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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-15-2008-6bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 15, 2008 Action Agen a . Item No. SUBJECT: Water Conservation Priorities and Initiatives DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections, PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ERCD ATTACHMENT: INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Benedict, Planning Director, 245- 1. Resolution of Adoption (page 5) 2592 2. OWASA Letter to Elected Boards David Stancil, ERCD, 245- 2598 Regarding Recommendation for Water Conservation (Page 6) PURPOSE: To receive the "Collaborative Water Conservation Strategies for Joint Consideration by Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Orange County," approve the attached resolution regarding general support for interlocal water conservation strategies, including OWASA's pursuit of water use efficiency conditions of service, and to direct staff to continue collaborative work on these water conservation initiatives. BACKGROUND: This summary report represents the consensus of an interlocal staff work group that OWASA convened in August 2006 to consider potential water conservation strategies. Following the receipt of information from OWASA in February 2006 about projected water supply and demand trends and the increasing importance of conservation in meeting long-term water. needs, the elected boards of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County asked that OWASA staff work with their respective staffs in developing information and recommending specific actions that would enable the Towns, County, and OWASA to promote greater conservation of the community's water resources. This summary is drawn from a more comprehensive document prepared by OWASA staff and reviewed by the joint staff work group (Collaborative Water Conservation Strategies for Joint Consideration by Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County -Draft, January 2008). That report provides substantial detail about a range of opportunities in addition to those specifically recommended in this summary report by the joint staff work group. The need for water conservation strategies with the other water providers in the County has been periodically discussed during the past few years. In particular, this topic was addressed in part by the Water Conservation Ordinance Subcommittee, created from the Eno Confluence II in October 2006. Staff plans to explore this dialogue further with the Town of Hillsborough, 2 Orange-Alamance Water Systems and the City of Durham in upcoming months, and will report back to the Board at a subsequent meeting. OVER-ARCHING COMMENTS: Water conservation and demand management are critical components of OWASA's long-term strategy for ensuring a sustainable water supply for the citizens and businesses of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and the University community. OWASA has achieved significant progress over the past several years through its seasonal and tiered rates, process water recycling at the water treatment plant, and the reclaimed water partnership with the University. The Towns and County enacted uniform conservation ordinances that are among the most proactive and innovative in North Carolina. The University has implemented extensive conservation measures throughout all sectors of its Chapel Hill campus and has agreed to pay more than $12 million for OWASA's reclaimed water system that will initially serve the main campus. The recommendations of the joint staff work group are intended to complement and reinforce the very significant accomplishments already achieved in our community. In February 2006, OWASA presented information about projected water supply and demand trends and the increasing importance of conservation in meeting long-term water needs to the elected boards of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County. The elected Boards asked that OWASA staff work with their respective staffs in developing information and recommending additional specific actions that would enable the Towns, County, and OWASA to achieve greater conservation of the community's water resources. This interlocal staff workgroup prepared a comprehensive consensus report and set of recommendations -Collaborative Water Conservation Strategies for Joint Consideration by Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County, Draft, January 2008. That document provides substantial detail about several potential conservation strategies in addition to those specifically recommended in this NRTS Committee report. The work group recommended that the Towns, County, and OWASA adopt new water conservation policies and requirements that are consistent throughout the OWASA service area in order to assure their effective and equitable application among all OWASA customers, businesses, and developers in the community. One key approach endorsed by the staff work and recommended by NRTS is that OWASA develop and adopt water use efficiency standards and requirements far new development and redevelopment projects as "conditions of OWASA service." The Towns and County would then reference OWASA's standards and requirements as conditions of their respective development approval processes. By implementing the more publicly visible strategies recommended in this report, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Orange County, and OWASA can "lead by example" in promoting the conservation behaviors and actions that we collectively want our residents, businesses and institutions to follow. The Natural Resources-Technical Systems Committee (NRTS) recommends two phases of implementation for the following strategies: Recommended Near-Term Actions (first phase) 7. OWASA should develop specific standards and enact requirements for all new development and redevelopment to provide water use efficiency plans and to install state-of--the-art water saving fixtures and devices. Compliance with these standards 3 would be required as a condition of receiving OWASA water and/or sewer service. Such standards could include requirements for use of "high efficiency" toilets, faucets, showerheads, and other fixtures certified. 2. OWASA should require thaf, as a condition of continuing OWASA water and/or sewer service, an existing service location must be in compliance with OWASA water use efficiency standards and conditions of service upon change of ownership or use. 3. Local governments and OWASA should conduct water use audits and cost-effective water conservation retrofit projects at local government-owned and managed properties, this "leading by example." 4. The Towns, County, and OWASA should continue to incorporate and formalize our collective commitments to state-of--the-art water use efficiency in the design of new local government-owned and managed properties and, where practical and cost- effective, in renovated local government owned and managed properties. 