Falls Lake Regional Drinking Water Protection Initiative

The Conservation Trust is working with other partners to use land conservation to protect water quality in Falls Lake. Falls Lake is the drinking water supply source for 350,000 people living in Wake County, including the City of Raleigh and seven surrounding municipalities.

Falls Lake Initiative Receives $1 Million Commitment from Raleigh to Protect Land in Watershed

On June 20 the Raleigh City Council committed $500,000 in 2005-06, and another $500,000 in 2006-07 to support the work of the Falls Lake Initiative. “It is important to invest in the protection of critical lands within the Falls Lake watershed,” said Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker. “It is more cost-effective to preserve water quality by preventing polluted run-off and sedimentation than to pay for expensive treatment costs. Land conservation will allow us to protect our drinking water supply and opportunities for recreation at less tax payer expense than cleaning up polluted water."

Raleigh’s financial commitment will support the Initiative’s three phases:

	Development of a comprehensive conservation plan
	Outreach to landowners, local governments, and the public
	Land protection based on priorities outlined in the conservation plan

Falls Lake Initiative Kick-off Meeting

Elected officials and conservation groups from six counties met on October 26 to launch the Falls Lake Initiative to protect drinking water in Falls Lake and the entire Upper Neuse River Basin - an area supporting nine drinking water supplies for roughly 500,000 people.

For more information, click on these resources below: