North Wake News

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Water Resources plans to hold a public hearing on April 22. The purpose is to gather public feedback on proposed amendments to the state's surface water quality standards. These changes involve the introduction of a standard for E. coli to serve as an indicator for pathogens in recreational waters.

According to the department, the updates to the standards outlined in 15A NCAC 02B .0200 are part of a mandated review conducted every three years, as per federal and state law. This review considers current water quality standards, EPA recommendations, and new scientific data, including ecological, health, and toxicological information.

North Carolina's standards aim to protect water bodies based on their designated uses, such as recreation and water supply. The federal Clean Water Act mandates states to adopt these standards to shield surface waters from pollution.

The hearing details are as follows:

- Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 6 p.m.

- Location: Ground Floor Hearing Room, Archdale Building, 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604.

- Registration will begin at 5 p.m.

The proposed amendments include replacing the current fecal coliform standard with an E. coli standard for certain recreational waters. The recommended standard is 126 colony forming units (cfu) per 100 milliliters of water, derived from at least five samples over 30 days. Moreover, no more than 20% of samples should exceed 274 cfu per 100 milliliters. This proposal aligns with the 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The changes would also clarify variance requirements for water quality standards. The department is also open to comments on existing standard variances and other topics not addressed in this rulemaking.

Additional information on these changes and the proposed language can be accessed online. Comments at the hearing or via email or postal mail will be accepted until May 2. Written feedback can be sent to SWTriRevComments2025@deq.nc.gov or to:

Christopher Ventaloro

NC DEQ-DWR Planning Section

1611 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-1611

The hearing will end at 9 p.m. or earlier, depending on the number of speakers. Public parking will be available across the street from the Archdale Building. More parking options are provided on the state's Interactive Parking Map.

For information in other languages, individuals can contact 919-707-8604 or reach Laura Oleniacz at laura.oleniacz@deq.nc.gov through email.