Restoration of Ellerbe Creek has to do with more than eco-friendliness. For Durham taxpayers, it potentially has to do with hundreds of millions of dollars.

And it has to do with more than Durham; Ellerbe Creek's health affects the drinking water of more than 430,000 people in Wake County. It is also part of a water-quality situation involving Jordan Lake as well, plus 10 counties -- Durham, Orange and Wake among them -- and potentially, billions of taxpayer dollars.

In a nutshell

Federal and state law sets quality standards for reservoirs and their tributary streams. Jordan and Falls lakes are below standard due to pollutants flowing in from the Neuse and Cape Fear river watersheds.

The state Division of Water Quality is under mandate to reduce pollutants to acceptable levels. Part of the proposal for Jordan Lake calls for improving stormwater runoff control in already-developed areas. Durham's public works department estimates that alone would cost the city $334 million, and that the tab for all local governments in the Jordan watershed would total $2 billion.

A similar strategy for Falls Lake is under way; until it is complete, no one can estimate its cost, but, as Durham Planning Commission Chairman George Brine warned a city-county government committee this week -- "It's coming."

What's more

The most polluted section of Jordan Lake is fed by streams running through southern Durham County, which has grown dramatically in the past 25 years.

Major tributaries of Falls Lake flow through eastern Durham County, projected to be the county's fastest-growing area in the next 10 to 15 years. There, Ellerbe Creek, Lick Creek and Little Lick Creek are the major streams, and all are polluted.

City Councilman Mike Woodard calls eastern Durham "ground zero" for a clash of interests for residents, conservationists, developers and city and county governments -- over how to restore and protect streams, manage development pressure and property rights and rewrite regulations, all while waiting to see what comes down from Raleigh.

What's happening

Durham, along with other governments, is fighting the proposed Jordan Lake rules, especially those for existing development. This week the city council discussed adding $100,000 to $30,000 already approved for legal expenses.

The council also discussed appropriating $1.2 million for planning and designing a watershed protection plan for Third Fork Creek, a Jordan Lake tributary.

On other fronts:

* A "stakeholders" group including government, conservation and developers' representatives is drafting a Falls Lake pollution-management strategy and assessing its financial implications.

* Plans for more than 1,000 new residences, and a water/sewage system to serve them, have been approved or are in the approval process for the polluted Falls Lake watershed in eastern Durham County.

* Plans for more subdivisions, retail outlets and office parks in southern Durham -- the polluted Jordan watershed -- are in progress or review.

* Earlier this year, residents formed a "Preserve East Durham County" organization (olivebranchroad.org) to oppose development without stronger pollution controls, and press the city, county and state to better enforce existing regulations. South-Durham residents' groups are also opposing clear-cutting for new development and stricter pollution controls.

* A restoration plan for Little Lick Creek was completed in 2006; steps to implement it have yet to be taken, though the Upper Neuse association is planting trees along Little Lick and Lick creeks with a donation from Home Depot.

* A restoration plan for Lick Creek is under development.

* A restoration project for a section of Lick Creek, near a planned sewage pumping station, has been through two designs. Sponsored by the Soil and Water Conservation office, construction has not begun.

* Restoration planning for Ellerbe Creek is under way.

* Durham's Environmental Affairs Board is creating a "Citizen's Participation Group" for stormwater management. A meeting for those interested is Dec. 3.

* Also in City Hall, Durham has appointed a steering committee to draft strengthened stream protection rules for development in the city and county. The Environmental Enhancements to the Unified Development Ordinance (EEUDO) group meets for the first time next week.

And yet

Durham planning director Steve Medlin says his department and the EEUDO committee will be "working aggressively" to have reports ready next spring; but even if new rules result, Durham might still have to revise them again to meet the state's new rules for Falls and Jordan lakes.

"It's certainly possible," he said.