Chapel Hill, N.C. — The Orange Water and Sewer Authority agreed Thursday to provide Durham with water for 30 days.
OWASA will provide about 1.5 million gallons of drinking water per day to Durham, which has less than six weeks of quality water left in its two main reservoirs, Lake Michie and the Little River Reservoir.
“The water utilities and the communities they serve can best cope with this exceptionally severe drought by working together and helping each other as we have in the past,” OWASA Executive Director Ed Kerwin said in a statement. “We appreciate the opportunity to reciprocate the very timely help that the Durham community has given us many times.”
OWASA, which serves Chapel Hill and Carrboro, has about 214 days of drinking water available, Kerwin said. Providing 45 million gallons to Durham over the next month would reduce OWASA’s supply by 3 percent, or about six days of water, he said.
Durham also is working to tap 600 million gallons in an abandoned quarry to extend its water supply for about a month. The city also plans to double its purchase of water from Cary, to about 3.6 million gallons a day, beginning next month.
Kerwin said Durham has a track record of sharing water with Chapel Hill and Carrboro that dates to the 1960s.



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December 21, 2007 4:15 p.m.
December 21, 2007 12:30 p.m.
December 21, 2007 11:41 a.m.
December 21, 2007 11:32 a.m.
Plus, Durham's water supply comes from Lake Michie and the Little River Reservoir, which both have extremely small watersheds, so even if it does rain, they don't get much water. Plus, Lake Michie is fed by the Flat River which as of the drought conference yesterday is now a zero flow stream. That is, it has no water running in it!
Now, Cary and OWASA, etc. use Jordan Lake which is at 100% capacity for drinking water. Jordan Lake has a much larger watershed extending back into Guilford County. If they have the water and their willing to help (or sell), then why shouldn't the sister municipalities help out?
Quit being so cynical. It's Christmas time for Pete's Sake!
December 21, 2007 10:54 a.m.