Research showed that Cane Creek was the best local source of drinking water

Okun describes how he became involved with the Cane Creek controversy. He was aware, as early as 1952, that Chapel Hill's water supply was inadequate, and he asked his classes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) to explore options as part of their coursework. While class research found that expanding University Lake seemed like a viable option, it also pointed to Cane Creek as a more attractive possibility because of its combination of ample volume, high water quality, and a comparatively lower cost. When he heard that UNC-CH officials were considering the problem in the late 1960s, he urged them to consider Cane Creek.