The proposed rates and fees for non-university customers who connect to the reclaimed water system owned by OWASA (other than temporarily for the purpose of bulk or "tanker" service at the Wastewater Treatment Plant site) are:
Monthly service charge
n 5/8" meter -- $8.37 per month
n 1-inch meter -- $16.74 per month
n 1.5-inch meter -- $30.96 per month
n 2-inch meter -- $47.62 per month
Larger than 2-inch, as determined by OWASA
Charge per 1,000 gallons -- $2.18 per 1,000 gallons
Service availability fee
(one-time system capacity fee)
n 5/8-inch -- $1,110
n 1-inch -- $2,775
n 1.5-inch -- $5,550
n 2-inch -- $8,880
n Larger than 2-inch -- as determined by OWASA
From staff reports
CARRBORO -- Proposed rates and policies for reclaimed water service to non-UNC Chapel Hill customers will be discussed at a public hearing to be held by the Board of Directors of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) at 7 tonight.
Prior to making a final decision on this or an alternative proposal, the OWASA Board of Directors will consider comments received at or prior to the public hearing.
Reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater that meets state standards for certain non-drinking purposes such as irrigation, flushing of non-residential toilets, operation of facilities that cool buildings or equipment, etc.
In 2009, OWASA constructed a reclaimed water system including pumps, tanks and pipes from OWASA's Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant near Old Mason Farm Road in southeast Chapel Hill to the Manning Drive area in the southern portion of the main campus of UNC.
The university paid the full cost of design and construction of the reclaimed water system, except for the portion funded with federal and state grant funds that OWASA received for the project.
In accordance with contractual requirements, the university pays the cost of service rates on a monthly basis to cover all of the operating, maintenance and administrative costs OWASA incurs to provide reclaimed water service to the university.
The university pays a fixed monthly service charge of $24,000 plus 60 cents per 1,000 gallons of reclaimed water used by the university.
OWASA also provides reclaimed water at no charge to the general public on a bulk basis at the Wastewater Treatment Plant for customers who receive required training and at least 50 gallons of reclaimed water per trip.
No change is proposed in this policy.
The proposed reclaimed water service policy is available on request to OWASA at 968-4421 and posted at http://www.owasa.org/Conservation/ReclaimedWater.aspx on the OWASA Web site.
For additional information, contact Patrick Davis, OWASA's sustainability manager, at 537-4210 or pdavis@owasa.org.
Customers are invited to send written comments and questions by e-mail, fax or letter to OWASA at 400 Jones Ferry Road, Carrboro, NC 27510.
