Mebane approves $650,000 West 10 Road water connector partnership with Orange County

MEBANE — The City of Mebane voted April 7 to move forward with the West 10 Road Water Connector project, approving a capital project ordinance amendment and budget amendment that formalize a roughly $650,000 project to be split with Orange County.

Utilities Director Kyle Smith told council the project will install a new 12‑inch water line from the Carolina Chiefs site at Rock Quarry and West End Road down to the Buckhorn Business Center and Buckhorn Industrial Parkway. The line will create an arterial loop that eliminates dead ends, improve water quality and increase fire flows in a growing industrial area and near a planned school site.

"This will help in two ways. It will be an arterial loop, which will improve water quality by eliminating dead ends at both of those project sites, and it will also increase fire flows," Smith said. He estimated the city’s share at approximately $325,000 and said funding will come from the utility capital reserve fund; Orange County is expected to fund a matching share.

Council discussed project timing and outstanding engineering work. Smith said previous budget approvals covered earlier engineering work but the city still needs to complete or update engineering design before construction; he estimated roughly a year from now to completion depending on procurement and contracting.

Council approved the amended capital project ordinance and associated budget amendment by voice vote (motion carries). Staff will proceed with engineering and next steps in coordination with Orange County.