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3 <br />Quarterly Report to Orange County Commissioners <br />September 30, 1991 <br />page 2 <br />during wet weather. . Our own records ancentWfield e evaluations <br />have failed to support these claims, however. <br />one upstream collector sewer with infiltration problems,"and area <br />taking steps to correct it; but, the Bolin Creek interceptor <br />whole appears to be performing well within normal operating <br />standards. Because we can't observe our entire system <br />ofall at <br />once, we encourage anyone to call OWASA - at any hour <br />day - to report a manhole problem. We want to know at once so <br />our workers can check for blockage and clean up the area. <br />Watershed Preservation Activities <br />Several of you have requested an update on our efforts to <br />purchase critical parcels of land in the. University Lake and Cane <br />Creek watersheds. To date, OWASA has accumulated approximately <br />$200,000 in capital funds designated for watershed preservation <br />and land acquistion. Staff has had direct contact with the <br />private owners of several land parcels to discuss options ranging <br />from fee - simple purchase to the acquisition of limited purchase <br />conservation easements or development rights. Only one <br />has been finalized so far. <br />We estimate that almost 2400 acres of land lie within 1000 feet <br />of University Lake and Cane Creek Reservoir. About 1500 acres, <br />or 65 percent of this land, is in private ownership. Fee simple <br />acquisition at $5,000 an acre would cost $7.5 million dollars. <br />We still have a long way to go. <br />But in the meantime, remember that the consummation of our stone <br />quarry expansion agreement would give OWASA the option to <br />purchase 100 critical acres of additional buffer land in the <br />University Lake watershed. <br />Collaboration with Oran a Count <br />Several activities during the past quarter have reinforced of <br />OWASA's appreciation for County support - both by the <br />Commissioners and by your staff. We especially welcomed your <br />endorsement of our petition to the North Carolina Environmental <br />Management Commission to designate the University Lake watershed <br />