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Ed Holland, OWASA Planning Director, made a PowerPoint presentation. The <br /> Executive Summary is as follows: <br /> Draft Long-Range Water Supply Plan Update <br /> Executive Summary <br /> July 17, 2009 <br /> OWASA's draft Long-Range Water Supply Plan Update report identifies key recommendations <br /> for meeting the expected water needs of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and the University of North <br /> Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) through 2060. The draft report includes two principal findings: <br /> 1. Expansion of OWASA's Quarry Reservoir west of Carrboro continues to offer the <br /> most cost-effective increment of additional supply and will provide full control of a <br /> substantial amount of high quality water with minimal capital investment. An <br /> expanded Quarry Reservoir is expected to meet most anticipated water supply <br /> needs for the 50-year planning period. <br /> 2. OWASA should develop agreements with neighboring utilities to secure the <br /> permanent ability to purchase or sell water under appropriate conditions of supply <br /> and demand. Except for the expanded Quarry Reservoir, temporary purchases <br /> offer the most cost-effective option evaluated, especially for the infrequent times <br /> and limited amounts of water that may be needed during the next 25 years or more. <br /> Purchase agreements also provide important mutual support when critical facilities <br /> are out of service due to maintenance, equipment failure, severe weather, or other <br /> emergency conditions. Continued participation in the recently established Jordan <br /> Lake Partnership will provide important opportunities to develop such arrangements <br /> and to gain cost-effective access to OWASA's Jordan Lake water supply storage <br /> allocation. <br /> In developing this report, OWASA conducted a thorough review of the underlying assumptions, <br /> including demand projections, supply/demand-side alternatives that were evaluated in its last <br /> comprehensive water supply report, Water Supply: A 50-Year Vision for Carrboro, Chapel Hill, <br /> and Southern Orange County(March 2000), and other alternatives that have been identified <br /> since that time. Highlights of the update include: <br /> - All customer groups — residential, commercial, and UNC — have significantly <br /> reduced their drinking water consumption in recent years. During the same time, <br /> OWASA implemented permanent process water recycling at its Jones Ferry Road <br /> Water Treatment Plant, began operating a new reclaimed wastewater system <br /> serving UNC, and aggressively promoted conservation through seasonal and tiered <br /> rates and an ongoing customer education program. New residential, commercial, <br /> and UNC development projects are increasingly relying on non-potable and <br /> advanced water use efficiency technologies to reduce their drinking water needs. <br /> - OWASA's existing Cane Cree/University Lake/Quarry Reservoir supply system can <br /> meet the community's water supply needs substantially further into the future than <br /> previously thought, even when reservoir levels are significantly lower than "normal." <br /> - Investing in an expansion of OWASA's reclaimed water system or establishing <br /> financial incentive programs, such as plumbing fixture rebates, to promote <br />