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Concern over impact of rapid development in Durham County on water quality

Durham County residents have noticed alarming changes to waterways after rapid development in the area, expressing concern about construction runoff contaminating drinking water. This, ahead of a Durham City-County meeting Tuesday with another development on the table that would span a massive 280 acres.

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By
Liz McLaughlin
, WRAL Climate Change Reporter

After rainfall, the water flowing through Lick Creek in southeastern Durham County runs red, what the residents there jokingly call "tomato soup." The alarming discoloration is partially due to soil erosion in the area, where development is booming. There are more than a dozen active construction sites surrounding the creek, with crews bulldozing trees and firing explosives to make room for new structures.

On July 12, the Durham City-County Planning Commission is considering rezoning 280 acres for another development in the vicinity, set to build hundreds of townhomes and single-family residences, putting more stress on the surrounding environment.

"The creek is just filled with sediment," said Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop, "not the way a healthy running creek should be." Krop visited various sites along the Durham County watershed on Friday, taking samples and testing the turbidity, or clarity, of the water. She says she is concerned about the water quality and the impact it could have on the drinking water supply.

Lick Creek feeds into the Falls Lake Reservoir, which serves as a source of drinking water for Raleigh and surrounding areas. The Falls Lake watershed is already considered to be a fragile ecosystem, with an overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as chlorophyll A levels exceeding federal clean water standards, according to research by NC State University and the NC Division of Water Quality.

The state has already listed Lick Creek as an impaired water body and Durham reported excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the creek, as well as below-healthy levels of aquatic life. Now, the added stress of new development is concerning Durham County residents, who are worried about the impact to their local water table. "It's very alarming because most of us out here live on well water," said Pam Andrews, who is a life-long Durham County native. "None of us really know what's going to happen to our water supply that we depend on every day for our homes and our communities," she said.

Andrews started documenting the changing waterways a few months ago and started a grassroots conservation organization called Preserve Rural Durham. She and other residents in the area have been consulting experts and expressing concerns to county and city leaders about the recent uptick in construction and its environmental impact. One resident said he started noticing rapid discoloration in his home water filters, that he says he changes more frequently now.

A Durham County resident says he has to frequently change his home water filters due to construction runoff.
The Durham City-County Planning Commission will hold a virtual public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12 and invites community members to join and share their comments. Senior Planning Manager Alexander Cahill said he couldn't speak to the likelihood of the commission recommending approval or denial of the Kemp Road subdivision, on the agenda after the case was continued at the June 23 meeting. After the Planning Commission makes its decision, the Durham City Council would vote for a final decision within four months.

The Planning Commission is comprised of 14 individuals, with equal representation from both the city and county jurisdictions. "There are numerous factors that go into their decision-making process, from the concerns of community members, to equity issues, to the long-term impacts of the proposal," said Cahill. In addition to drinking water concerns from residents, the zoning map change report also mentions potential impacts on stormwater, saying that the Public Works Department’s Stormwater Services Division reviewed the proposed zoning and determined that adequate measures have been addressed for the level of detail required at the time of rezoning, but that more details may be needed if it moves forward to the site plan review phase.

The Durham City-County Planning Department says residents can give feedback through an online portal throughout the course of a proposal, to make general comments and even flag areas in need of environmental protection.
City and county community members can also join public hearings held by the Planning Commission, Board of Commissioners, or City Council. To attend the Durham City-County Planning meeting on Tuesday, July 12, members of the public can register on Zoom with Webinar ID: 848 1904 0532 or by calling 1-301-715-8592. The meeting will also be streamed on YouTube.

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