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OWASA _ ORANGE WATER & SEWER AUTHORITY <br />Quality Service Since 1977 <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Board of Directors <br />FROM: Ed Kerwin <br />DATE: August 28, 1998 <br />SUBJECT: Stone Quarry Update — Recommendation to Postpone October 7, 1998 <br />Public Hearing <br />A Joint Planning Area Public Hearing is scheduled for October 7, 1998 to give elected <br />officials from Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Orange County an opportunity to receive <br />information and comments about the proposed Stone Quarry expansion. No action will <br />be taken at this time, but the matter will be referred to each governing board for its <br />individual consideration. <br />Staff recommends that the Board consider requesting a six -month delay in the public <br />hearing in order to incorporate additional technical information that will be available <br />shortly through the Water /Sewer Master Plan project. <br />A brief review and update of OWASA 's involvement in the proposed quarry expansion, <br />and the staff's rationale for delaying the public hearing, are provided below. <br />Need for the Project <br />OWASA's current raw water supplies at University Lake, Cane Creek, and existing <br />Quarry Reservoir are expected to meet average day demands through the year 2015 or <br />2020. The proposed quarry expansion would offer additional capacity to store up to 3 <br />billion gallons of surplus Cane Creek and/or University Lake water that would otherwise <br />spill over during wet weather, and provide an important backup during times of extreme <br />drought or emergency conditions elsewhere in the supply system. Statistical calculations <br />indicate that this additional capacity would also increase the combined safe yield of <br />OWASA's existing raw water sources. <br />If necessary approvals are not obtained to expand the quarry, our agreement with <br />American Stone will become void, leaving OWASA with no rights to the quarry pit <br />except through direct purchase or eminent domain, which would cost the community <br />significantly more than the presently pending agreement. <br />400 Jones Ferry Road Equal Opportunity Emp/o)•cr Voice (919) 968 -4421 <br />PO Box 366. Printed on Recycled Paper FAX (919) 968 -4464 <br />Carrboro, NC 27510 -0366 <br />IC4VN; O11'dia, pl'�r <br />