Towns leery of easing water rules

Carrboro and Chapel Hill wonder about the OWASA board's vote to go to Stage One limits

CARRBORO -- The Board of Aldermen and the Chapel Hill Town Council aren't so sure about the Orange Water and Sewer Authority's board of directors' vote to move back to Stage One water-use restrictions.

The OWASA board, which had been enforcing Stage Three water-use restrictions since March 1 and Stage Three water rate surcharges since March 17, voted to lessen restrictions Thursday. Stage Three restrictions had banned almost all outdoor use of OWASA drinking water.

OWASA serves Chapel Hill, Carrboro, UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Hospitals. Chairman Barry Jacobs of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy and Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton all have to sign the proclamation approving the move to Stage One if it is to be enforced throughout OWASA's service area.

Jacobs signed the proclamation Friday.

The Chapel Hill Town Council expressed several concerns Monday night, suggesting that it would be wiser to wait several more weeks to see whether recent rains continue. Foy said he plans to sign the proclamation, as long as OWASA continues to stress to consumers the drought is not over and closely monitors water levels so it can move back to Stage Two or Three immediately if storage levels fall below expectations.

The Board of Aldermen echoed that concern Tuesday. Chilton said he plans to make a decision on signing today.

OWASA's water storage is at 70 percent of capacity, about 400 days of water supply, said Ed Kerwin, OWASA executive director. But Monday's water levels were at an all-time low compared with April 14 in past years.

Braxton Foushee, a member of the OWASA board and former alderman, said Tuesday that UNC-CH is considering turning to an outside entity to provide the campus water for its baseball and soccer fields and its swimming pools. Stage Two allows pools to be topped off but not empty pools to be filled.

"What kind of message would that send?" he asked. "So, my recommendation was: 'Let's go to Stage One. Let them fill their pools.' ... To me, that sends the wrong message that they can wiggle out [of being an OWASA client]."