More than $472 million will be allocated to 145 drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across 66 counties in North Carolina, according to an announcement from Governor Josh Stein and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The funding is intended to help cities, towns, and counties upgrade aging infrastructure, increase resilience against severe weather events, address contamination from so-called “forever chemicals,” and identify and replace lead pipes.
Governor Stein stated, “After Hurricane Helene, tens of thousands of North Carolinians were without access to clean and reliable water for weeks. Upgrading our state’s aging water infrastructure must be a priority. These investments will make our infrastructure more resilient in the face of future severe weather or disasters and improve access to clean drinking water for North Carolinians across the state.”
DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson said, “Families and businesses expect and deserve safe water when they turn on the tap. The funded projects will strengthen aging drinking water and wastewater systems and will support healthy communities and a growing economy.”
Some of the awarded projects include:
– $17.8 million to Cape Fear Public Utility Authority for upgrades at the Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant.
– $33 million to Goldsboro for a treatment project targeting PFAS contamination.
– $10 million to Newland for improvements in its drinking water system.
– $5 million to Forest City for sewer system resiliency enhancements.
– $1.3 million to Winston-Salem for lead service line replacement.
– Additional grants were distributed among other municipalities such as Woodland, Princeton, Belmont, Grifton, McDowell County, Hot Springs, Southern Pines, among others.
A complete list of funded projects is available through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) website.
The DEQ’s Division of Water Infrastructure reviewed 198 eligible applications requesting nearly $1.89 billion in total funding. The State Water Infrastructure Authority approved these awards at its February 18 meeting. This authority operates independently with primary responsibility over federal and state funding distribution for water infrastructure initiatives.
Funding sources included State Revolving Funds offering low-interest loans (with potential partial forgiveness), supplemental appropriations related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton as well as Hawai’i wildfires (providing principal forgiveness or zero-interest loans), Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure funds supporting lower-income areas, State Reserve Program grants focused on smaller or storm-damaged counties, and Viable Utility Reserve grants aiding distressed local government units.
The next round of applications opens February 23 with submissions due by April 30. Training sessions for applicants are scheduled both in-person at three locations—Hickory, Greenville, Research Triangle Park/Durham—and virtually via Webex on March 4; recordings will also be posted online.
March 2 marks the final deadline for applications related specifically to Hurricane Helene resiliency projects.
Governor Josh Stein currently serves as the state’s chief executive officer with responsibilities including executing state laws, directing policy through budget decisions and pardons, serving as commander-in-chief of the North Carolina National Guard, appointing executive officials, and leading the Council of State (official website).
