Durham County stormwater staff report new projects and education push; Whispering Pines stream restoration estimated at $2.1M

County stormwater staff updated commissioners on the utility, current projects and public outreach and outlined regulatory costs and priorities tied to Falls Lake and Jordan Lake nutrient rules.

Division manager Ryan Eaves said the county has pursued a prioritized set of retrofit projects; Neil Middle School’s bioretention project (approx. $450,000) is complete and staff plan an open house on May 21. “We identified that there was no storm water treatment on-site … That project is complete, and we're really excited about what we've built there,” Eaves said.

Staff described the Whispering Pines mobile‑home park stream restoration as currently in design with about 1,500 feet of stream work and an estimated cost of $2.1 million, with grant funding expected to cover a portion. Ellie Kinsey, stormwater education specialist, highlighted outreach efforts—13 public events January–April and targeted school programming—and said the department will continue school partnerships and public education around stormwater pollution prevention.

Commissioners asked about contractor education, inspection cadence and the FY25 revenue impact of a state law that exempted bona fide farms from stormwater utility fees; staff said the exemption reduced FY25 revenue by roughly $250,000 and that inspections target higher‑priority construction sites monthly while reinspecting violators more frequently.