North Carolina is investing more than $265 million in water infrastructure projects to improve drinking water quality, replace aging systems, and address emerging contaminants like PFAS, state officials announced last week.
The funding, spread across 99 projects in 45 counties, includes grants and loans to upgrade wastewater treatment plants, replace lead pipes, and support communities struggling with water contamination. However, the need far exceeds available funding—the state received $1.63 billion in project requests, more than five times the amount awarded this round.
With limited resources, deciding which projects receive support is a difficult task, according to Reid Wilson, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
One of the most pressing concerns in North Carolina is PFAS contamination, particularly in Cumberland County, where chemicals from industrial sources including Chemours‘ Fayetteville Works plant, have tainted drinking water supplies.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are long-lasting chemicals found in nonstick cookware, water-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foam. Often called “forever chemicals,” they don’t break down easily and can contaminate drinking water. Exposure has been linked to cancer, immune system issues, and developmental risks.
Among the awarded projects, Cumberland County will receive nearly $23 million in PFAS-related projects, including:
- $1.9 million for landfill leachate PFAS treatment
- $500,000 for a Cedar Creek area study to assess PFAS contamination
- $19.6 million for Gray’s Creek Water & Sewer District Phase 2, a project expected to extend city water to elementary schools impacted by PFAS-contaminated wells
“Providing safe drinking water to every single North Carolinian is a huge priority for this department,” Wilson said. “The most cost-effective way to protect people is to reduce discharges of pollution in the first place.”
While federal funding has helped jumpstart PFAS mitigation, state officials say it’s not enough to meet the full scope of North Carolina’s needs.
“We’re seeing more funding requests for PFAS-related projects than we can currently support,” said Shadi Eskaf, director of the Division of Water Infrastructure. “We’re happy we can fund some of them, but we need more resources to truly tackle the problem statewide.”
Wilson said the Biden-era Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was one of the sources for the $265 million in water infrastructure funding. “[That funding] has been great,” he said. “It has really helped the state’s infrastructure, but it will expire at some point.”
Durham will receive $392,495 for PFAS consulting support, helping city officials assess contamination levels and develop mitigation strategies.
Additionally, Aqua North Carolina, a private water utility company, will receive $938,754 for its statewide lead service line inventory project. This funding will help identify and replace outdated lead pipes, a key step in improving drinking water safety.
Beyond emerging contaminants, many of the funded projects aim to replace aging water systems and improve climate resilience.
“North Carolina’s water infrastructure is decades old in many places,” Eskaf said. “Aging systems are the biggest challenge for communities—pipes deteriorate, treatment plants require upgrades, and meeting modern regulations is expensive.”
Climate change is compounding these issues. Major storms like Tropical Storm Helene exposed vulnerabilities in North Carolina’s water infrastructure, leaving some communities, like Asheville, without clean water for weeks.
“These grants and loans will help communities upgrade aging infrastructure, making them more resilient when future storms come,” Wilson said.
The next round of funding applications opens March 4 and runs through April 30, with in-person and virtual training sessions available for local governments and utilities.
For communities that applied but were not awarded funding this round, Eskaf encourages reapplying with improved applications.
“We provide feedback on scoring and offer grant opportunities to help communities assess and prioritize their infrastructure needs,” he said.
Looking ahead, North Carolina officials remain committed to securing additional federal and state funding to continue addressing water quality, PFAS contamination, and infrastructure resilience.
“There’s a constant push from us and others who care about water quality to secure as much funding as possible,” Wilson said. “We need to keep upgrading our drinking water and wastewater systems to ensure every North Carolinian has access to safe, clean water.”
A full list of funded projects is available on the NC DEQ website.