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Orange Water and Sewer Authority <br />Comments to Joint Public Hearing on <br />Stone Quarry Expansion <br />October 10, 1991 <br />Page 2 <br />to be guided by your land management plans. <br />Many of you were present three years ago at our intergovernmental <br />dinner at the Holiday Inn when DWASA first described these <br />efforts to, negotiate an arrangement that would help meet. our <br />water needs well into the 2.1st century. Those negotiations <br />resulted in the agreement described in your background material <br />and which brings us here tonight. <br />No later than the year 2030, the expanded quarry pit will be <br />deeded to OWASA for use as a reservoir that will hold -up to three <br />billion gallons of water. That's equal to the present volume of <br />the Cane Creek Reservoir, and more than five times that of <br />University,Lake. This new reservoir will be used to store high <br />quality water from Cane Creek that would otherwise flow over the <br />dam. The Cane Creek Reservoir cost nearly 20 million dollars. <br />Essentially doubling its storage capacity and gaining a 150 foot <br />buffer margin around the new reservoir would cost nothing. <br />Additionally, the agreement allows DWASA to acquire more than 100 <br />acres of additional land around the new reservoir — an option <br />which will';,help realize our commitment to purchase and protect <br />critical land in the University Lake watershed. <br />By continuing a profitable quarry operation that provides <br />additional tax revenue and jobs to the community, and by doubling <br />OWASA's water storage capacity at no cost to the public, this <br />proposal c,an help achieve several goals of Orange County's <br />Comprehensive Plan. In particular it would provide: <br />• "Clean and safe water supplies available and adequate to <br />meet 'future needs of the residents of Orange County;" and, <br />will provide <br />"Economic development which meets local needs while <br />protecting the natural environment." <br />It is noteworthy that such a significant reservoir can be <br />developed without displacing a single rural resident or farm. <br />We support: the entire multi —party proposal as a complete package. <br />Through the strong terms of QWASA's agreements with the <br />