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Planning for a Sustainable Water Supply in Wake County
Bill Holman is currently the Director of State Policy at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University and former secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
In the 1960-70's far sighted local civic, government and business leaders planned and developed the regional water supplies that we know today as Falls Lake and Jordan Lake. Raleigh, Cary, Wake County and the Research Triangle Park would not have been able to grow without these water supplies. Falls, Jordan and the smaller water supplies on Swift Creek are irreplaceable. However the NC Division of Water Quality has identified both Falls and Jordan Lakes as impaired or polluted waters. Wake County has wisely invested some of its open space bond funds in watershed protection. Protecting and restoring the quality and quantity of our existing water supplies will require far sighted leadership in the future. Wake County, Raleigh, and other partners plan to develop a new reservoir on the Little River at a cost of $250,000,000. Little River is estimated to provide 17,000,000 gallons of water per day. That's almost $1.50/gallon.
Jordan Lake
Jordan Lake provides water to the citizens, businesses, institutions and industries in Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, and Morrisville (and Durham and Chatham County). The NC Environmental Management Commission adopted rules to reduce stormwater and wastewater to protect and restore the health of Jordan Lake earlier this year. Development interests and some upstream local governments strongly oppose the rules and have vowed to block them in the 2009 Session of the General Assembly. The Wake County Commissioners should set an example and adopt stricter land use, riparian buffer, floodplain, and stormwater rules to protect Jordan Lake before the State requires it. Wake County should continue to invest open space bond funds in the Jordan Lake watershed and seek matching funds from municipalities and the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Wake County should urge the municipalities in the Jordan Lake watershed to also act before the State requires action. Wake County and the municipalities that depend upon Jordan Lake for drinking water should advocate for protection of Jordan Lake before the Environmental Management Commission, Rules Review Commission and General Assembly. Wake County legislators should advocate for protection of Jordan Lake, defend the rules to clean it up, and support increasing appropriations to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and other conservation trust funds in the 2009 General Assembly.
Falls Lake
Falls Lake provides water to the citizens, businesses, institutions, and industries of Raleigh, Knightdale, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Wendell, Zebulon, and Garner. The NC Division of Water Quality plans to start drafting rules to reduce stormwater and wastewater to protect and restore the health of Falls Lake early next year. Development interests will likely oppose the rules. Upstream municipalities and counties may also oppose stricter rules. Rules to protect Jordan Lake have been under development for over 10 years. The Wake County Commissioners should not wait for the State and should adopt stricter land use, riparian buffer, floodplain, and stormwater rules in the Falls Lake watershed. Wake County could seek credits for early adoption of watershed rules. Wake County should continue to invest open space bond funds in the Falls Lake watershed and seek matching funds from Raleigh and the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Wake County legislators should advocate for protection of Falls Lake and support increasing appropriations to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and other conservation trust funds in the 2009 General Assembly.
Little River Reservoir
Wake County, Raleigh and other partners entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (ILA) to plan, develop, protect, and finance the $250,000,000 Little River Reservoir project. The Wake County Commissioners may reject adopting either stricter land use and stormwater rules in the Little River watershed called for in the ILA at its October 6, 2008 meeting. This action will jeopardize both the ILA and the Little River project. State and federal agencies are unlikely to approve permits for a reservoir that will not meet water quality standards. The Wake County Commissioners should work with Raleigh and other partners to develop an alternative strategy that combines land use and stormwater regulations with incentives for land and water conservation and public education. If Wake County is unwilling to protect the Little River reservoir, it will be very difficult to convince Durham, Granville, Chatham and other counties to protect Falls and Jordan Lakes. Wake County legislators can help by supporting appropriations to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and other conservation trust funds so that Raleigh and Wake County can match local conservation funds with state funds.
Stormwater
Improved wastewater treatment and implementation of agricultural best management practices have reduced water pollution from those sources. However, stormwater pollution from highways, streets, parking lots, roofs, construction sites and other sources has increased and is the largest source of water pollution and flooding in Wake and other urbanizing counties. Although streams cross political boundaries, stormwater is largely left up to each jurisdiction in the county. The result is an ineffective and inefficient hodgepodge of requirements. Many communities capture and use stormwater for non-potable purposes such as irrigation and cooling. Mecklenburg County manages stormwater on a county-wide basis and has integrated their program with flood hazard mitigation, parks, recreation and greenways. The Wake County Stormwater Management Task Force completed its report in November 2007. The Wake County Commissioners should move forward with a county wide approach to stormwater management.
