NC DEQ Division of Water Resources
Water Use Data Collection

About Water Use Data Collection

Under various legislation, the Division of Water Resources is responsible for the collection of water use data reported by public systems, businesses, and individuals for the purpose of water supply planning. Below are a list of programs in the Water Use Data Collection (WUDC) system through which this data is collected, as well as information about the program and its supporting legislation.

More information about these programs and data available to the public can be found using the navigation menu above.

Systems and individuals submitting data to the WUDC may do so by logging into their dashboard using the "person" icon at the top right of the page, or by clicking here.


Local Water Supply Planning (LWSP) General Statute § 143-355(l) (15A NCAC 02E .0604)

All units of local government that provide or plan to provide public water service must prepare a Local Water Supply Plan. All community water systems that regularly serve 1,000 or more service connections or serve more than 3,000 people are also required to prepare a Local Water Supply Plan.


Water Shortage Response Planning (WSRP) General Statute § 143-355.2

A Water Shortage Response Plan is a requirement for all systems that submit a LWSP. A WSRP establishes authority for declaration of a water shortage, defines different phases of water shortage severity, and outlines appropriate responses for each phase.


Drought Reporting

Weekly Drought Water Use Reporting

Each local government and large community water system must report their water use on a weekly basis if their county is designated as Extreme (D3) or Exceptional (D4).

Water Conservation Reporting

Each local government and large community water system must report their implementation of water conservation measures within 72 hours of implementation. To assist the State in understanding the status of the State's water systems, it is important to report changes in conservation levels (both more restrictive and less restrictive).


Water Withdrawal and Transfer Registration (WWATR) NC General Statute § 143-215.22H (15A NCAC 02E .0301)

Surface water and ground water withdrawers who meet conditions established by the General Assembly must register their water withdrawals and surface water transfers with the State and update those registrations at least every five years. Agricultural water users that withdraw one million gallons of water a day or more and non-agricultural water users that withdraw one hundred thousand gallons of water a day are required to register. Administrative rules that became effective in March 2007 (15A NCAC 02E.0600) stipulate that registrants must also report their water usage annually to the Department of Environmental Quality.


Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA) 15A NCAC 02E .0501-0.0507

The Environmental Management Commission has designated the area within Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson as the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA) and approved the CCPCUA rules which create a groundwater use permitting process. All ground water users using more than 100,000 gallons per day will be required to apply for and obtain a water use permit in order to continue withdrawing. Regulated withdrawals include those from a well, a group of wells operated as a system, or a sump.