Agenda - 08-17-1999 - 10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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08,'06/99 15:05 CHATHAM COUNTY MANAGERS OFFICE 4 9196443004 NO.6% P002/004 I Consulting Engineers 290 S. W Broad Strew So Mem Pines. N. C 28387 (910) 692 -56/6 MEMORANDUM TO: Chatham County FROM: Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates, P.A. DATE: July 21, 1999 RE: Letter from Orange County requesting an update on water supply from Jordan rake The following discussion addresses issues raised in a July 15, 1999 letter from the Orange County Manager to W. Charlie Home. a. Chatham Casey's current arrangement for obWaing Jordan Lake Waur Waugh the Cary/Ap= remake facilities. Currently, Chatham County has a water purchase contract with the Town of Cary/Apex that allows the County to purchase up to 1.0 MGD of raw water averaged over a month period. The contract terms; indicate that Chatham County's purchase cannot exceed 1.0 MGD on a monthly average. Typically, Chatham County experiences seasonal demand increases in the North Chatham System and additional capacity is required to meet the increased demand. The Town of Cary has provided some latitude for increasing the County's allowable raw water purchase as outlined in the water purchase contract, This amount may increase in 100,000 gallon increments and must be requested in writing. Chatham County has requested increases several tines over the last few years, however, Cary has declined to grant the County a permanent increase. Cary has permitted the County to temporarily increase its withdrawal by several hundred thousand gallons a day with the stipulation that it can be reduced at any time. b. The problems and shortcomings of that arrangement and an a sesssneist of the State's ability to effect a sasisjaetory solmioa to Aoseprvbrsams. State and federal govertmient organizations charged with Jordan Lake regulation and oversight have worked under the assumption that intakes on Jordan Lake will operate as regional facilities without any centralized support or incentives. The Corps of Engineer's Jordan Lake master plan was designed assuming that there would be two regional intakes. The Jordan Lake allocation process was designed and has been implemented assuming that allocation holders would be able to access their allocation through regional facilities. Unfortunately, the existing regulatory fiw wvork does not include any assistance to local governments wishing to participate in a regional facility. The lack of any centralized oversight has resulted in a ' first come, fast served" system that favors large financially secure utilities at the expense of smaller less capital rich utilities. Cary/Apex's intake facility was initially promoted as a regional intake in which Chatham County would be a welcome participant, however, in the past few years, Cary has expressed an increasing reluctance to partnering with Chatham County, especially on a long term permanent basis. The regulatory bodies and oversight bodies that promoted the intake as a