State Senate Bill 382, forcing Durham to let Southern Durham Development hook its 751 South subdivision onto the city water system, died in the legislature early Tuesday morning.
The Senate voted the bill down 15-25, then agreed to reconsider and voted it down again 18-19.
"It's kind of dead for today," said Durham state Sen. Floyd McKissick, but the bill or something similar could be introduced in a future General Assembly session, he said.
"The political landscape can always change."
