By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
Orion Township is lowering residents? water rates for the upcoming years through a multi-community agreement.
Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills and the Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner’s Office are teaming up with Orion Township to represent the city of Pontiac in a formalized collaboration called the North Oakland County Water Authority (NOCWA). NOCWA will be subcontracted by Pontiac who will operate their water system.
‘The key enabler for this savings is the full use of an underutilized water storage tank in Pontiac that can be filled during non-peak hours and during peak period which will supplement water use across all four communities,? Orion Township Supervisor Chris Barnett said.
Pontiac’s decreased population over the past decade has reduced tank use, enabling this arrangement to succeed.??
The agreement is expected to save about $250,000 annually for the township and $4 million between all four communities by avoiding $2 million in capacity improvements from the Detroit Water and Sewer Department, among other intergovernmental efficiencies.
The 30-year NOCWA agreement will offer decreased water rates and improved water pressure by decreasing the water draw from DWSD. Residents can expect to see a change in 2016 when water rates are re-evaluated.
‘It’s refreshing to see true collaboration where communities work beyond borders to use their existing assets to benefit all. Orion is excited to be part of such a team,? Barnett said.
A board of representatives from each community will direct the NOCWA authorities, share best practices, and improve internal water operations.
Four factors determine DWSD water rates: the distance from their station, the elevation of the Orion community, the maximum day average (how much total is used in one day), and the peak hour demand.
The last time Orion Township residents saw a decrease in their water bills was 2013 when rates decreased by about $30 annually per household due to the implementation of the township’s water tower.
While communities don’t have much control of the first three factors, Orion’s water tower helps to control the fourth factor’peak hour demand, the hour of the day when residents use the most water. Typically this is the ‘morning flush.?
In 2012 Orion residents used about 12.2 million gallons per day for peak hour use. After a year of using the water tank, which stores water overnight therefore decreasing the morning draw from Detroit, peak hour water rates dropped to 9.2 million gallons per day in 2013. Rates decreased even more in 2014 when residents used about 8.5 million gallons per day for peak hour use.