Twenty-eight counties across North Carolina will receive more than $244 million in funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects, with $44 million going to Western North Carolina to continue Hurricane Helene recovery.
The State Water Infrastructure Authority approved awards on July 15 to help cities, towns and counties strengthen infrastructure to better withstand future storms, improve existing drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, reduce forever chemicals contamination and identify and replace lead pipes.
“These drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects will protect people from dangerous chemicals, strengthen communities’ resilience to floods, and enable economic growth,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “Safe drinking water and clean-running streams are what every North Carolinian deserves and expects.”
The State Water Infrastructure Authority, an independent body with primary responsibility for awarding federal and state funding for water infrastructure projects, approved a total of 45 projects for funding during its July 15 meeting in Raleigh.
In The Smoky Mountain News coverage area, the Town of Waynesville will receive a loan of $5,443,600 in CWSRF funds for its Wastewater Treatment Plant Resiliency Upgrades Project.
A complete list of the projects selected for funding is available on the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality website. DEQ’s Division of Water Infrastructure reviewed 123 applications, which requested a total of $1.6 billion.
DWI will offer a fall 2026 funding round, which begins Aug. 4. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2026.
DWI will conduct in-person funding application training for the fall 2026 funding round from Aug. 4 through Aug. 12 at four locations: Hickory, Asheville, Research Triangle Park/Durham and Kinston. A virtual option via Webex will also be available on Aug. 10, and a recording of the training will be posted on the division’s application training web page.