OWASA Board of Directors Meeting Summary for October 22

OWASA’s Board of Directors met virtually on Thursday, October 22, 2020, and considered an agenda that included an update on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial report for the three-month period that ended September 30, 2020, and efforts to improve the reliability and resiliency of the services we provide to customers.

The Board of Directors is currently meeting virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Response

The Board received an update on OWASA’s response to COVID-19 and a phased plan for returning to normal operations. OWASA continues to take proactive measures to ensure we are providing (and can continue to provide) the community with high-quality and reliable water, wastewater, and reclaimed water services during the COVID-19 pandemic. OWASA has been updating return to normal operations plans to follow the move by the State of North Carolina into Phase 3 of the re-opening process.

Financial Report

The Board received the financial report for the three-month period that ended September 30, 2020. All but one of our financial performance targets were met. We are trying to limit operating expenses while continuing to assess the lingering financial impact of COVID-19 on our community. Water and sewer revenue were about $241,000 greater than budget and operating expenses were about $448,000 less than budget.

Reliability and Resiliency

The Board received an update on the ongoing efforts to improve the reliability and resiliency of the services we provide to customers. Nearly all activities identified following two service area-wise disruptions have been completed, programmed into our future construction projects, or integrated into our day-to-day work practices.

Next Meeting

The Board will hold its next meeting remotely on Thursday, November 12, 2020, via Microsoft Teams at 6 p.m.; a link will be provided here.

OWASA’s administrative office is closed to the public to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Customers in need of assistance can still contact OWASA from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling (919) 968-4421, emailing customerinquiries@owasa.org, or using the chat function available in the bottom-right corner of the web page. Please allow for additional time for OWASA staff to respond during this time. We appreciate your patience.