North Raleigh Today

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure is currently accepting public comments on several updates and new drafts of Intended Use Plans (IUPs) and Project Priority Lists. Comments on the updated IUPs are open until March 14, 2025, while feedback on new draft plans and proposed Priority Rating Systems for the State Revolving Fund and Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure (CDBG-I) programs can be submitted until March 31, 2025.

These Intended Use Plans are essential for managing drinking water and wastewater infrastructure funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The IUPs include base State Revolving Funds, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) General Supplemental funding, IIJA Emerging Contaminants funding, and IIJA Lead Service Line Replacement funding.

The Division uses these plans to apply for and manage the State Revolving Funds. This program provides low-interest loans with principal forgiveness for various water infrastructure projects such as treatment facilities, collection systems, distribution systems, reclaimed water facilities, energy efficiency upgrades, stormwater control measures, stream restoration projects, PFAS contamination solutions, and lead service line replacements in drinking water systems.

Five new draft IUPs for the State Revolving Funds along with a proposed Priority Rating System for CDBG-I are open for public comment until March 31. These plans will guide how new funds will be administered next year. They include revisions to Priority Rating Systems used to prioritize project funding assistance. Additionally, there is a proposed revision to the Priority Rating System for the CDBG-I program available for comment:

- Draft FY2025 IUP for Base and IIJA General Supplemental Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

- Draft FY2025 IUP for Base and IIJA General Supplemental Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)

- Draft FY2025 IUP for IIJA DWSRF Emerging Contaminants funding

- Draft FY2025 IUP for IIJA CWSRF Emerging Contaminants funding

- Draft FY2024 IUP for IIJA DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement funding

- Proposed 2025 Priority Rating System for CDBG-I program

Updates to four existing IUPs and Project Priority Lists are also available for public comment until March 14. These updates are highlighted in red text within the documents:

- Amendment to FY2024 DWSRF Intended Use Plan

- Amendment to FY2024 IIJA DWSRF Emerging Contaminants Intended Use Plan

- Update to Project Priority List for FY2024 IIJA CWSRF Emerging Contaminants funding

- Update to Project Priority List for FY2022 and FY2023 IIJA DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement funding

Comments can be submitted by email at dwi.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with "Comments on Draft IUP" in the subject line or by mail addressed to Cathy Akroyd at Division of Water Infrastructure, 1633 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1633.

Further information about the Division of Water Infrastructure can be found online.