Orange County NC Website
9 <br /> WRITTEN <br /> a) Schools in Orange County(impact fees). <br /> 3) LONG TERM WATER SUPPLY AND PROTECTION <br /> a) Update of OWASA's Long-Term Water Supply Plan, Including an Assessment of <br /> Jordan Lake Options <br /> 8:01:58 PM Ed Kerwin, Executive Director, OWASA (written statement attached and hereby <br /> incorporated as part of the official Minutes), stated that they were now facing an opportunity and <br /> responsibility to make sure that they provided a safe, secure, and sustainable water supply for <br /> their future. He said to that end, they had begun a process to update their 50-year water supply <br /> plan, looking out to the year 2060. Mr. Kerwin said key questions that needed to be answered <br /> during that update were how their service area would grow, what that development would look <br /> like and what its density would be, and how much water and sewer service would be expected of <br /> OWASA. He stated they would then evaluate what combination of conservation, demand <br /> management, traditional supply or alternative supply options would best meet those needs in a <br /> sustainable fashion. <br /> Mr. Kerwin stated OWASA's guiding principal was the objective that they would maximize the <br /> use of their local resources to either eliminate or minimize the need for resources outside of their <br /> area. He said most of the technical work should be completed by the spring of 2009, and they <br /> would then provide that information to all stakeholders so they could provide OWASA feedback <br /> to allow them to begin making decisions about the future. He said even though they were now <br /> out of the recent drought,they needed to plan for future droughts. <br /> David Hughes, Chatham County Public Works Director, provided an update on Chatham <br /> County's water plant expansion. He said after some study, they had determined it made sense to <br /> do the expansion on the western side of Jordan Lake and to partner with other jurisdictions to <br /> meet short-term needs. Mr. Hughes stated they had put year-round conservation measures in <br /> place, and had actually seen their peak demand levels decrease. <br /> Ted Voorhees, Deputy City Manager, City of Durham(attachment hereby incorporated as part of <br /> the official Minutes), provided an overview of Jordan Lake collaboration and Durham <br /> conservation efforts. He stated that regional cooperation had to be built upon a philosophy of <br /> conservation and sustainable practices. Mr. Voorhees stated they had been focused on two <br /> significant projects for expansion capacity in the northern part of their jurisdiction: Nello Teer <br /> Quarry, which the State DWQ had now said could only be used for limited purposes; and, to <br /> raise the dam and expand the capacity of Lake Michie. He said that downstream of Lake Michie <br /> was Falls Lake which had not weathered the drought very well, making it clear to them and to <br /> DWQ that that was not a preferred option. Mr. Voorhees stated that put them back at looking at <br /> Jordan Lake as the preferred water source. <br /> 4 <br />