OWASA Joins WIP
Posted: 9/22/22The Western Intake Partnership is excited to have the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) financially participating in the work of the partnership.
In July 2022, OWASA’s Board of Directors approved a new Long-Range Water Supply Plan. Water supply planning and partnerships can take decades to secure, which is why OWASA’s Long-Range Plan includes measures to ensure water supply through 2070. The Plan details how OWASA will continue to meet the water and sewer needs of the growing Carrboro-Chapel Hill-southern Orange County community. OWASA serves over 86,300 residents, and they anticipate adding 30,380 residents to the population by 2050.
OWASA partnered with the WIP in a limited capacity to meet their projected water needs and will be investing in planning, permitting and design projects to access water from Jordan Lake. The Jordan Lake Water Supply Project will provide OWASA with access to up to 1.8 billion gallons of water annually. OWASA has had an allocation of Jordan Lake water supply storage since the late 1980s but has not had facilities to access their allocation. The project will provide OWASA with direct access to Jordan Lake’s water to complement their existing water sources: Cane Creek Reservoir, University Lake, and the Quarry Reservoir.
“Jordan Lake offers a resilient, cost-effective, and viable opportunity to meet future water demands,” said Ruth Rouse, OWASA’s Planning and Development Manager. “We’re looking forward to working with the WIP to create water security throughout the region for generations.”
As part of this limited partnership, the Jordan Lake water treatment facility and other project components may be built on OWASA-owned property.
To learn more about OWASA and the new Long Range Water Supply Plan, please visit OWASA’s website.