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Soil Suitability: Soils provide serious constraints on development , <br /> affecting the construction of buildings , streets , and utility Lines . <br /> Soils in this area have been evaluated on the basis of wetness , shrink— <br /> swell potential , slope, plasticity, and depth to groundrock . Three <br /> categories of suitability have been identified based on those <br /> characteristics : desirable , marginal , or undesirable for development . <br /> One important characteristic of soils is suitability for septic tank <br /> absorption fields . In areas where public sewer service is not <br /> available, development occurs with use of septic tanks . This <br /> characteristic is not relevant for Land use planning in areas where <br /> sewer service is expected to be available . It is relevant in areas <br /> where service is not expected to be available in the near future . <br /> Suitability for development using septic tanks is expressed in terms of <br /> constraints: the degree to which soil characteristics constrain use of <br /> septic tanks . Categories utilized include slight , moderate, and severe . <br /> If the degree of limitation is slight , soils are generally favorable for <br /> the specified use and limitations are minor and easily overcome ; if <br /> moderate , soil ''properties or site features are unfavorable for the <br /> specified use, but limitations can be overcome by special planning and <br /> design . If severe , soil properties or site features are so unfavorable <br /> or difficult to overcome that major soil reclamation , special design , or <br /> intensive maintenance is required . <br /> Soils in southeast Orange County are all in either the moderate or <br /> severe ,categories . <br /> Water Resources <br /> Residents of southeast Orange County obtain water from three sources ; <br /> groundwater (wells) , rivers , or resevoirs . There are no natural lakes <br /> in North Carolina 's Piedmont . Natural water supply is not a constraint <br /> in North Carolina . Annual rainfall provides an abundant amount of <br /> water, 50 timesI more than one could possibly imagine ever using . The <br /> task is to collect , store, treat , and distribute the water . <br /> The most reliable source of public water supply for urban use is a <br /> reservoir . Until recently , Chapel Hill , Carrboro , and surrounding areas <br /> relied exclusively on University Lake for water supply . (In times of <br /> drought , water is purchased from neighboring systems . ) That source has <br /> been recognized es inadequate for this growing area . Now Cane Creek <br /> Reservoir is beginning to be operational , and raw water supply should be <br /> adequate for thenext 20 years . <br /> The link between land use planning and water resources in the area Lies <br /> in protecting water quality by limiting development in key watersheds . <br /> Development is currently limited in the University Lake watershed in two <br /> ways : Orange County has (1 ) adopted policies against extending sewer <br /> Lines into protected watersheds ; and ( 2) established a minimum Lot size <br /> requirement of two ( 2) acres in designated Water duality Critical Areas <br /> plus impervious surface Limitations throughout the watersheds . <br /> 18 <br />