Orange County Water Updates and J Branch Rail Trail progress report
The Orange County Board of Commissioners honors a local farmer’s Harvard fellowship, celebrates public school gains, and hears an OWASA update on drought conditions and PFAS in the water system. The board also reviews case studies and survey results shaping the future of the J Branch rail trail corridor and its economic, environmental, and community impacts. 22mins
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Original Meeting
Tuesday, September 15th, 2026
6022.282933
BOCC Business Meeting - September 15, 2026
In This Video
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Commissioner Greene shared that a local farmer from Orange County began a prestigious Harvard Loeb Fellowship focused on supporting Black farmers and the Black community.
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Vice-Chair Fowler shared an update from an Orange County School Board member that the district no longer had any low-performing schools, highlighted gains in student proficiency across key groups, and noted Orange High’s strong statewide ranking for academic growth.
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OWASA Executive Director Todd Taylor provided an OWASA drought update explaining reservoir levels, how close the utility came to triggering water use restrictions before recent rains improved storage, and that Orange County still remained in moderate to severe drought conditions despite avoiding surcharges or formal restrictions.
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OWASA Executive Director Taylor explained how PFAS chemicals entered OWASA’s drinking water and wastewater systems, described current treatment and disposal practices to limit their spread, and outlined ongoing efforts to identify additional PFAS sources.
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OWASA Executive Director Taylor discussed how legacy biosolids applications near Cane Creek Reservoir had introduced PFAS that persisted despite being suspended since 2017, and noted the lack of broader regulations on wastewater land application or discharges beyond local efforts to identify and control sources.
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Multi-modal planner and consultant Lauren Blackburn described how the project team examined comparable rail‑trail case studies from other university and rural communities to gather lessons on development, environmental and social impacts, maintenance partnerships, and displacement concerns to inform the J Branch corridor study.
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Consultant Lauren Blackburn reported on public survey results showing strong interest in using a future J Branch corridor for trails, recreation, errands, and connections to nearby destinations, and outlined upcoming economic and community development analysis, conceptual design work, and a second round of engagement supported by an informational project website.
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Commissioner Sally Greene added historical context on J Branch corridor planning, highlighting earlier UNC working group discussions, long‑standing economic development goals for Carrboro, anticipated bicycle connections between Carolina North and the main campus, and future trail access and amenities along the Greene Tract once the rail line was converted.
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