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MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />November 16, 2006 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 5 November 16, 2006 <br />have ranged from six to nine hundred dollars per unit installed. <br /> <br />Tim Carey inquired whether there would be additional upkeep costs of these units to consider. <br />Tom replied that the only recurring cost would be for filter replacement. <br /> <br />Jessica Lee asked about the bottled water allotment. Mr. Konsler replied that each family was <br />allotted 15 gallons per month for drinking water. <br /> <br />Board members concurred that staff should further investigate the Reverse Osmosis solution <br />further and report back to the Board. <br /> <br />To date, approximately $76,000 has been paid out from the fund. <br /> <br />Motion to accept the report pending additional information was made by Tim Carey, seconded by <br />Anissa Vines, and carried without dissent. <br /> <br />E. Biosolids Site Research Project with UNC School of Public Health <br /> <br />Nancy Holt, a citizen from the Bradshaw Quarry Road community, approached the staff with a <br />continuing concern regarding the biosolids application site that is in that community. There are <br />about 38 homes near this site. Staff believes that further study of biosolids application sites is <br />warranted but do not feel that there is sufficient staff time, equipment, or expertise to conduct <br />the studies in the manner required. Tom Konsler and Rosemary Summers met with faculty at <br />the School of Public Health’s Environmental Sciences and Engineering Department (ESE) to <br />assess whether there would be faculty and/or student interest in pursuing such a study. <br /> <br />Several faculty members have expressed interest. Dr. Marc Sobsey and Dr. Chip Simmons, two <br />faculty members in the ESE Department are interested in working with us on designing a study <br />that will meet our needs for this community and perhaps will lead to a larger grant proposal for <br />a more extensive study of biosolids application sites. The study design will include air quality <br />sampling at a baseline (prior to application) and at a time shortly after applications of biosolids. <br />In addition, stream sampling at public access areas will be set up so that measures can be taken <br />prior to application and at a time after a significant rainfall. The decision regarding a health <br />questionnaire was not made, pending interest by the epidemiology department in collaboration <br />on this project. It is anticipated that the actual sampling will not occur until sometime this <br />spring due to soil conditions, ground cover, and other technical factors related to the study <br />itself. The School is anticipating both graduate student involvement and faculty oversight. This <br />would be a pilot study. <br /> <br />Staff has identified a total of $10,000 from several different budget line items that can be used <br />for this project. Staff believes that this project is related to the Department’s Strategic Plan in <br />the Water Protection Section of the plan. Since Orange County is one of the counties with the <br />largest number of application sites, a larger research study would also help us establish the <br />relative risks associated biosolids application sites and afford better information with which to <br />inform our communities, our policymakers, and our partners.