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8 <br /> OWASA Board Chair Ray DuBose and Board Secretary Jody Eimers, Orange County <br /> appointees to the OWASA Board, will present the annual update. OWASA Planning and <br /> Development Manager Ruth Rouse will provide an update to OWASA's Long Range Water <br /> Supply Plan (LRWSP). <br /> Ray DuBose said Jody Eimers could not attend this evening. He thanked the BOCC for <br /> appointing himself and Jody Eimers to the Board, and said Jody Eimers will be eligible for <br /> reappointment this spring. He said the OWASA board received a diversity and inclusion update <br /> earlier this year, and will be focusing on these areas in the coming months. He said there may <br /> an apprenticeship program, trainings are being done, and OWASA is participating in the <br /> County's equity efforts. He said said there is still a temporary moratorium on collections until <br /> April, and customers will not incur penalties and interests until then. He said once collections <br /> resume, OWASA will work with customers on payment plans. He said an affordability program <br /> helped OWASA to challenges posed by the pandemic. He said the Orange County Housing <br /> Department has helped implement the program. He said OWASA still applies for state and <br /> federal funding. <br /> Todd Taylor, Executive Director, reviewed a testing program of wastewater samples to <br /> track COVID-19. He said OWASA is working with NCDHHS to participate in a nationwide <br /> surveillance monitoring program to gather data pertinent to COVID-19. He said this data will <br /> help public health officials better understand infection rates in the community. <br /> Todd Taylor said OWASA is developing energy efficient projects. He said OWASA is <br /> installing rooftop solar panels via a public private partnership. He thanked the Commissioners <br /> for a Climate Action grant for a solar panel project at Cane Creek Reservoir, which was tabled <br /> due to the pandemic. He said this was done in an effort to avoid a rate increase, due to the <br /> pandemic. <br /> Ruth Rouse made the following PowerPoint presentation: <br /> SupplyrLong-Range Water <br />