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2 <br />A new, relatively high-yield, well (located within the recently acquired Kennedy tract near the <br />common property line between the original NHSC and Kennedy tracts) was drilled in early 2004, <br />In accordance with the regulatory requirements of the Public Water Supply Section of the NC <br />Division of Environmental Health (PWS), water drawn from the well was subjected to a battery <br />of water quality tests to determine the level of treatment -other than the basic chlorination/ <br />disinfection required of all public water supplies -that would be necessary for this water source. <br />Tests indicated that the water was both acidic (low pH) and high in iron content, The PWS <br />regulations accordingly required that the water be treated (buffered) to neutralize the pH and to <br />address precipitating iron, Furthermore, PWS regulations have required that a water storage <br />tank be integrated into the system to compensate for potential variations between maximum <br />potential demand on the system (water use) and well pumping rate. <br />County Engineering staff, in conjunction with Public Works staff, various equipment suppliers <br />and PWS staff have developed a design that will meet the requirements of PWS regulations as <br />well as the demands of the NHSC facilities. A 10' x 12' precast/prefabricated concrete panel <br />shed-type building/structure will be installed adjacent to the exterior western wall of the NHSG's <br />existing cafeteria. This shed will contain a 500 gallon buffering tank (4' diameter x 5' tall), a <br />1000 gallon fiberglass water storage tank (5' diameter x 8' tall), two existing 30" diameter <br />pressure tanks (relocated from the boiler room area), a polyphosphate metering pump with 20 <br />gallon storage tank (iron sequesterization), achlorine metering pump with 200 gallon storage, a <br />finished water pressure pump and all associated piping and electrical controls, panels, etc.) <br />Raw -untreated -water from the well will be pumped into this building and treated. Treated <br />water will be pumped through the wall into the overhead portion of the cafeteria area and <br />connected to the facility's existing water heating and distribution network water, All existing <br />potable water equipment, with the exception of the hot water heaters (mounted high above the <br />finished floor), will be removed from the boiler room, The estimated cost of the new water <br />treatment equipment, building, etc,, is $35,000 out-of-packet, Public works staff will provide all <br />necessary installation services except plumbing and setting the prefabricated building (set by <br />building supplier on a gravel pad furnished by the County), The design of this facility has been <br />completed and should be through the permitting phase by November 2005. All <br />construction/installation is projected to be in February 2006, <br />Orange County investigated a number of wastewater system design and development <br />processes for the NHSC facility during the period of January through November 2004, At that <br />time, the Board determined that County engineering and Environmental Health staff would <br />develop and have permitted an innovative technology system that could provide a treatment <br />capacity of up to 6000 gallons per day (gpd). That system would utilize as much of the existing <br />infrastructure as possible, but would also include an advanced secondary treatment component <br />capable of providing a high level of treatment and tertiary treatment providing disinfection. The <br />new system would also provide an expanded nitrification field (the existing field would be <br />abandoned/removed) located on the Vincent tract (directly across NC 86 from the NHSC) which <br />had been acquired for that purpose, <br />To date staff, working with NC Division of Environmental Health regulators and a consulting soil <br />scientist, has concluded the extensive soil and hydraulic conductivity testing of the Vincent tract <br />nitrification field area, The design and the layout of the nitrification field have been finalized, A <br />secondary treatment technology (Advantex filtration systems, pre-approved by state <br />environmental health regulators) has been selected and a package that will be submitted for <br />final state approval nears completion, Final approval local/state environmental health approvals <br />