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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 09-07-1993 - IV-A 1 O R A N G E C O U N T Y BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 7, 1993 Action Agenda Item # .IV- SUBJECT: Resolution to implement water conservation measures for the Eno River DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: Yes X No ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT: Resolution County Engineer, ext. 2300 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough - 732-8181 Durham - 688-7331 Mebane - 227-2031 Chapel Hill - 967-9251/968-4501 PURPOSE: A resolution to implement the provisions of the Orange County Ordinance dealing with northern Orange County and providing for water conservation during a water shortage. BACKGROUND: As of July 1986, the Orange County BOCC enacted a County- wide water conservation ordinance intended to address periodic water shortages which had historically affected the water supply capacity of OWASA, the Town of Hillsborough and the Orange-Alamance Water System. The ordinance set forth several tables relating reservoir water levels, the quantity of remaining raw water supplies and water conservation measures. The ordinance also set forth a management plan for the Eno River by tying rates of instream flow and water withdrawals for Hillsborough, Orange-Alamance and Piedmont Minerals to the water level (and remaining storage capacity) at Lake Orange. The tables were revised effective January 1988 to reflect the addition of flash boards and additional water storage capacity at Lake Orange. The Eno management plan portion of the ordinance was supplanted by the Eno River Capacity Use Agreement adopted in 1989. As drought and water supply conditions require, the provisions of the County ' s water conservation ordinance are both effected and rescinded by means of a formal resolution by the BOCC. As of Thursday, September 2 , the water level at Lake Orange is nineteen inches below the spillway overflow. The water level is expected to continue dropping thoughout the Labor Day weekend due to high temperatures and low probability of rainfall throughout the period. It is anticipated that the 2 water level at Lake Orange will be at or greater than twenty-four inches below spilling by the BOCC' s regularly scheduled meeting on September 7 . According to the provisions of the County ' s water conservation ordinance dealing with northern Orange and the Eno River Capacity Use Agreement, when the water level at Lake Orange is twenty- four inches below the spillway: 1) a water conservation alert, which requests that citizens using water from either Orange-Alamance or Hillsborough begin voluntarily conserving water by restricting their water use by ten percent, is to be declared and 2) Hillsborough, Orange- Alamance and Piedmont Minerals are to restrict their water withdrawals from the Eno River to the Stage II allocations specified in the Capacity Use Agreement. RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the attached resolution declaring a Stage II Water Shortage Alert and authorize the Chair to sign. 3 PUBLIC PROCLAMATION REGARDING USE OF WATER OBTAINED FROM THE PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM SUPPLIED BY THE ORANGE-ALAMANCE WATER SYSTEM, INC. AND THE TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH AND FROM ANY RAW WATER SUPPLY WITHIN ORANGE COUNTY USED BY THE ORANGE-ALAMANCE WATER SYSTEM, INC. AND THE TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH Pursuant to the provisions of the ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CONSERVATION OF WATER DURING A WATER SHORTAGE, RESTRICTING THE USE OF WATER AND WATER WITHDRAWALS, AND ALLOCATING AUGMENTED STREAMFLOW FROM RESERVOIRS, I, Moses Carey, Jr. , Chair of the Board of County Commissioners, having been provided with information that the water level of Lake Orange is two feet or more below full do hereby issue this PUBLIC PROCLAMATION declaring to all persons that a STAGE II WATER SHORTAGE ALERT is now in effect applicable to users of water from the public water system supplied by the Orange Alamance Water System, Inc. and the Town of Hillsborough and from any raw water supply within Orange County used by the Orange-Alamance Water System. Inc. and the Town of Hillsborough. The following voluntary water conservation restrictions are now applicable: 1. Use shower for bathing rather than bathtub and limit shower to no more than four (4) minutes. 2 . Limit flushing of toilets by multiple usage. 3 . Do not leave faucets running while shaving or rinsing dishes. 4 . Limit use of clothes washers and dishwashers, and when used, operate fully loaded. 5 . Limit lawn watering to that which is necessary for plants to survive. 6. Water shrubbery the minimum required, reusing household water when possible. 7. Limit car washing to the minimum. 8 . Do not wash down outside areas such as sidewalks, patios, etc. 9 . Install water flow restrictive devices in shower heads. 10. Use disposable and biodegradable dishes. 11. Install water saving devices such as bricks, plastic bottles, or commercial units in toilet tanks. 12 . Limit hours of operation of water-cooled air conditioners. This proclamation, and the voluntary conservation restrictions imposed pursuant to it, shall be in effect until the Ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CONSERVATION OF WATER DURING A WATER SHORTAGE, RESTRICTING THE USE OF WATER AND WATER WITHDRAWALS, AND ALLOCATING AUGMENTED STREAMFLOW FROM RESERVOIRS" is amended or repealed or until the Chair by Public Proclamation, declares that the Stage II Water Shortage ALERT is over. By order of Moses Carey, Jr. , Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, issued this 7th day of September, 1993 .