Funding announced for clean water infrastructure in Edgecombe County

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North Carolina Construction News staff writer

The Town of Pinetops will receive $7.9 million to replace water lines and Edgecombe County will receive $1.1 million to install a new water main and services for a water line extension, Gov. Ray Cooper announced last week.

“Rural communities across North Carolina deserve access to safe drinking water,” Cooper said. “This funding will help improve the water systems in Pinetops and Edgecombe County, strengthening our state for future generations.”

North Carolina invests an average of $200 million for water infrastructure. Historic federal will support $2.3 billion over two years in water and wastewater infrastructure in communities across the state.

In July 2022, Cooper announced $789.4 million to help pay for 385 projects statewide, including 140 construction projects. 86 counties are receiving funds so far to upgrade their water infrastructure. The funding comes from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, state reserve funds and state budget allocations.

The Division of Water Infrastructure at NCDEQ opened a second round of funding in Fall 2022 and received an exceptional number of applications. The Division received 649 applications from 91 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. The funding will be awarded in February 2023.

“The $7.9 million viable utility reserve grant recently awarded to the Town of Pinetops will provide the financial means to begin much-needed replacement of aging Town freshwater infrastructure for our citizens and businesses. The citizens and businesses of Pinetops rely upon safe and dependable freshwater services to support their daily activities,” said Pinetops Mayor Brenda Harrell. “This grant will provide the capability to significantly improve the performance, quality, and resiliency of our freshwater infrastructure.”

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