Agenda - 03-29-2000-3 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 29, 2000 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Wastewater Treatment Management Program Expansion Proposal - __ DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Executive Outline of Proposal Educational Plan Discussion Paper Appendix 1: Funding Scenarios INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosemary Summers, ext 2411 r TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968.4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 33fi-227-2031 PURPOSE: To provide a report to the Board on the educational plan and initial financing of the Wastewater Treatment Management Program (WIMP) expansion. BACKGROUND History of Current Program The current Wastewater Treatment Management Program (WIMP) was approved by the Board of Commissioners in 1995. The program inspects non-municipal discharging wastewater systems and municipal sludge sites. These are commonly called "alternative systems" and include !ow pressure pipe systems, pump conventional systems, large systems, discharging sand filters, and non-municipal package plants, in addition to sludge application sites. The impetus to explore the expansion. of the cun'ent WTMP was the result of a joint meeting of the Board of Commissioners and the OWASA Board in the spring of 1998, and a subsequent meeting of the Board of Health. All three boards recognized that existing failure rates of conventional septic systems are not likely to improve without action and that centralized wastewater disposal will not be a repair option in many areas of the county. History of_ExAansion Proposal The Board of Health formed a special. committee at its August 1998 meeting to consider whether citizens in the county would benefit from an expansion of the current wastewater treatment management program (WIMP) that would include conventional on-site wastewater systems (septic systems). The WTMP F~cpansion Committee, composed of representatives from the County Commissioners, OWASA, Hillsborough Town Engineer, the Board of Health, health department staff, Commission for the Environment, planning department staff, and county manager's office met several times in the fall of 1998 and into 1999. The Boarcl of Health approved the conceptual plan in November 1998, subject to Commissioner approval of resources needed to further refine the plan. The proposal was presented to a joint Board of Health, Board of Commissioners work session in March 1999. Potential funding options that were proposed at that time are attached, however the consensus at that time was that long-term funding would be worked out during the same year that the education plan was beginning implementation. The Commissioners expressed interest but desired to see a further refinement and expansion of the Educational Plan component of the gronosal. Staff oreoared a