Groundwater Outreach Campaign earns National Association of Counties Achievement Award
Wake County Environmental Services received a National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement award for its outreach campaign to inform residents of the risk for radiological contamination in private wells. Positive results of the campaign include:

  • 1,200 wells tested - triple the number of wells tested in a typical year;
  • 650 attendees at community meetings;
  • 500,000 campaign website page views; and
  • 150 professional attendees at trainings.
 
The campaign was a collaborative effort among both public and private partners that resulted in tools and processes with long-term benefits to residents, including:
  • A simple, accountable procedure for discounted testing for low-income residents;
  • Easier access for county residents to commercial labs;
  • Online tool to assist residents with understanding test results; and
  • New training programs for staff and professionals who support private well users.
 
The Groundwater outreach campaign is a model that can be repeated in other locales with naturally occurring contaminants in wells across the nation.

Rule Revisions for Offsite Easements for Onsite Wastewater Systems Approved
The Wake County Human Services Board approved amendments to Regulations Governing Wastewater Treatment and Dispersal Systems in Wake County on July 25, 2020. Rule updates address offsite easements for onsite wastewater systems and include definitions, changes to the requirements for permanent markers and changes to easement design requirements. A link to the approved rules is available on the Wastewater Program website .
Realtor Training: Well and Septic Ownership
Wake County Environmental Services staff offer training to real estate agencies in well and septic ownership and maintenance. There are about 40,000 private wells throughout Wake County and even more septic systems. Informed realtors can be very helpful to both the county and prospective homeowners who are new to private wells and septic systems. Training lasts about an hour and includes pictures and examples to assist realtors. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, this training is currently being offered via WebEx. For more information, please contact Amy Keyworth, Hydrologist with the Groundwater Protection and Wells Program at amy.keyworth@wakegov.com.
Watershed Management Staff Participate in State Stormwater Work Group
Watershed Management staff (Melinda Clark, Barney Blackburn and Betsy Pearce) are serving on an NC Division of Water Resources (NCDWR) Work Group to develop a State Model Stormwater Ordinance for the next rule update to the Neuse Nutrient Management Strategy. The process is expected to take six months and began in June 2020. NCDWR plans to submit a draft Model Ordinance to the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) in November. 


Wake County Water Quality | wakegov.com/water