Raleigh, NC, Feb. 1, 2026 — During tomorrow’s (2/2/26) Wake County Commissioners’ meeting, officials are poised to adopt the County’s first-ever One Water Plan (document), a long-range strategy designed to guide how water is managed as the county continues to grow and climate pressures increase over the coming decades.
The plan, which looks 50 years ahead, does not approve new construction projects or authorize spending. Instead, it establishes a countywide framework to coordinate drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, groundwater, flood management, and land-use planning across Wake County and its municipalities.
County officials describe the plan as a proactive effort to reduce future water shortages, flooding risks, and water-quality challenges as growth accelerates.
Why the plan was created
Wake County’s population is projected to grow from about 1.1 million residents today to more than 2 million by 2070, with overall water demand expected to more than double during that period…