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Board adopts water-code ordinance establishing Middlesex Water Authority service district
Summary
After presentations by county staff and Middlesex Water Authority representatives and public comments expressing concern for existing community systems, supervisors voted unanimously to establish an exclusive water service district and adopt the water-code ordinance as presented.
The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors voted to establish an exclusive water service district for the Middlesex Water Authority by adopting the proposed water-code ordinance. County staff and water-authority representatives emphasized the ordinance is intended to protect local control, improve public-health and fire-suppression capabilities, and ensure consistent service standards; they repeatedly said the ordinance excludes systems already serving parts of the county (Urbana, Saluda, Aqua/ACWA).
Community members asked the board to add explicit protections for existing community water systems, express concern about potential rate increases and future sale to private providers, and requested language guaranteeing routine maintenance and like‑for‑like replacements. Chip England, county engineer and executive director of the water authority, and Greg Chambers addressed how the authority would approach new subdivisions and voluntary cooperation without seeking to mandate immediate takeovers of existing systems.
