North Carolina Construction News staff writer
More than $204 million in state and federal funding will support 48 drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across 27 North Carolina counties, officials announced Tuesday.
The investments aim to improve aging infrastructure, enhance storm resiliency, remove and identify lead service lines, and combat harmful “forever chemicals” such as PFAS, state officials said.
“When you turn on the faucet in your home, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether that water is safe for your family,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a statement. “These investments will help ensure North Carolinians have access to clean drinking water and will help keep people safe when disaster strikes.”
The awards were approved July 16 by the State Water Infrastructure Authority following a competitive application process that drew 133 eligible proposals requesting more than $1.5 billion in total. The authority is an independent body responsible for awarding federal and state infrastructure funding.
“This funding will address aging infrastructure and improve public health for communities large and small,” said Reid Wilson, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
Projects receiving funding include:
- Bryson City (Swain County): $9.2 million for wastewater treatment plant improvements.
- Waynesville (Haywood County): $8.2 million for gravity sewer and pump station upgrades.
- Graham (Alamance County): $3.4 million to address PFAS at the Graham-Mebane Water Treatment Plant.
- Fayetteville Public Works Commission (Cumberland County): $20.5 million for a granulated activated carbon facility targeting PFAS.
- River Bend (Craven County): $6.3 million for drinking water improvements.
- Martin County Regional Water and Sewer Authority: $1 million for PFAS-related treatment upgrades.
- Lenoir (Caldwell County): $6.6 million total for wastewater improvements and lead service line inventory.
- Lexington (Davidson County): $13.7 million for solids handling improvements at its regional wastewater treatment plant.
- Henderson (Vance County): $10.7 million for pump station and force main infrastructure.
- Warrenton (Warren County): $10 million for Phase IV wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
- Sanford (Lee County): $7.3 million for sewer rehabilitation and $2 million for lead service line inventory.
- Pfeiffer-North Stanly Water Association (Stanly County): $4.9 million for waterline replacement.
- Carolina Water Service, Inc.: $5.5 million across six projects involving PFAS mitigation, lead pipe identification, and water line upgrades in Cumberland, Gaston, Moore, and Pender counties.
Funding for this round came from the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which are supported by federal capitalization grants and loan repayments. Additional funds came from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), specifically targeted for PFAS contamination and lead service line replacement.
The Division of Water Infrastructure’s next funding round opens July 29, with applications due by Sept. 30. Funding will be available through various existing programs, including the Viable Utility Reserve, which supports distressed local utilities.
The division will also begin accepting rolling applications later this summer for new federal funds under the 2025 American Relief Act. These Helene State Revolving Fund supplemental funds will support long-term infrastructure resilience in western North Carolina communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
A full list of funded projects is available on the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality website.