HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-18-2014 - 4b 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 18, 2014
Action Agenda
Item No. 4-b
SUBJECT: OWASA Annual Update Presentation
DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board, 245-
January 13, 2014 Letter from OWASA 2130
Board Chair Alan Rimer Michael Talbert, County Manager, 245-
2300
Ed Kerwin, OWASA Executive Director,
968-4421
Alan Rimer, OWASA Board Chair, 968-
4421
PURPOSE: To receive a presentation and information from the Orange Water and Sewer
Authority (OWASA) on recent activities.
BACKGROUND: OWASA Board of Directors' Chair Alan Rimer will make a presentation to the
Board of Commissioners on recent OWASA activities and specifically addressing the topics
outlined in the attachment. OWASA Executive Director Ed Kerwin will be at the meeting, and
Orange County's appointees to the OWASA Board, Terri Buckner and Michael Hughes, have
also been invited to attend.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with receiving the presentation.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the presentation
as information and provide any feedback as necessary.
2
z V____ ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY
public,non-profit agency providing water,sewer and reclaimed water
services
to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community,
January 13, 2014
�rr
Chair Barry s cob
Orange malty Board of Commissioners
Post Office Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Dear Chair Jacobs,
As in the past, OWASA sincerely appreciates the opportunity to make our annual presentation to
the Board of Commissioners on key items of mutual interest at your February 4, 2014 meeting. 1
will make brief comments and then be available to answer any questions the Commissioners may
have.
Wafer Supply
By August 1, 2014 we plan to apply to the North Carolina Division of Water Resources to renew
our Jordan Lake water supply allocation of about five million gallons per day. We continue to
collaborate with staff of Orange County, Hillsborough, and other nearby water utilities to
evaluate the best ways to ensure cost-effective access to our respective water allocations.
As previously reported, the OWASA Board has adopted a Drought Response Operating Protocol
which specifies that in an extended drought, we will use Jordan Lake water only after first
implementing Stage One mandatory water use restrictions and reaching the Stage 1 trigger levels
in our State-approved Water Shortage Response Plan. Because OWASA has no direct access to
Jordan Lake, the only feasible way to use our allocation is through the Town of Cary"s and the
City of Durham's drinking water systems. Existing mutual aid agreements allow the exchange of
drinking water for short durations, but those agreements must be modified, or new ones
negotiated, to ensure access to our allocation during an extended drought.
Strategic Plan
We are approaching completion of work on our draft Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2014 —
2017. We plan to provide the draft Strategic Plan to the County within the next month or so.
Historic Rogers Road
OWASA staff has continued to provide technical information on water/sewer issues as requested
by County staff in support of the work being done to provide water and sewer services to the
historic Rogers Road neighborhood. Working within the parameters of our policies and
obligations, we will continue to support this important initiative.
400 Jones Ferry Road Equal Opportunity Employer (919) 968-4421
Carrboro,NC 27510-2001 Printed on Recycled Paper vow .owasa.org
3
Chair Barry Jacobs
January 13, 2014
Page 2
Energy and Odor Improvements at the Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant
Our $10 million project to increase
energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse
a ;# gas emissions, enhance treatment and
eliminate off site odor is 72%
complete.
When completed later this year, the
� � energy efficiency improvements will
_ reduce electricity use at the plant by
about 20%, and save about $125,000 a
�r
year in electric bills (based on current
rates).
New,more energy efficient diffusers being installed in an aeration
basin at the Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant
Forestry Management
In accord with federal requirements for the Cane Creek Reservoir, OWASA continued to
implement the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's (WRC) Forestry Management
Plan for the 490-acre Cane Creek Reservoir Mitigation Tract. In 2013, OWASA built a road and
stream crossing to enable us to access and manage the south end of the tract. All work was
completed in accordance with North Carolina Best Practices Guidelines Related to Water
Quality and recommendations described in North Carolina Forestry Best Management Practices
(BMP) Manual to Protect Water Quality.
Prior to the road construction, OWASA partnered with the North Carolina Forest Service
(NCFS) to install water quality monitoring stations upstream and downstream of the crossing to
obtain flow and total suspended solids data during pre-and post-forest road conditions.
OWASA coordinated a tour for the Orange County Commission for the Environment on May 2,
2013. The tour provided an overview of the WRC's and OWASA's plans for the tract, the
NCFS monitoring,riparian buffers, and the habitat and wildlife improvements.
OWASA contracted with a timbering company in fall 2013 to implement WRC's Forestry
Management Plan on areas south of the creek. Work has been delayed due to wet weather.
Financial Condition and Rates for Monthly Services
For the second consecutive year, OWASA's financial condition enabled our Board of Directors
to pass a budget that did not include an increase in the rates our customers pay for monthly water
and sewer services.
4
Chair Barry Jacobs
Januaryl3, 2014
Page 3
We welcome the opportunity to meet with the Commissioners to keep you informed about our
work and to receive your t�db ack. lease let us know if you would like additional information
on any of the above to 'Ls or inforn�at on regarding other issues or aspects of our operation.
Very trul yo s, f
Alan ii e , L; Chair
OWASA Board of Directors
C' Mayor Lydia Lavelle, Town of Carrboro
Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Town of Chapel Hill
Mr, Michael Talbert, Interim Orange County Manager
Mr. Roger L. Stancil, Chapel Hill Town Manager
Mr. David Andrews, Carrboro Town Manager
OWASA Board of Directors
Ed Kerwin, OWASA Executive Director