Clean Water News

Raleigh—Many of the state’s drinking water lakes are polluted with nutrients, according to the report state officials delivered yesterday to members of the legislative Environmental Review Commission.  The report, required by Senate Bill 981, the “Clean Lakes” Act, passed by the General Assembly last year, finds that pollution in three lakes—High Rock Lake, High Point Lake, and Lake Rhodhiss—is so severe that those lakes will join the list of impaired waters in North Carolina.

“It is important that North Carolinians know when their drinking water sources are polluted. Monitoring the pollution levels in our drinking water reservoirs is key to getting ahead of pollution and preventing costly cleanup,” says Christine Wunsche, Environment North Carolina’s Clean Water Attorney. “The Division of Water Quality should be given the resources necessary to monitor water quality and ensure that our drinking water is protected.”

According to the report, the Division of Water Quality samples over 100 lakes. The report looks at Division data from 1995-2005, which only exists for 95 water supply lakes. Lakes were not sampled for reasons such as weather conditions, staff resources, or because the lake was not deemed a priority. Of the lakes sampled, it was found that 13 water supply lakes are not meeting eutrophication standards, meaning the lakes are experiencing excessive nutrient pollution.

The Division also reported that their sampling program does not provide sufficient data for them to determine whether many of the lakes are meeting water quality standards. Limitations cited by the Division include lack of resources such as staff, equipment, and laboratory support.

Lakes the Division found were not meeting nutrient standards are: Graham-Mebane Reservoir, High Point Lake, Jordan Lake, Stoney Creek Reservoir, Lake Mackintosh, Pittsboro Lake, Lake Rhodhiss, Cedar Cliff Lake, Lake Sequoyah, Falls of the Neuse Reservoir, High Rock Lake, Lake Lee, and Lake Twitty. Pollution is so severe that the Division expects that High Point Lake, High Rock Lake, and Lake Rhodhiss will be added to the list of impaired waters.