Water Facts about Cary
Where do we get our Water?
Cary withdraws its raw water from Jordan Lake, which is in the Cape Fear River Basin.
This water then goes to the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Plant (WTP), which is located off Wimberly Road in west Cary, to be treated for use.
The Cary/Apex WTP not only serves Cary and Apex, but also provides water to Morrisville, RDU, and the south part of Research Triangle Park.
The State of North Carolina controls the water supply pool in Jordan Lake and allows the Cary/Apex WTP to withdraw a weekly average of 16 million gallons of water per day (MGD) from Jordan Lake.
The Cary/Apex WTP’s capacity is 16 MGD. Water usage during processing limits the plant to a sustainable 14.5-15.0 MGD.
A request to the State of North Carolina for an increase in its water allocation of an additional 5 MGD withdrawal is pending; Morrisville and Research Triangle Park, who currently use part of Cary and Apex's 16 MGD allocation, are requesting water allocation now of 2.5 MGD and 1.5 MGD respectively.
Cary currently contracts with the City of Raleigh to purchase 4.5 MGD of water.
Cary also currently contracts with the City of Durham to purchase between 2.8 to 3.5 MGD of water depending on system needs and Durham's water availability.
The maximum water supply capacity is approximately 19.33 MGD.
How much Water does Cary use?
In 1998, Cary system's peak water demand was on June 26 when the total system demand reached 20.646 MGD.
The average daily summer water use (June through September) in 1998 was 12.64 MGD.
The average water use in January-February 1998 was 7.55 MGD.
As of July 1, 1998, Cary's utility customers are charged based on a tiered-rate structure.
Where does our Water go?
To be consistent with terminology in state regulations, Cary renamed its wastewater treatment facilities to water reclamation facilities.
Cary has two water reclamation facilities.
The North Cary Water Reclamation Facility (NCWRF) is located on Old Reedy Creed Road.
This facility has a permitted discharge capacity of 10 MGD and an average flow of 6 MGD.
The South Cary Water Reclamation Facility (SCWRF) is located on West Lake Road, off Ten-Ten Road.
This facility has a permitted discharge of 16 MGD and an average flow of 3.8 MGD..
Crabtree Creek and Middle Creek are tributaries of the Neuse River.
The NCWRF will begin establishing a reclaimed water reuse system for non-potable (non-drinking) uses, such as irrigation and cooling systems, by the year 2001.
What does the Future hold for Cary's water?
With the planned expansion of the Cary/Apex WTP, the additional 5 MGD allocation for Cary and Apex and a separate 2.5 MGD allocation for Morrisville and 1.5 MGD allocation for the Wake County part of the Research Triangle Park, from Jordan Lake with reclaimed water reuse from Cary's two existing water reclamation facilities, and a 2% annual reduction goal in per capita water use, Cary’s water services are projected to be sufficient through the year 2015. Also, with the expansion of the South Cary Water Reclamation Facility, the new expansion at the North Cary Water Reclamation Facility, plus the planned West Cary Water Reclamation Facility, waste water services are projected to be sufficient through the year 2015.
Town of Cary Water Conservation Program
469-4090