INC NEWS - water/sewer extension -- reducing to administrative decision is a bad idea

[RW Pickle]

Water and sewer extensions are typically paid for by developers. Then when
installed, tested and approved, are given to the municipality. So there is
no cost to citizens and it wouldn't end up being a budgetary item. If a
municipality does it (perhaps for health and safety reasons), it'll recoup
the cost as folks along the new line tie into it.

But as Pat suggested, with the soils that are out in North Durham (really
across Durham in places), it may be that extensions are necessary to
supply existing homes/businesses/institutions with service after their
sewer systems fail. And with water, maybe the aquifer has run dry from the
drought and wells aren't producing. In some places here, it doesn't take
much to upset the happy picture... As an example, a lot of rain may cause
the ground to become saturated (and it's poor perking soil anyway) and
septic systems cease to function. It's just that simple.

If something is on the consent agenda, it means that Council or
Commissioners will still vote on it. It just means they have no issues
with whatever it is. Any item can be pulled off the consent agenda for
discussion and a separate vote.  It just speeds the process to have a
consent agenda when there are no issues with something. That's what the
work sessions each governmental body have is for, to address concerns
prior to their regular meeting. Even with the consent agenda, meetings
often go much longer than one would ever think...

As to the line going through a Park... Many of the Parks in our City have
utilities running through them (water/sewer/power). Many of them also are
in "bottoms" which is where most sewer lines are located  (because sewage
runs downhill as far as it can and then it must be pumped uphill before it
can run downhill again; it works cheapest when done with gravity).
Municipalities also own the park land which means there are no
right-of-way expenses incurred by buying private lands. For example, most
of the sewage from downtown travels in a main line across the street from
me. It runs the entire length of Forest Hills Park (north to south as well
as under the parking lot of Forest Hills Shopping Center). And from the
West End, Lakewood and Morehead Hills, it comes down through the Park on
the west side of the neighborhood and runs until it connects to the
north/south main line mentioned earlier. It's pretty much the same in
Northgate Park (I see it as I go to the dog park daily). And this same
scenario repeats itself all across this City in parks. New lines through
public lands are far easier than trying to cross private property. In some
cases, that route commonly ends up in court...

RWP
27 Beverly