Orange County NC Website
Discussioe Paper <br />March i2, 1998 <br />Page 4 <br />6 <br />The existing Agreements of Sale and Purchase between OWASA and the Town of Carrboro, the Town <br />of Chapel Hill, and the University of North Carolina established that OWASA should in general follow a <br />policy where, to -the extent possible, fees are "based on cost of service" methodology. In the specific <br />case of water and. sewer line extensions, this .policy was made explicit by the statement "...the ultimate <br />cost of any such extension will be borne by those primarily benefiting from such extension." The <br />agreements also authorize either Town to construct extensions to the water and sewer systems, and <br />dedicate the improvements to OWASA. The Towns and Orange County have statutory authority to pay <br />for water and sewer system improvements and to recover such- costs through several methods, including <br />assessing the benefited parties. -- <br />The OWASA Board of Directors has stated a willingness to seek the input of the parties and to work <br />together to reach a construction of the terms of the original Agreements of Sale and Purchase in light of <br />contemporary circumstances and needs. <br />O WASA has the authority to make special assessments against benefiting properties for all or part of the <br />costs of constructing; reconstructing, extending or otherwise building or improving water and sewer <br />systems (G.S. 153A-185). <br />From 1977 to 1993, OWASA extended water service to one project area and sewer service to five <br />project areas. All of the project costs were assessed to the benefited parties. There were no subsidies <br />from OWASA; however, several of the projects received State grant funds which reduced assessments to <br />the benefited parties. <br /> <br /> <br />