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14 <br /> connecting Siler City and Sanford to the group that's in this room. If you think about it, there's the possibility <br /> of pumping water from Sanford or Siler City all the way to Zebulon and Wake County if you activate all the <br /> agreements in between. We're all in this together, we're all getting interconnected and dependent on one <br /> another. We're very interested in watershed protection and what's going on upstream, especially with the <br /> efforts in OWASA and Durham, because the portions of those areas drain into the New Hope arm of the lake, <br /> and that's where we draw our water from and that's where the major problems have been with algae growth <br /> and taste and odor problems on a seasonal basis. I think I saw the figures at some point that 70-80% of the <br /> storage of the lake is in the New Hope arm, but 70-80% of the flow comes down the Haw River arm, so that <br /> leads to some slow water into upper reaches of the lake. And Cary/Apex just spent$60 million on a new <br /> ozone treatment system to alleviate their problems, but Chatham County can't afford even a portion of that. <br /> We're hoping that, through controls, being able to keep from having to spend a whole lot of money for <br /> seasonal taste and odor problems. <br /> Chair Jacobs: Ron, could you just update us a little bit on the conversations between OWASA, <br /> Durham, and Chatham about the possibility of an additional intake? <br /> Ron Singleton: We've had some discussions in the past, we haven't met recently about it, but <br /> about a western intake'on the west side of the lake. When Cary/Apex was given the intake on the east side <br /> of the lake, the State said at that point that they would only permit two intakes on the lake, one on the east <br /> side and one on the west side. We've been in discussion with OWASA and the City of Durham about long- <br /> term construction of a western intake and treatment plant. <br /> Mr. Speaker: Before we can do much with that, we've got to get an allocation, at least from <br /> Durham's perspective. But we're hopeful. We are recommended for 10, and that's what I included in my <br /> presentation, but it's not a done deal yet. <br /> Chair Jacobs: Thank you. And I should mention that Orange County has had and hopefully will <br /> have a one million-gallon allocation from Jordan Lake. One of the justifications that we gave was the need <br /> for and lack of adequate water supply in central Orange County. And we specifically mentioned Orange <br /> Alamance and Hillsborough. So the interconnectedness, at least in our long-range planning, plays a role in <br /> how we might access that water. <br /> Question: Did I understand you to say Orange Alamance would participate in that? <br /> Chair Jacobs: Well, we just identified the need. We didn't say that it was going to happen, but <br /> we identified the need and the utility providers that were having difficulty meeting their water needs. And I <br /> also took the liberty, since we're still running a little bit ahead of schedule, Reverend Umstead is here along <br /> with the other People for Progress. And I asked him to just take a few minutes to show us on the map where <br /> the neighborhood is that we're talking about. I used to serve on the OWASA board also, and so from time to <br /> time, all water providers have a neighborhood come to you that needs service that wasn't really planned to <br /> get service, or maybe wasn't planned to get service when they think they need the service. So it turns out <br /> that this particular community doesn't fit in anybody's service area right now. Rev. Umstead, if you want to <br /> just share with us a little bit the nature of the problem and the size of the community and just maybe show us <br /> on a map, not everybody knows Orange County. <br /> Rev. Umstead made a presentation and showed where they live and asked that they be <br /> considered for water and sewer. (NOTE: He did not speak into a microphone so not all that Rev. Umstead <br /> was recorded. ) In summary he said that they are not begging, but we're trying to make you aware of the <br /> plight of our community. Our community sits right between 40 and 85 and 70 and Southern Railroad. One of <br /> the areas where industry and commercial business would love to get their hands on. Orange County <br /> supplies water up to a certain point and Mebane supplies water up to a certain point. Buckhorn Road seems <br /> to be the barrier between the two. All we're asking is that you consider us and our community. We're not <br /> asking for nothing, except what we need. <br /> Chair Jacobs: Thank you Rev. Umstead. And for those of you who drive along 1-85, especially <br /> on Sunday, you'll know the exit, the Buckhorn exit, because the traffic backs up on both exit ramps coming <br /> and going. There's a huge flea market right at that intersection. In case you didn't know where Buckhorn <br /> Road is, you do now. <br /> Omega Wilson, president of the People for Progress spoke. He said that they received a small <br /> grant to study the failure of septic tanks and are looking at three primary communities in the Mebane ETJ. <br /> This study is being done to-take a look and address the problem with facts and figures because we have had <br /> difficulty in getting this issue on the table with the City of Mebane. We know there is a major issue here and <br />