Agenda - 11-17-2016 - Abstract for Assembly of Governments Meeting Discussion Items

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c-- INFORMATION ITEM Attachment 5a 27 IOWASAI ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY J A public, non-profit agency providing water, sewer and reclaimed water services v to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community. November 4, 2016 Mayor Pam Hemminger Mayor Lydia Lavelle Chair Earl McKee Town of Chapel Hill Town of Carrboro Orange County Board of 405 Martin Luther King Jr. 301 West Main Street Commissioners Boulevard Carrboro,NC 27510 PO Box 8181 Chapel Hill,NC 27514 Hillsborough,NC 27278 Subject: Information for the November 17, 2016 Assembly of Governments Meeting Regarding OWASA's Update of the Long-Range Water Supply Plan Dear Mayor Hemminger, Mayor Lavelle and Chair McKee: This letter provides information for the November 17th Assembly of Governments meeting on our work to update OWASA's Long-Range Water Supply Plan (LRWSP) to ensure we have a reliable, high quality supply of water for the community for the next fifty years. Since it can take many years—even decades -to plan, design, permit, and construct water supply and drinking water infrastructure, work must be done early to ensure we take timely action. Our Cane Creek Reservoir, University Lake, and the Quarry Reservoir provide a yield of approximately 10.5 million gallons per day(Attachment). In addition, OWASA has an allocation of five percent of the water supply pool of Jordan Lake (approximately five million gallons per day), for use during severe drought or operational emergencies. OWASA does not have facilities to access its Jordan Lake supply, but treated drinking water is available via regional interconnections and mutual aid agreements with the Town of Cary and City of Durham. The OWASA Board of Directors adopted the current LRWSP in 2010 following the historic droughts of 2001-02 and 2007-08 to help ensure we have enough water to meet the community's current and future demands. Key assumptions which underlie the 2010 LRWSP include: • OWASA's service area as defined by the Water and Sewer Management, Planning and Boundary Agreement does not change. • Water demand projections do not anticipate any retail or wholesale water, wastewater, or reclaimed water sales outside of our service area. • The University will continue to use reclaimed water for non-drinking purposes. • Future state and federal regulations will allow OWASA to continue to recycle water treatment plant process water and operate its reclaimed water program. The 2010 LRWSP identified expanding the Quarry Reservoir as the most cost-effective supply to meet long-term demands. OWASA owns the land on and adjacent to the Quarry Reservoir, and approvals by the local governments were obtained in 2001 to expand the nearby active quarry. 400 Jones Ferry Road Equal Opportunity Employer Voice (919) 968-4421 Carrboro, NC 27510-2001 Printed on Recycled Paper www.owasa.org