Durham, N.C. – In recent months, legislation from the North Carolina General Assembly has enabled the North Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation to create a new cost-share program to address water quality issues, such as stormwater, called the Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP). CCAP is designed to provide technical, financial and educational assistance to communities to address their stormwater issues.

Administered in Durham County by the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), CCAP is a voluntary program that targets urban, suburban and rural landowners to help them reduce their contribution to nonpoint source pollution. For qualifying participants, CCAP may reimburse up to 75% of the average cost of the installation of certain Best Management Practices (BMPs). City and County of Durham residents, churches, schools, businesses, nonprofits and municipalities are all eligible for consideration.

Current CCAP BMPs include:

·         Backyard Rain Garden

·         Backyard Wetland

·         Cistern

·         Critical Area Planting

·         Biorentention area

·         Stormwater Wetland

·         Well Closure – hand dug only

·         Impervious Surface Conversion

·         Riparian Buffer

·         Stream Restoration

·         Streambank Protection

·         Diversion

·         Grassed Swale

·         Pet Waste Receptacle

The Durham SWCD is now accepting applications for the CCAP until funding is exhausted. All applications will be reviewed and ranked according to water quality improvement to prioritize the funding available.

To learn more about the CCAP, contact Jennifer Brooks, watershed conservationist for the Durham SWCD, at 919-560-0558 or via e-mail at jbrooks@co.durham.nc.us.  For additional details on how to apply for the CCAP, visit www.co.durham.nc.us/departments/swcd/CCAP.html.