The Town of Cary storm water program includes educational and regulatory initiatives to encourage environmentally sound development. Storm water ordinances address floodplain management, watershed protection, and sediment and erosion control.
Benefits of the program include:
Read the policies for storm drainage improvement requests and for storm water capital improvement requests. Call the Engineering Department at (919) 380-2773 for more information.
New Floodplain Maps Available for Review
Property owners within floodplains or near flood-prone streams should review the new maps. Changes may determine whether they must buy flood insurance.
Area affected - Neuse River basin
Read more about floodplain management and get answers to frequently asked questions.
State Rules
Algal blooms and fish kills in the lower Neuse River during 1988 led to state rules for controlling nutrients in the Neuse basin. The rules cover agriculture, urban development, and wastewater treatment plants. Cary's wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded to meet the 1997 rules, which also provide for preserving vegetation along stream buffers to filter storm water.
Cary is one of 15 local governments that worked with the state to implement a model storm water plan for the Neuse River basin.
Federal Rules
The federal Clean Water Act of 1972 focused initially on discharges from sources such as industrial and municipal wastewater treatment plants. Water quality studies have shown that more diffuse sources of pollution are also a problem. In 1987, Congress added requirements for non-agricultural sources of runoff, beginning with the largest cities and certain industries.
Cary is covered under the second phase of the program, which is called the National Permit Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program.
The Town's pollution reduction program must address:
Storm Drainage Assistance
Contact - Terry Warren, floodplain manager, at (919) 462-3932
The Town received its draft Phase II permit in late 2004. The final permit is expected during 2005.