Press coverage:
- Raleigh water will be safer, but others feel Falls’ pinch, News & Observer – 11/29/10
- Falls Lake pollution rules kick in 2011, The Herald-Sun – 11/21/10
- Rules approved for Falls Lake cleanup, News & Observer – 11/19/10
For Immediate Release: November 18, 2010
Contact: Karen Rindge, WakeUP Wake County, Karen@wakeupwakecounty.org, Tel. 828-3833 or 637-4271 (m)
WakeUP Wake County calls the Falls Lake rules package approved on November 18, 2010 by the N.C. Environmental Management Commission (EMC) disappointing. After 18 months of negotiations, the EMC adopted a plan for cleaning up Falls Lake, which could easily go beyond 25 years. The rules go into effect January 15, 2011 on a temporary basis.
“In terms of cleaning up the critical drinking water supply for Wake residents, we lost ground with these rules,” commented Karen Rindge, Executive Director of WakeUP Wake County. “In comparison to the draft plan released last summer, we made a few gains, but the plan is certainly not as aggressive as it should be in ensuring a clean Falls Lake,” Rindge stated.
WakeUP, a civic non-profit working for solutions to ensure infrastructure Wake County will need to keep with population growth, appreciates the amount of work that went into the Falls Lake rule-making process. WakeUP was a participating stakeholder in this process, representing citizens who rely upon Falls for drinking water.
“Given expected population growth in the Triangle, these rules do not ensure that Falls Lake will be clean in the long run. While our water is safe now, the rules passed by the EMC push back action for many years to achieving cleaner water, and taxpayers will have to pay more to ensure safe water,” said Rindge. “WakeUP Wake County believes these rules are a significant compromise for Falls Lake and the people who use it and need it,” added Rindge.