Agenda - 04-04-1988 - Laserfiche WebLink

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911 A RESOLUTION REQUESTING ORANGE COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESERVOIR AT SEVEN MILE CREEK WHEREAS, water is a fundamental life-sustaining resource, necessary for the general welfare of all Orange County citizens, and vital to the ecologi- cal and economic needs of the area; and WHEREAS, it has been estimated that there will be a projected deficit of water supply ranging from 7.3 to 11.6 million gallons per day (MDG) shortly after the year 2000 (Water Supply Study, S-3) ; and recognizing that the needs of the future may continue to over-tax the present sources of supply and storage (Capacity Use Inv. , p.10) ; and WHEREAS, under low rainfall conditions, there is insufficient instream flow in the Eno River to assure adequate aquatic habitat, human recreational potential, and acceptable aesthetic standards (Capacity Use Inv. , p.14) ; and WHEREAS, the present insufficiency of long-term water resources and the uncertainty regarding their development has created a disincentive for in- vestment in areas of the County which are zoned for industrial growth; and WHEREAS, an estimated 80% of the Orange County tax base is composed of residential property owners, whose ever-increasing tax burden might be lessened by providing adequate and dependable water resources for industries seeking to locate in the region; and WHEREAS, a. dependable, safe and economical source of water to meet the present and future ecological and human needs of Orange County has been of critical concern to each citizen of the County; and, the Orange County Board of Commissioners have indicated their desire to study and consider all reason- able alternatives and proposals that seek to address those needs(Capacity Use, p.29) ; and WHEREAS, the assessment of these alternatives has suggested the designa- tion of the Eno River basin as a capacity use area, resulting in an allocation policy potentially detrimental to economic development and cumbersome to administer; and WHEREAS, short-term supplies of water through the proposed Durham pipeline represent a significant cost to taxpayers and consumers, without addressing the long-term needs expressed in the various studies; and WHEREAS, the management and governance of said pipeline may present considerable obstacles for zoning, as well as maintenance problems related to extended tap-on use; and WHEREAS, the adoption of other transfer systems, such as the use of water from Jordan Lake represents an initial cost of more than 20 million dollars, and a cost per-gallon of $3.12 (nearly three times that of the Revised Seven Mile Creek Reservoir Project, herein proposed) ; and