Minutes - 10-02-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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more than 40-50 feet long because water pressure is lost if it is longer. He pointed out some waterlines on the map that were not good far fighting fires. Craig Benedict said that looping of water lines was very important because it helped with water pressure and circulation. Commissioner Brown asked about the transition planning area and the sewer plan and why they did not match up. Craig Benedict said that if we are to designate a transition area, they should match up and we should know that it can be serviced adequately by sewer and water systems. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the $400 share in the Orange-Alamance Water System Corporation that each member would be required to pay. He asked if everyone in Richmond Hills (Habitat for Humanity project} would have to pay this fee and if this was the availability fee. Paul Thames said that there was not an availability fee, but they had to pay the $400 membership fee. Commissioner Jacobs said that he appreciates the amount of work that goes into being on the Orange-Alamance Board and any comments he makes are not meant to be critical of the work. He asked if the rates were structured to recover the capital costs sufficient to expand the system. Paul Thames said that the rate structure was set up primarily to pay for equipment replacement. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the 800,000 gallons per day that goes out of the basin and asked what percentage of water being recovered from the upper Eno is being transferred out of the basin by Orange-Alamance. He would also like to know how much Hillsborough, Durham, and Orange-Alamance are drawing out of the basin. Paul Thames said that Durham has an intake site, but he does not think they are using it. Hillsborough does not transfer any water out of the basin, but it has water customers that are not sewer customers. Commissioner Jacobs asked about the scientific basis for not wanting to transfer water out of basin. Paul Thames said that it creates an imbalance in the system. When the water goes out there is less water in the stream. Commissioner Jacobs asked if there was an overall engineering plan for this system. Paul Thames said that his impression was that decisions were made ad hoc. Commissioner Jacobs verified with Paul Thames that there was not along-range plan for Orange-Alamance and that he was not aware of any written criteria that would make someone eligible to hook on to the system. Also, there is no real coordination between the utility and the Planning Department as far as which areas are best served in relation to the county's Land Use Plan. Craig Benedict said that this area was one that allowed certain densities and perhaps the County might like to have a similar public water supply to service properties adjacent to each other. Commissioner Brawn said that she has often had the feeling that the Economic Development District struggled to figure out a water and sewer plan. She is trying to figure out if there is even a viable EDD without a reliable water and sewer system. County Attorney Geoffrey Gledhill said that the EDD would have to be built with a 10 or 12- inch water line. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the agenda tonight and said that the County Commissioners would be talking later about the Water and Sewer Boundary Agreement. He said that here is a utility right in the middle of the County that is not even a party to the agreement. He said that this was kind of a glaring hole in the middle of the plan. He said that the County should have a conversation going with Orange-Alamance Water System. He said that if there is going to be an EDD in this area, there needs to be discussion on how there can be sufficient water to address the residential and the commercial needs. Chair Carey said that it was important to bring in not only Orange-Alamance but also Mebane and Durham. Commissioner Halkiotis said that when the late Planning Director Marvin Collins brought this idea forward to the Board, there was no money to run water lines out to Buckhorn to make it a