At a time when all 100 counties in North Carolina are experiencing some degree of drought, a new report from Duke University identifies six long-term strategies for improving the management and conservation of water resources in the Tar Heel State.
The report, "The Future of Water in North Carolina: Strategies for Sustaining Abundant and Clean Water," was released September 4 by the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. It is available online at http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/institute/waterreport.pdf.
North Carolina needs between 15 and 25 inches of rain to end the worsening drought, but the chances of that happening before Thanksgiving are less than one in six, the state's Drought Management Advisory Council reported on August 21.
"At times like this, we're reminded that there is a vast potential for improving how efficiently we use and re-use our state's water resources," said Bill Holman, senior visiting fellow at the Nicholas Institute who is one of the report's authors. "In light of continuing rapid growth and development in the state and limited financial resources, identifying low-cost targets for greater efficiency has become critical."
The report includes recommendations by national and state experts who took part in a Nicholas Institute conference on North Carolina water management earlier this year. Two of the recommendations are particularly relevant for dealing with drought, Holman noted.
"Registration, measurement and regular reporting of water use are essential to sustainable management of our water resources, especially during dry times,"he said. "We need to do much better at this."
The state has begun to require most major water users such as cities, large industries and power companies to register and report how much surface water and groundwater they are using. This information should then be compiled into easily accessible formats and reported regularly to the legislature and the public, Holman said. He also noted that some major users, such as agriculture and community water systems, do not have to report their use to the Division of Water Resources.
"It's like trying to solve a mystery without all the clues," he said. "Good luck with the guesswork."
The report also recommends that the state commission a study to evaluate the water- and cost-savings that could be achieved through measures such as changing the state's building codes to require greater efficiency for water-using appliances and fixtures; using new metering technologies that would allow utilities to charge separate rates for indoor water use or irrigation; and trying seasonal pricing incentives that would encourage greater conservation during periods of high demand or low supply, with sensitivity to low-income households.
"Some things, like changing building codes, would be best done at statewide levels, others could be handled more effectively by local water utilities," Holman said.
Other recommendations of the report include:
· Integrating policies and programs governing land use with those governing water use since the two are so closely related;
· Giving greater protection to the state's green infrastructure -- the forests, farms, wetlands and other natural areas that help protect water resources and play a vital economic and ecological role in the state's long-term prosperity;
· Investigating greater use of nutrient trading programs and other market-based approaches to conservation; and
· Begin preparing now to address the impacts climate change will have on the state's water resources for years to come.
"Tougher water restrictions may help in the short run but they don't address the larger, long-term problem," Holman said.
The Nicholas Institute, in partnership with other universities and stakeholders, plans to work with the North Carolina General Assembly and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop a new framework for managing water resources in North Carolina, he said.
"We'll be working to improve and integrate state and local planning, monitoring, land use regulations, incentives, and public education to increase protection of Falls Lake in the Upper Neuse River and eight other drinking water supplies," Holman said. "We're also assessing the potential for ecosystem service markets and developing a tool to identify and value ecosystem services at the watershed scale."
N.C. Rep. Lucy Allen of Franklin County chairs the House Committee on Environment & Natural Resources. She said, "The 2007 General Assembly authorized a thorough study of water allocation policies. This year's record drought has also increased our interest in water efficiency. I look forward to working with the Nicholas Institute at Duke University and other key stakeholders to develop a comprehensive water withdrawal and allocation policy to ensure that we continue to have adequate and clean water to sustain our environment and economy in the future."
More than 200 people attended the March 1, 2007 Nicholas Institute conference on which the report is based. They represented a mix of state and local government, industries and utilities, consulting firms, universities and environmental organizations. Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue provided the conference's opening address. Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt gave the keynote address.
Perdue said, "North Carolina has traditionally been a water-rich state, but in 2007 we cannot just take that for granted. It is critical to come together and strategically work on how North Carolina will meet our future demands for clean water."
Nicholas Institute research associates Eben Polk and Leslie Kleczek co-wrote the report with Holman.