Population growth and increasing storm intensities are putting more pressure on Wake County’s water resources. To prepare for what’s ahead, Wake County has released a draft of its 50-year One Water Plan and is asking residents to review the plan and share their feedback.
“This plan looks at how Wake County will manage all aspects of our water, including drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and groundwater, while aligning with future growth, development and transportation,” said Donald Mial, vice chair, Wake County Board of Commissioners. “We encourage residents to review the draft and share their feedback by Oct. 10, so we can ensure the plan reflects the community’s needs and priorities.”
Wake County is home to more than 1.1 million residents, with about 1 million served by municipal water systems, 90,000 relying on private wells and 85,000 using privately owned community water systems. As the population grows, demand for clean water is expected to rise, while hotter temperatures, stronger storms and long dry periods could cause more runoff, flooding and pollution, putting added stress on water systems.
The One Water Plan proposes four main strategies:
- Optimizing water supply through collaborative infrastructure planning, water reuse and groundwater protection.
- Improving water quality and managing water flow using natural methods such as rain gardens and wetlands.
- Preserving agricultural lands and natural spaces that support healthy ecosystems and water systems.
- Building flood resilience by planning infrastructure that can better manage stormwater and extreme weather.
The plan is the result of more than two years of technical analysis, stakeholder engagement and public input. While Wake County led the planning process, municipalities and community partners played a key role in developing recommendations and successful implementation will require ongoing cooperation and investment from all involved.
The plan was developed in three phases: envisioning the future, assessing current conditions and bringing together the recommended strategies. Community members played a key role throughout the process, and the County continues to seek public feedback while the plan is open for review.
One Water is an approach to managing all types of water, including drinking water, rainwater, wastewater and groundwater as one system. This approach helps balance the needs of people, businesses, agriculture and the environment. Through this planning effort, Wake County is working to make sure everyone has access to clean water, now and in the future.
The full draft plan and a public comment form are available at Wake.gov/OneWaterPlan. Wake County worked with consultants including Tetra Tech, Hazen & Sawyer and Research Triangle Institute to develop the One Water Plan.
