Orange County NC Website
agreements in between. We're all in this together, we're all getting interconnected and dependent on one <br />another. We're very interested in watershed protection and what's going on upstream, especially with the <br />efforts in OWASA and Durham, because the portions of those areas drain into the New Hope arm of the lake, <br />and that's where we draw our water from and that's where the major problems have been with algae growth <br />and taste and odor problems an a seasonal basis. I think I saw the figures at some point that 70-80°!o of the <br />storage of the lake is in the New Hope arm, but 70-$Q°lo of the flow comes dawn the Haw River arm, so that <br />leads to some slow water into upper reaches of the lake. And Cary/Apex just spent $60 million on a new <br />ozone treatment system to alleviate their problems, but Chatham County can't afford even a portion of that. <br />We're hoping that, through controls, being able to keep from having to spend a whole lot of money for <br />seasonal taste and odor problems. <br />Chair Jacobs: Ran, could you just update us a little bit an the conversations between OWASA, <br />Durham, and Chatham about the passibility of an additional intake? <br />Ron Singleton: We've had some discussions in the past, we haven't met recently about it, but <br />about a western intake on the west side of the lake. When CarylApex was given the intake on the east side <br />of the lake, the State said at that point that they would only permit two intakes on the lake, one on the east <br />side and one on the west side. We've been in discussion with OWASA and the City of Durham about long- <br />term construction of a western intake and treatment plant. <br />Mr. Speaker: Before we can do much with that, we've got to get an allocation, at least from <br />Durham's perspective. But we're hopeful. We are recommended for 10, and that's what I included in my <br />presentation, but it's not a done deal yet. <br />Chair Jacobs: Thank you. And I should mention that Orange County has had and hopefully will <br />have a one million-gallon allocation from Jordan Lake. One of the justifications that we gave was the need <br />for and lack of adequate water supply in central Orange County. And we specifically mentioned Orange <br />Alamance and Hillsborough. So the interconnectedness, at least in our long-range planning, plays a role in <br />how we might access that water. <br />Question: Did I understand you to say Orange Alamance would participate in that? <br />Chair Jacobs: Well, we just identified the need. We didn't say that it was going to happen, but <br />we identified the need and the utility providers that were having difficulty meeting their water needs. And I <br />also took the liberty, since we're still running a little bit ahead of schedule, Reverend Umstead is here along <br />with the other People for Progress. And I asked him to just take a few minutes to show us on the map where <br />the neighborhood is that we're talking about. I used to serve an the OWASA board also, and so from time to <br />time, all water providers have a neighborhood come to you that needs service that wasn't really planned to <br />get service, ar maybe wasn't planned to get service when they think they need the service. So it turns out <br />that this particular community doesn't fit in anybody's service area right now. Rev. Umstead, if you want to <br />just share with us a little bit the nature of the problem and the size of the community and just maybe show us <br />on a map, not everybody knows Orange County. <br />Rev. Umstead made a presentation and showed where they live and asked that they be <br />considered for water and sewer. (NOTE: He did not speak into a microphone so not all that Rev. Umstead <br />was recorded. } In summary he said that they are not begging, but we're trying to make you aware of the <br />plight of our community. Our community sits right between 4d and $5 and 7Q and Southern Railroad. One of <br />the areas where industry and commercial business would love to get their hands on. Orange County <br />supplies water up to a certain point and Mebane supplies water up to a certain point. Buckhorn Road seems <br />to be the barrier between the two. All we're asking is that you consider us and our community. We're not <br />asking far nothing, except what we need. <br />Chair Jacobs: Thank you Rev. Umstead. And for those of you who drive along I-85, especially <br />an Sunday, you'll know the exit, the Buckhorn exit, because the traffic backs up an both exit ramps coming <br />and going. There's a huge flea market right at that intersection. Incase you didn't know where Buckhorn <br />Road is, you da now. <br />Omega Wilson, president of the People for Progress spoke. He said that they received a small <br />grant to study the failure of septic tanks and are looking at three primary communities in the Mebane ETJ. <br />This study is being done to take a look and address the problem with facts and figures because we have had <br />difficulty in getting this issue on the table with the City of Mebane. We know there is a major issue here and <br />we also know that this issue has not been officially addressed. We hope Alamance County and Orange <br />County will take a lead role to address these issues. <br />