Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Environmental Challenges: Wastewater Treatment Management <br />Operational inspections of some on-site systems, all non-municipal discharging & <br />non-discharging systems, and all bio-solid application sites <br />468 systems with the re-inspection requirement in 1995; 1,962 systems now require <br />re-inspection <br />• No positions have been added far this program since its inception in 1995 <br />Environmental Challenges: Protecting Water Resources <br />• Continuation of 2002-2004 Strategic Plan <br />• Focus is on water monitoring, surveillance & education <br />• Relates to previous county commissioner goals and to the State of the Environment <br />Report <br />Environmental Challenges: Protecting Water Resources <br />• Private well database is growing; 1,666 are currently in GIS layer with information; <br />have electronic data on 7,752 wells <br />• 300-400 new well permits per year <br />• Approx. 400 water samples in FY04-05 - we are on track to double that number this <br />FY <br />• Septic system education & maintenance key <br />• Financing study completed <br />• Pharmaceutical disposal study completed <br />Commissioner Gordan asked about new wells coming in and if they are always <br />put on the GIS and Alan Rimer said yes. <br />Commissioner Carey asked what has to happen to get the remaining wells put on <br />the GIS layer. Alan Rimer said that the existing wells need to be surveyed in. <br />Environmental Challenges: Protecting Water Resources <br />• Develop comprehensive plan and implementation strategies with water resource <br />partners {e.g., CFE, utilities, NC DENR, non-profits} <br />• Establish a monitoring program {both surface and ground water) <br />• Educate contractors, realtors, & homeowners <br />• Establish incentive programs for homeowners for septic system maintenance <br />• Continue special projects for communities (e.g., Mill Creek, Rogers Road, Bradshaw <br />Quarry, ASC Quarry) <br />• Apply for a CWMTF grant <br />Environmental Challenges: <br />Technology, Training, & Facilities <br />• Field based technologies (GPS based PC notebook and other handheld, mobile <br />technologies) needed to improve services to clients & build databases for analysis <br />• Need to keep software current for GIS and Accela {Permits Plus) <br />• Emerging pathogens, waste and water technologies and analysis possibilities require <br />constant staff training <br />• Inadequate space far staff and unsafe filing systems <br />