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Durham staff describe Jordan Lake intake partnership as long, costly project with regional benefits
Summary
Durham water staff told the City Council on March 20 that the Western Intake Partnership — a Jordan Lake intake and transmission project — is a multi‑phase regional program that will secure long‑term water supply for Durham and partner jurisdictions but requires extensive permitting and coordination.
Durham water management staff told the City Council on March 20 that a years‑long effort to secure a Jordan Lake intake and transmission infrastructure — called the Western Intake Partnership — is complex, expensive and built in phases, but offers regional benefits by providing a second intake and shared infrastructure for partners.
Sid Miller, assistant director for Water Management, said Jordan Lake is a federal, multipurpose reservoir owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and that the state suballocates water supply storage to local governments. “The city has the right to 16.5% of that storage which is expected to yield on average 16,500,000 gallons of water per day,” Miller said, framing Durham’s share.
Miller and project staff described the partnership with other local governments — including Chatham County and Pittsboro — as a contributor to schedule complexity and to cost, but also as a way to reduce per‑jurisdiction cost and to leverage future partners who will tap the intake once it exists. “When they do realize that they have the need … they buy into what we are building or have built. So we are essentially fronting a lot,” Miller said.
Council members pressed staff on governance, timeline and the number of amendments to the program‑management contract. Staff said the current amendment moves the program from one phase to the next; theoretically one more amendment would cover the construction phase. The city’s project manager said environmental permitting, preliminary engineering and governance all contribute to timeline length.
Transportation and water staff noted potential benefits for financing: the multi‑jurisdiction nature of the intake may improve the project’s competitiveness for state legislative or other external funding. City staff also said the Jordan Lake intake will be the city’s “cheapest water supply” per unit compared with other options considered and that the Western Intake Partnership will provide Durham with supply through the mid‑century with additional options to expand later.
No council vote was required at the March 20 presentation; the item was a briefing and project update. Council members asked for continued updates and asked staff to provide detailed project timelines and cost projections as the program moves toward construction.
