Orange Water and Sewer Auuthority said last week that recent rains filled the Cane Creek Reservoir for the first time since May 23, 2007.

OWASA recorded 1.05 inches of rain at the Cane Creek Reservoir on Dec. 20 and 0.96 of an inch on Dec. 21 at the Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment Plant in Carrboro.

During the drought of 2007-08, OWASA's lakes fell to a low of about 40 percent full in late February and early March, 2008.

The Cane Creek Reservoir is the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community's primary water supply, with a capacity of about 3 billion gallons. University Lake, which has a capacity of 450 million gallons, filled in early September of 2008 with rains from the remnants of Hurricane Hanna.

For more information contact Ken Loflin, water supply and treatment manager, at 537-4232 or kloflin@owasa.org.

Nominations sought for award

The Orange County Human Relations Commission is soliciting nominations for the 2008 Pauli Murray Human Relations Awards.

The Pauli Murray Award is presented annually by the Orange County Human Relations Commission to an Orange County youth, an Orange County adult, and an Orange County business that have served the community with distinction in the pursuit of equality, justice, and human rights for all citizens.

Deadline for submitting nominations is Jan. 23, 2009. For applications or more information please visit website address: www.co.orange.nc.us/hrr/events.asp or contact the Orange County Office of Human Rights & Relations at 960-3875.

The awards will be made during the Annual Pauli Murray Awards Ceremony on Feb. 22, 2009.