Equa/ Opportunity Emp/over Voice (919) 968-4421
PO Box 366 Printed un Recycled Paper F,~X (919) 968-4464
Carrboro, NC 27510-0366 tvtYlt:pNdS3.Of~
Master Plan Overview
August 1998
Page 2
PROJECT APPROACH
Long-range master plans currently exist for some, but not all, elements of OWASA's water
and sewer utility. There is a growing need to supplement existing information and combine
all elements into a single, coherent plan that can be used to guide future water and sewer
investment decisions. Accordingly, OWASA desires along-range Comprehensive
Water/Sewer Master Plan that will integrate water and wastewater management programs
into a single document and guide the upgrade, expansion, and rehabilitation of OWASA's
infrastructure.
3
Planning Horizon
The Master Plan will address both near and long-term water and sewer infrastructure
investments. Growth and development projections, including water and wastewater
forecasts, will be developed to the year 2050. Additionally, growth and development
projections, and associated water and wastewater forecasts, will be developed for the buildout
condition of OWASA's service azea.
Water and sewer facilities and planning-level cost estimates will be developed for each of
OWASA's capital facilities categories for the fifteen-year planning period extending from
2000 to 2015. Conceptual-level water and sewer facilities and cost estimates will be
developed for 2015 to 2050.
OWASA ORANGE WATER & SEWER AUTHORITY 4
Quality Seri~ice Since 1977
Overview of Comprehensive Water/Sewer
Master Planning Project
August 1998
The overall purpose of this project is to develop a Comprehensive Water/Sewer Master Plan
that will serve as the strategic planning guide for upgrading, improving, and expanding
OWASA's water and sewer infrastructure to meet existing and proposed levels of service and
reliability fora 50-year planning horizon. The Master Plan will support OWASA's core
mission of providing reliable and cost-effective water and sewer services in full compliance
with all legal, regulatory, and resource management requirements and in concert with the
expectations of its customers.
The project will provide a framework and set of information tools that will allow OWASA to
periodically update or modify the Master Plan.
EXPECTATIONS
It is anticipated that different participants and stakeholders will.have a broad range of
expectations for the project.
Customer Perspective
To meet the expectations of customers, the Master Plan will provide information that allows
OWASA to focus on priorities and investments that will ensure high-quality, reliable and
cost effective service under different conditions of customer demand and weather, as well as
under different operational constraints.
Local Government Perspective
To meet the expectations of its constituent governments, the Master Plan will provide
information that allows OWASA to focus on priorities and investments that meet the needs
imposed by growth and development in OWASA's service area, and are responsive to local
land use, development, and growth management policies and plans.
Board of Directors' Perspective
To meet the expectations of the OWASA Board, the Master Plan will provide a focus on
priorities and investments for resource development, conservation and reuse, replacement and
maintenance, and the financial, institutional, and regulatory considerations associated with
each of these elements. The Master Plan will serve as the "blueprint for the future" as
OWASA seeks to optimize existing resources while developing a comprehensive and
sustainable plan to meet the needs of its customers and community.
•~UU lun~~S I'~~rrc IZna~~ Equ.~l O~i~~,~nruiih' Ent~rl„rri~ V'~~i~ < (`) 19~ ~J65--~~Z I
I'O IL.s 3i~i~ I'r~nlr~l.a.Rri~~I~<<I'a~.i.r I~~\\ (~~~9~ 9(iS-.}-I(r}