Water management in Pittsboro

Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:34:51 -0400
From: Pam Cash-Roper
Subject: RE: Pittsboro Elections

In keeping with my idea of sharing with you here is another question that I was asked.  I did some research and here is my answer below:

*Q: What do you see as the most pressing issue(s) regarding various aspects of water management (drinking water, sewer/waste water, storm water) in Pittsboro today and in the next two years? Please describe your ideas for addressing any issues you identify.*

The Town has an aging water supply system and gets its water from the Haw River. It is also  a signatory to the Jordan Lake Partnership (JLP) but that regional water supply is many years in the future.

The Town needs to either a) build a new reverse osmosis water treatment plant; b) connect to Chatham County and sign an agreement to let Chatham County supply our water and polish the water at our current plant or c) connect to Sanford’s water supply and purchase water from Sanford.

As for the waste water treatment plant (WWTP) the Town has an agreement with Sanford to run a line to Sanford for up to two million gallons per day..

From what I understand this agreement will be very profitable for the Town of Pittsboro over its life. The Town should connect to Sanford for potable water to solve its problem with drinking water and allow it to discharge more sewer effluent to Sanford by complying with the Cape Fear inter basin transfer rules.

This simple move would enable Pittsboro to enlarge the pipe size to accommodate up to four million gallons per day. This is a better environmental solution for Jordan Lake and a better fiscal solution for the Town of Pittsboro.

As for storm water the Town is experiencing more frequent and larger volume rain events.

The Town should explore incentivizing the installation of more pervious pavers, green roofs,  constructed wetlands, use of low impact design, additional green spaces as well as updating its current storm water collection system to handle larger flows and volume. Storm water should potentially be evaluated as an additional utility such as drinking water and waste water.

—Pam for Pittsboro

Early voting begins on October 16th.

I would be honored to earn your vote.

Vote Pamela Cash-Roper!