WHY THIS MATTERS
One Water for All
Our water is a precious resource. As a member of the US Water Alliance, Cary has committed to the One Water approach of managing water. This approach manages water—whether from the tap, a stream, a storm, an aquifer, or a sewer—in a collaborative, integrated, inclusive, and holistic manner, ensuring our water supply, treatment system, and delivery infrastructure are resilient to the impacts of climate change. These efforts are critical to meeting our community's water needs, maintaining safe roads, and protecting against floods.
As our community grows, we can continue to take steps to use water efficiently in our homes and businesses to preserve this resource for the region and future generations.
MANAGING WATER
Reducing Our Consumption
Cary is a proven leader in water conservation and efficiency, having decreased our water consumption to 48 gallons per person per day, well below the national average of 82 gallons (Estimated Water Use in the United States, US Geological Survey 2015).
Innovation is key to our success. Cary was the first municipality in the state to use reclaimed water for several hundred homes and businesses for uses like irrigation, manufacturing, and cooling towers. Cary owns and operates three state-of-the-art water reclamation facilities recognized by the EPA for exceptional quality treatment. This efficient system lessens daily demand on our water system, keeps our natural water system healthy, and makes our water supply more reliable.
Where does Cary's drinking water come from?
Conserving water will help our community meet its future water needs and preserve the quality of the lake and our watershed.
MANAGING WATER
Stormwater Runoff
As Cary grows, we will need to continue to implement smart practices initiated in the early 90's to help restore the natural movement of water that is disrupted when we develop natural land. Within Town limits, 29.6% of Cary's land is covered by impervious surfaces, such as roofs and streets, that don't absorb stormwater and instead create runoff. This is above the national average of 24.2%. Without intervention, stormwater runoff can transport pollutants to lakes, rivers, wetlands, and other bodies of water. To manage this, Cary is focused on green stormwater infrastructure solutions.
MANAGING WATER
Green Infrastructure
Green stormwater infrastructure refers to a range of methods that use nature-based solutions to store or absorb stormwater. This type of infrastructure has many benefits, including improving water quality, reducing local heat, and decreasing flooding. Examples include rain gardens and bioswales that help slow, capture, and absorb rainfall to reduce runoff and filter pollutants. Cary has already implemented several projects around town, including a rain garden at Kingswood Magnet Elementary School.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Smart Sensors & Meters
Cary maintains stream sensors and rain gauges to collect real-time data on our water bodies and rain impacts. This information is vital for local climate resilience, as with it we can:
- Conduct smart stormwater planning
- Make efficient floodplain improvements
- Stay ready to provide local flooding alerts
Visit Cary's Stormwater Monitoring Dashboard for real-time data.
Cary also implemented an innovative system called AQUASTAR that replaced 60,000 residential and commercial water meters in Cary and Morrisville with an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. This system tracks water usage data on an hourly and daily basis to better identify leaks and other conservation opportunities. Learn more about AQUASTAR.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Mindfully Consume and Conserve
Maintaining healthy water resources is a shared responsibility between Cary and all who live and work in our community.