Many in our community are aware that we have a limited supply of water with our current raw water intake source. In addition, our current water treatment facility is only permitted to treat 3 million gallons per day. I believe it is important for the Boone community to have factual information regarding the water situation. I have prepared a summary of events and the steps that the Boone Town Council has taken to address the Boone water supply issue.

• Late summer/early fall 2003: The Boone water supply had to be treated for algae due to low water flow following a dry season.  I started to have concerns about the adequacy of our water supply.

• January 2004: The Town of Boone and the Town of Blowing Rock met to discuss the possibility of bulk water sales from Boone.

• Both myself and Loretta Clawson, who was a fellow Council Member at the time, felt strongly (due to the water issues the previous fall) that a Water Study was needed to assess the adequacy of our water supply prior to continuing discussions with the Town of Blowing Rock.

• The Town of Boone decided to have an engineering firm complete a hydraulic analysis and master plan to determine if Boone’s water system was capable of providing water to Blowing Rock

• October 2004:  The Town of Boone Water System Hydraulic Analysis and Master Plan was completed.

• Boone’s water distribution system was described as “in great shape”, but it was discovered that existing raw water sources were not adequate to supply water in future years.  The study also determined that Boone had little reserve capacity available to last until improvements could be made.

• Engineers calculated Boone’s future water needs to be 6.8 million gallons per day on a maximum daily demand basis.  Current intakes are permitted for 3 million gallons per day withdraw and current treatment facility is permitted to treat 3 million gallons per day.

• The Town of Boone immediately initiated a raw water supply study.  Phase 1 of this study, which consisted of allowing the engineering firm to identify viable raw water supply alternatives was completed in June 2005.  The Town of Boone acquired a grant from the Rural Center in the amount of $40,000 to assist with funding this portion of the study.

• June 2005, the Town of Boone began Phase 2 of the study to identify all options of raw water alternatives available.  In addition, the Town of Boone chose to investigate the feasibility of high rating the Town’s filters (to expand water treating ability short term) and to evaluate potential sites for a new surface water treatment plant.

• 2005, the Town of Boone begins to explore possible raw water intake sites, base on the initial recommendations of the engineer.

• April 2007, the Engineer Study evaluating raw water alternatives is completed. Study is available for public inspection at Town Hall.

• May 2007, the Environmental Assessment of preferred options (which is required for permitting purposes) is completed.  Study is available for public inspection at Town Hall.

• Spring/Summer 2007, after the Town of Boone received the Engineer Study which identified viable raw water sites, the Town began actively looking for a suitable site to meet our water needs. 
  

• In 2005, the Town of Boone also chose to investigate the feasibility of purchasing raw and/or finished water from ASU.  Both the Town of Boone and ASU agreed that a water interconnection would be mutually beneficial and began discussions on an interconnectivity agreement.  After months of waiting, the Town of Boone received a draft water interconnectivity agreement signed by ASU on August 21, 2007.  This agreement will be reviewed by Town officials and the Town attorney and a recommendation will be made to Town Council for consideration.  Though the proposed water agreement is primarily designed as an emergency backup system for both the Town and ASU, it could help ease the water situation while Boone continues to acquire a new water supply.

• Other things the your current Town Council is doing on behalf of the citizens of Boone regarding this issue:
  1. The Town Council formed a Water Committee, which is composed of representation from the community as well as Town Council members to study and recommend protective alternatives of our existing water supplies.
  2. The Water Committee recommended and the Town Council adopted Ordinance 05-01, which is a policy concerning the provision of water to new customers including the allocation of remaining water while the Town actively pursues and acquires an additional water supply source. The allocation method that was recommended by the committee and adopted by Town Council was based on information from the engineers that completed the water study. Now that we have more information on actual water use, the Water Committee will be reviewing the allocation method and making new recommendations which may include adding unused water back into the total water to be allocated. Town Council opted to proceed cautiously with the allocation of water as we did not know how long it would take to get a new supply source on line and we wanted to avoid having the state put a moratorium on water service to new customers.
  3. The Town Council initiated a water conservation educational program “Every Drop Counts.”
  4. The Town is actively pursuing funding to help cover the cost of the new raw water supply and treatment facility through Federal and State Grants.
  5. The Town has been pursuing possible raw water intake options and sites over the past two years.

• Funding: The Town of Boone operates Water and Sewer services through an enterprise fund, which is supported entirely by revenues generated through water and sewer services such as water and sewer usage fees and availability fees for new development. Other revenue sources such as property or local sales tax are not used for water and sewer services. With the pending expansion of the water system, the Town of Boone has been setting aside $200,000 annually in the Water and Sewer Fund to be applied towards the debt service for this project. In addition, the Town of Boone has been advocating for funding at both the Federal and State level and is optimistic that some funding will be forthcoming. The Town of Boone has designated one million dollars from the Town’s Fund Balance to be used towards the acquisition of land for this project. The Town is also considering adjusting availability fees, which have not been adjusted since 1987. At this time the projected cost of acquiring a new raw water supply, transmission mains to the current water treatment plant and high rating the current treatment facility is estimated at $15.5 million dollars. A new water treatment facility is estimated at $16.5 million dollars. The total cost of this project is $32 million at current day costs. The Town of Boone is looking to do this project in two phases in order to best manage financing of this project. I am very committed to making sure that the expansion is not funded on the backs of current water and sewer users.

• Though the Town is proceeding with diligence, the earliest a new water supply will be available for consumption is between 2010 and 2011. Once the Town has acquired land, the permitting process will take up to two years and construction will take at least one year.
  

• Work to still be completed:
  1. Acquisition of all required permits
  2. Funding Method Approval
  3. Final Cost Estimates
  4. Engineering Design
  5. Easement and Land Acquisition
  6. Authorization of Bond
  7. Local Government Commission Approval
  8. Public Relations and Education
  9. Bond Referendum
  10. Bid Project Construction
  11. Construction

As you can see, the water situation is a very complex issue, which the Town Council has taken very seriously and has worked diligently to address. During this time in which the Town is pursuing and acquiring a new water source, the Town of Boone is committed to allocating water wisely and providing high quality, safe water for all citizens.

Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.