Agenda - 02-21-2023; 4-b - OWASA Annual Update Presentation

Browse Search

OWASA Quarterly Report 4 January 26, 2023 Page 3 OWASA uses a combination of chlorine and ammonia, known as chloramines,to disinfect drinking water throughout the majority of the year. Each March, however, we only use chlorine for the disinfection process. This change is only for the month of March and has no impact on the safety of the drinking water. The change in treatment process is recommended by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and is standard practice among water providers, including neighboring utilities. We will be sharing this information widely with customers ahead of the change. Affordability Program: Affordability and service equity is a key focus area for OWASA. In our Strategic Plan approved by the OWASA Board of Directors in the fall of 2022, we identified increasing the adequacy and accessibility of our customer assistance funding through the Care to Share program. We have submitted two funding applications to the state's Division of Water Infrastructure to identify, extend, and connect water and sewer services to low-income households within our service area. This effort was also made a priority in our recently adopted Strategic Plan. Last summer, the OWASA Board voted to eliminate the $45 account delinquency fee that was previously charged to customers when their service was disconnected for non-payment. Town Councils in Carrboro and Chapel Hill have voted to dedicate a portion of ARPA funding to cover past-due debts of municipal residents on their OWASA bills that were accrued while the Orange County State of Emergency was in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for this funding. The OWASA Board is scheduled to receive an update of our Affordability Program in February. Diversity and Inclusion: Promoting diversity and inclusion is a top priority for OWASA, which has had an active Diversity and Inclusion Program since 2016. Diversity and Inclusion was also identified as an OWASA value in the Strategic Plan adopted in the fall of 2022. We anticipate recruitment to begin in early 2023 for a Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. This will be the first position at OWASA focused solely on Diversity and Inclusion. Internal diversity working groups are continuing their evaluation of OWASA's Diversity and Inclusion Program and how to continue to grow these efforts in the future.