5. The Towns, County, and OWASA should develop sustainable landscape guidelines and requirements to ensure that landscape and irrigation system design, installation and ~ maintenance are more water efficient and environmentally-friendly than traditional practices. Such measures could include limits on the amount of turf that can be established on a given site and irrigated with OWASA-supplied potable water, as well as requirements for- the placement and design of the irrigation systems. The use of harvested rainwater and reclaimed water would be encouraged as alternatives to potable OWASA water. Recommended Longer-Term Actions (second phase) 1. The Towns and County should enact requirements for new development projects to connect to OWASA's reclaimed water system when such service is available. Requirements could mandate that existing irrigation systems served with OWASA potable water must be connected to the reclaimed water system when and where available. A requirement that potable water-based irrigation systems be converted to reclaimed water service could be one of OWASA's proposed new conditions of service. 2. If necessary, the Towns, County, and OWASA should seek enabling authority to enact a policy/provision that prohibits any restrictions via deed, covenant, Homeowners Association rules, etc., that would limit a property owner's ability to implement sustainable landscaping, rainwater harvesting, or other water conservation practices otherwise permitted bylaw. FINANCIAL. IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with receiving the recommendations and adopting the resolution. However, all of the recommendations are directed toward the reduction of the use of potable water. While there are costs associated with the implementation of these initiatives, savings resulting from reduced water consumption are expected to surpass any initial costs. RECOMMENDATIONS: The Manager recommends that the Board receive the Collaborative Water Conservation Strategies for Joint Consideration by Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Orange County, approve and authorize the Chair to sign the attached resolution regarding general support for interlocal water conservation strategies, including OWASA's pursuit of water use efficiency conditions of service, and to direct the H2Orange staff team to continue collaborative work on these initiatives and incorporate the recommendations into specific action strategies. RESOLUTION OF GENERAL SUPPORT FOR INTERLOCAL WATER GONSERVATION STRATEGIES INCLUDING OWASA'S PURSUIT OF WATER USE EFFICIENCY CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, AND DIRECTING STAFF TO CONTINUE COLLABORATIVE WORK ON THESE INITIATIVES WHEREAS, an adequate and high quality water supply is fundamental to the well-being and sustainability of our community; and WHEREAS, Orange County desires to continue working collaboratively with the Town of Carrboro, the Town of Chapel Hill, and OWASA to ensure the quality and adequacy of our local water resources; and WHEREAS, water conservation and water use efficiency are cornerstones of Orange County's commitment to protect water resources and encouraging sustainable growth and development; and WHEREAS, on February 14, 2008 the OWASA Board- of Directors received and strongly endorsed Recommendations regarding Water Conservation Priorities and Initiatives for collaborative action by the Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Carrboro, Orange County and OWASA; NOW THEREFORE, the Orange County Board of Commissioners does hereby: 1. Express support for the OWASA Board of Directors' February 14, 2008 recommendations to local governments regarding collaborative water conservation strategies including OWASA's proposal to consider establishing water use efficiency requirements as conditions of receiving OWASA water and sewer services for all new development and redevelopment; and 2. Express support of the additional recommendations in the report entitled "Report on Collaborative Water Conservation Strategies for Joint Consideration by Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Orange County and OWASA"dated January, 2008; and 3. Direct the County's staff to work with staff from the Town of Carrboro, Town of Chapel Hill, and OWASA to more fully develop and evaluate potential implementation strategies, a list of proposed water use efficiency standards and conditions of service, appropriate roles and responsibilities, resource needs and timetable for implementation, etc. 4. Request that OWASA provide a report on the proposed approach and implementation plan for the water use efficiency conditions of service strategy. This Fifteenth day of April 2008. Barry Jacobs, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners ATI"EST 6 March 6, 2008 Barry Jacobs, Chair Mark Chilton, Mayor Orange County Board of Town of Carrboro Commissioners 301 West Main Street P.O. Box 8181 Carrboro, NC 27510 Hillsborough, NC 27278 SUBJECT: OWASA RECOMMENDATIONS TO LOCA WATER CONSERVATION STRATEGIES Kevin Foy, Mayor Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Chapel Hi11, NC 27514 ,L GOVERNMENTS REGARDING COLLABORATIVE Dear Chair Jacobs, Mayor Chilton and Mayor Foy: At the February 14, 2008 OWASA Board of Directors meeting, we received and strongly endorsed the enclosed recommendations regarding Water Conservation Priorities and Initiatives for collaborative action by the Town of Carrboro, Town of Chapel Hill, Orange County and OWASA. These recommendations result from the efforts of the interlocal staff workgroup, which was formed to evaluate potential conservation strategies for joint consideration. On November 9, 2007 we provided you with a preliminary draft of the interlocal staff workgroup's recommendations and report. We very much appreciate your respective board's support for your staff's continuing participation in this important effort. The most significant recommendation that the OWASA Board strongly supports is the call for OWASA to require all development and redevelopment to submit water use efficiency plans and to install state-of--the-art water saving fixtures and devices as conditions of receiving OWASA water and/or sewer services. We believe this "conditions of service" approach will best ensure increased water use efficiency in all new development within our community. Additional near-term recommendations which we support include local governments and OWASA pursuing and/or continuing our collective commitments to "lead by example" by incorporating state-of--the-art conservation measures into all of our public properties, where cost-effective, and by establishing sustainable landscaping guidelines and requirements as local government policies. The recommendations also include longer-term actions, such as establishing requirements for the use reclaimed water where it is available in the future. We request your Boards' endorsement of the conditions of service approach and associated recommendations, and your support for your respective staffs to continue working with OWASA staff to develop a proposed implementation plan including timetable, funding and other resource needs, roles and responsibilities, etc. We have prepared a draft resolution for your consideration regarding this matter. '