News Flash

DURHAM, N.C. – Last year was a tough one, but it didn’t stop the City of Durham Water Management team from delivering clean and safe drinking water to more than 301,000 residents while remaining in 100% compliance with all federal drinking water standards.

According to Water Management Director Don Greeley, though the department faced many challenges in 2020, the staff kept the water running for their residential and business customers. “When you turned on your tap in 2020, we delivered,” said Greeley. “We were faced with a malware attack and a pandemic, and through it all, our dedicated staff made sure that our hospitals and other medical facilities had water to treat critically ill patients. With so many residents working from home due to the pandemic, our delivery of safe drinking water was increasingly important this past year. Despite these challenges, there were zero water quality violations in 2020, and I’m incredibly proud of our staff.”

According to Greeley, the department also completed $110 million in capital construction, including a new home for its Laboratory Services and Industrial Waste Control Divisions and upgrades and renovations at the Brown and Williams Water Treatment Plants. Those are among the many highlights in the department’s 2020 Water Quality Report, which is required annually by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

As shared in the report, the department routinely monitors more than 150 contaminants and achieved 100% compliance with all drinking water standards. The report also outlines the journey water takes from source to tap, and shows how Durham’s professionals produce water that is healthy, fresh, and pure. Available in English and Spanish, the report is now available on the department’s webpage. Customers may also request a printed copy of the latest annual report by calling (919) 560-4381 or by email.

About the Department of Water Management
The Department of Water Management is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Durham's water supply, water treatment and water reclamation (wastewater treatment) facilities, the collection and distribution systems (including meter reading), and customer billing services. The department has a wide variety of support divisions and programs to maintain the existing infrastructure that provide these integral services, and strives to be a responsible steward of the City’s physical assets. For information, follow the department on Facebook at Durham Saves Water and on Twitter at @DurhamWater.

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