Orange County NC Website
10 <br /> Quarterly Meeting of Members from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners <br /> (BOCC) and the Orange County Appointees to the OWASA Board of Directors <br /> Meeting Summary <br /> January 30, 2019, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. <br /> OWASA Boardroom, Carrboro <br /> Attendees: Oranze County: Penny Rich(Chair) and Mark Marcoplos <br /> OWASA Board Members: Ray DuBose and Yinka Ayankoya(Chair) <br /> OWASA Staff Ed Kerwin <br /> Public: None <br /> Water System Resiliency <br /> Ray DuBose provided an overview of action taken and planned to further improve water system <br /> resiliency to include: <br /> • Plan to invest—$33 million to replace —16 miles of water pipe over the next five years. <br /> • Created a new capital project to improve piping leaving the Jones Ferry Road Water <br /> Treatment Plant into the water distribution system. Design, bidding and construction is <br /> expected to take 24-30 months. <br /> • The addition of a fourth Utilities Engineer position to support effective execution of the <br /> Capital Improvements Program. <br /> • Development of a new water main assessment and replacement prioritization model, to <br /> include recommendations to further improve system resiliency. This work is expected to be <br /> completed with the next 12-18 months. <br /> • Establishment of a dedicated valve maintenance crew with additional equipment. <br /> • OWASA staff will continue to meet with UNC,UNC Hospitals and other key stakeholders <br /> and community partners to apprise,plan and collaborate on resiliency solutions. <br /> Agua Vista (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) <br /> Ray DuBose said OWASA has upgraded more than 21,000 meters across Chapel Hill and <br /> Carrboro with remote read capability, representing more than 95% of our installation target. <br /> Leveraging the nearly real-time data the meters provide, OWASA is communicating with <br /> customers when we observe increased water use beyond normal consumption patterns that <br /> suggest a water leak. As a result of these proactive notifications and customer service outreach, <br /> the number of customers making requests for OWASA to come and do on-site checks for leaks <br /> have greatly decreased. For example, service requests were 50% lower in September 2018 than <br /> in September 2017. <br /> As we have upgraded the meters, we have begun to analyze the data to detect leaks and provide <br /> early notification of water use trends that could result in a high bill and even home damage. In <br />