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107 <br /> Public Service Enterprises <br /> Water and Sewer Services.Water and sewer services are provided to the majority of the population <br /> of the County by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority(the "Authority"). The Authority was created in <br /> 1975 by the Board of Commissioners of the County and the boards of aldermen of the Towns of Chapel <br /> Hill and Carrboro for the purpose of acquiring, consolidating, improving, and operating the existing water <br /> and sewer systems in the southern portion of the County. Prior to the formation of the Authority, water <br /> service was provided by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Town of Carrboro and <br /> sewer service was provided by the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro in conjunction with the University. <br /> The Authority began utilities operations in 1977 when the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and <br /> The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill conveyed their water and sewer facilities to the Authority. <br /> Under the terms of the transfer, the Authority provides and maintains sewage collection and treatment <br /> facilities and water supply,treatment and distribution facilities. <br /> The Town of Hillsborough and the City of Mebane, which is partly located within the corporate <br /> limits of the County,also own and operate water and sanitary sewer systems. The County issued water and <br /> sanitary sewer bonds in the late 1960s to finance the construction of the Lake Orange reservoir, which <br /> serves the water system of the Town of Hillsborough, and the construction of improvements which serve <br /> the water and sanitary sewer systems of the City of Mebane. In addition, the Orange Alamance Water <br /> System, a private corporation,utilizes Lake Orange and provides water service to a part of the west central <br /> portion of the County. <br /> The County's water supply has been supplemented by the addition of the Cane Creek Reservoir, <br /> which was built by the Authority in 1989. Increased water supply has also resulted from the renovations to <br /> the dam at Lake Orange,which is owned by the County. <br /> Sanitary Landfill.The County owned and operated a sanitary landfill serving County residents until <br /> that landfill closed in June 2013. On July 1,2013,the County entered into an interlocal agreement with the <br /> nearby City of Durham,North Carolina, for certain solid waste purposes. The City of Durham has agreed <br /> to allow the County to deliver solid waste to a City of Durham-operated transfer station located in Durham. <br /> The agreement provides the opportunity to renew the agreement upon written execution by both parties. <br /> The County continues to evaluate other options for solid waste disposal. <br /> Other Public Service Enterprises. Telephone service in the County is provided by Spectrum, <br /> AT&T, CenturyLink and Verizon Communication. Electric service is provided by Duke Energy and <br /> Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation. Gas service is provided by Enbridge Gas North Carolina. <br /> Other Services. Fire and police protection are provided by the Towns of Chapel Hill,Carrboro and <br /> Hillsborough and the City of Mebane within their respective jurisdictions. In the unincorporated areas of <br /> the County, fire protection is provided in 12 fire districts pursuant to contracts between the County, the <br /> municipalities and various fire departments. Police protection in the unincorporated areas of the County is <br /> provided by the County Sheriff s Department. <br /> The County's Emergency Services Department provides four general areas of countywide <br /> emergency assistance, emergency communications (911), emergency medical services, fire marshal and <br /> emergency management. Volunteer rescue squads work jointly with the County to provide a significant <br /> amount of such services. <br /> 34 <br />