The Department of Environmental Quality released a preliminary report from the SolarBee water mixers pilot project last week, and the results are clear: The mixers are NOT improving water quality in Jordan Lake. The report shows that pH and chlorophyll A levels (two indicators of water quality) have not changed across the testing locations, and chlorophyll A levels have actually gotten worse in the Haw River arm. These results support what WakeUP has said since the project’s proposal, which is that in-lake treatments do not reduce nutrient pollution in our drinking water. We need a watershed management approach to really clean up our water, which is why the Jordan Lake rules are so important. Unfortunately, despite the failure of this pilot project, the General Assembly recently approved a continuation of the SolarBees for an additional 3 years, further delaying implementation of the rules.
This report is still a draft and only includes data from the first year of the project (2014-2015). DEQ will continue monitoring the project and will release more data as it becomes available. WakeUP continues to advocate for a watershed approach that will ensure clean drinking water for future generations in Wake County.