Clean Water in the News

Regulations to clean and protect polluted Jordan Lake passed the state House by a vote of 108-9 Monday night. Following last week's 47-0 approval in the Senate, the once-controversial legislation is on its way for Gov. Bev Perdue's signature.

"That means fewer fish kills and algae blooms," said Elizabeth Ouzts, director of the conservation group Environment North Carolina, "And better drinking water for hundreds of thousands of Triangle residents."

The rules include requirements for local governments to improve stormwater controls in existing shopping centers, subdivisions and other existing development.

That provision brought opposition from several cities in the Jordan watershed until a compromise gave local governments more time for and leeway in implementing the rule.

"I believe that [the compromise] will help reduce some of our concerns about costs," said Durham Stormwater Engineer John Cox. "I think we have to wait and see how we end up developing a program to implement — with all these things, the devil's in the details."

Cox had estimated the existing-development rule could cost Durham taxpayers as much as $680 million over then next 20 to 30 years, and more than $2 billion overall. Jordan Lake's watershed extends from Wake County west beyond Greensboro.

Since 2005, Jordan Lake has been classified as "impaired" under federal water-quality standards, due to excess nitrogen and phosphorus. Federal and state law require cleanup and measures to maintain water at acceptable levels.

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus can lead to rampant algae, toxic to aquatic life and harmful to humans and animals. Algae can also cover a water surface with ugly scum, give water an odor of rotting vegetation and make treating the water for drinking more difficult and expensive than normal.