Contact: Johanna Reese 919-715-7357 Tom Fransen 919-715-0381 Date: July 12, 2001 Distribution: Targeted
Cary/Apex Water Transfer Request Approved

RALEIGH - An environmental rule-making body today approved the transfer of drinking water from Jordan Lake in the Cape Fear River basin to Crabtree Creek in the Neuse River basin.

The Environmental Management Commission (EMC) unanimously granted Cary, Apex, Morrisville and the Wake County portion of the Research Triangle Park's request to transfer an additional eight million gallons of water per day.

Communities downstream of Jordan Lake had opposed the move, fearing it would reduce their future water supply availability. Hearing officers for the EMC found that the proposed increase in transfer will not limit downstream water availability.

Communities receiving the additional water must meet the following requirements:

Construct a wastewater treatment plant to return this additional allocation to the Cape Fear River basin by 2010;

Pass local ordinances at least as protective as the Neuse River buffer rules to protect water the in Jordan Lake watershed;

Develop water shortage response and drought management plans;

Cary and Apex must provide access to the intake on Jordan Lake to other communities using this water.

The hearing officers report is on the Internet at http://www.ncwater.org/reports/jordan/round_2b_hearing_officers_report/index.shtml.

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