Cary is committed to proactive, comprehensive planning to guide the future of our community, including effective water resources management. Cary’s Long Range Water Resources Plan (LRWRP) is our roadmap to ensure current and future citizens can rely on high-quality, safe, affordable and reliable water and wastewater services. The Plan guides the development of our water supply and management solutions and helps staff understand the evolving behaviors of residential and commercial water demand which influence the future need for water supply and wastewater management facilities. 

As patterns of growth and water use evolve, it's important to revisit forecasts for water demand.  Read more about the decrease in residential use per person on the open data portal.  Cary has long history of water resource planning, most recently including a 2025 LRWRP.   

Long Range Water Resources Plan

Cary staff worked with partners in Apex, Morrisville, RDU International Airport, Research Triangle Park (RTP) and Wake County to develop the 2025 Long Range Water Resources Plan Update 

• Residential per-capita water use has declined 30 percent in the past 20 years.
• Water use for irrigation is declining as permits dropped from one-third of new homes to about 13 percent.

The 2025 LRWRP takes a strategic long view – through 2070 – to meet water resources challenges in a dynamic and holistic way through development of a Water Resources Portfolio. The portfolio provides a mix of practical strategies that meet its water resources responsibilities by implementing the right actions at the right time.

The Cary Community Plan provides a framework for structuring future growth and redevelopment which the LRWRP Update has adopted in forecasting future water and wastewater infrastructure demands. The sustained trend toward lower per capita water use and less landscape irrigation support a forecast that the ultimate water supply and utility infrastructure needs will be slightly lower than previous forecasts. Our water supply “portfolio” positions Cary well to accommodate anticipated residential, commercial and mixed-use development on our horizon.

Outcomes of the 2025 LRWRP’s recommended portfolio include several strategies to optimize current water supply such as reducing non-revenue water, recycle water used during the treatment process, and to continue best-management practices like the Cary’s water conservation and reclaimed water programs.  For additional supply, the LRWRP recommends obtaining an increased  Jordan Lake Allocation.

Jordan Lake Allocation

Cary gets its water supply from B. Everett Jordan Lake and operates the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility (CAWTF) to deliver drinking water to customers in Cary, Apex, Morrisville and the Wake County portion of Research Triangle Park. The State of North Carolina owns the water supply storage in Jordan Lake and periodically allocates that storage to units of local government. The NC Environmental Management Commission (EMC) makes allocation decisions. The NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) manages the allocation process in support of the EMC.

In March 2017, the EMC approved the requested increase in allocation of the Jordan Lake water supply pool from 39 percent to 46.2 percent. This was expected to meet the water supply needs past 2045 and represents an available water supply of 46.2 million gallons per day (MGD).  With improved efficiency, this is still true even with increased growth projections.  A future allocation from Jordan Lake would be final round as only 8.8 MGD remains unallocated.  Looking to 2070 with the current forecast, supplemental supply will be needed in addition to strategies to optimize current supply.  A future allocation process would occur in coordination with the Triangle Water Supply Partnership which is currently developing a Regional Water Supply Plan.  This is a similar approach to the prior round of allocations. 

Contact

Sarah Braman, PE
Water Resources Manager
Utilities Department
(919)-462-3846
sarah.braman@carync.gov

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