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CABARRUS COUNTY I Post Office Box 707 ' " cONcORD. NORTH CAROLINA 28026 MEHORANDUM TO: Charles D. ~lcOinnis/County F~anager FROfd: Thomas D. Robinson/Planning Oirector ;F ~ ?:)-.; D~TE: September 27, 1984 SUBJECT: Status of Water Project Sign-ups The sixty (60) day sign-up period for reduced tap-on fees has ended for most eligible persons in the Water District. As of this date 2,410 persons have signed up for county water. This represents a 54% response rate. In setting up the county's water rate structure and water system budget, Farmers Itome A~iinistration figured that the county would have an 80% response rate (3,560 customers). Our engineer, HDR, estimated we would have an initial response of 60% with near 80% by the time construction was finished. We may well have an 80% sign-up by the time construction is completed, but as of now we need approximately 1,100 more customers to have a self sufficient water system. We can pull back from poor sign-up areas and offer water service to other areas. However, before we do this, I feel that another sign-up effort may be in order in the originally proposed service area. We are in a position to tel/ people where sign-ups have been poor and where water service is in Serious doubt. In addition, I feel the Commissioner's may want to examine the adopted sign-up fees. Since the county initiated its sign-up procedures which were designed to coincide closely with the Board of Light and Water's procednres, they have in- creased their tap fee from $250 to $350 and have also instituted a $1,500 privilege fee to pay for the cost of extending Water lines. Once tile county's initial water system is built, the county will be in a similar situation as the Board of Light and Water in coming up with the money to finance water line extensions. It may well be that a privilege fee similar to that charged by the City will be needed to pay for such improvements. I feel that the Commissioner's need to consider this possibility now and decide how later extensions to tile water system will he financed. If a privilege fee is decided upon, citizens evaluating county water service now need to know that later extensions will not just cost $250 or $350 hut more likely $1,500 to $2,000. If the Commissioner's decide to act upon how later extensions are financed and elect to charge an assessment or privilege fee, then I feel another thirty (30) da2 sign-up should be extended to residents along the originally planned water service area; If residents still do not want county water then we will seek to extend the water lines in other areas.