
On Monday, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $409.4 million grant to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to improve local drinking water utility infrastructures so that public water systems may better withstand natural disasters.
“Since Hurricane Helene struck last September, repairing Western North Carolina’s damaged infrastructure to be stronger and more reliable in the future has been a key component of all ongoing recovery efforts as Western North Carolina rebuilds,” said Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC, in a press release. “I am grateful to President Trump and EPA Administrator Zeldin for their efforts to ensure North Carolina receives critical grant funding to restructure and reinforce the quality of our water systems, enabling our recovering communities to build more durable infrastructure. This is a step in the right direction to aid reconstruction efforts and mitigate future natural disasters.”
Since Hurricane Helene, repairing WNC’s damaged infrastructure to be stronger & more reliable has been a key component of recovery efforts.
I am grateful to @POTUS & @epaleezeldin for ensuring funds to restructure & reinforce the quality of our water systems. https://t.co/jt4omiYhf2
— Senator Ted Budd (@SenTedBuddNC) August 11, 2025
“Helene completely destroyed both of the Town of Burnsville’s raw water intakes, leaving residents, businesses, schools, medical facilities, and government agencies without water,” Russell Fox, mayor of Burnsville, said in a press release. “The town is still running on a temporary pumping system until the primary intake system can be rebuilt. The cost of providing water service to users has increased dramatically since the storm. The need for funding is always an issue but even more so now. We need to strengthen our systems against disasters, and the EPA funding has given us that opportunity. The Town of Burnsville is very grateful.”
According to the EPA, these funds are provided through the 2025 Supplemental Appropriation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Hawai‘i Wildfires (SAHM), administered via North Carolina’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). They may be used for projects that enhance drinking water treatment, improve water distribution systems, upgrade water supply sources, replace or build finished water storage tanks, and complete other infrastructure improvements necessary to safeguard public health through better drinking water systems.
“In February, I visited communities in Asheville to witness firsthand the crucial role drinking water utilities have in responding to natural disasters,” said EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, said in a press release. “This funding to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality will help secure the infrastructure of these systems to ensure EPA can fulfill its core mission to protect human health and the environment.”
As Western North Carolina continues to recover from Helene, the @EPA‘s funding is an important investment in building stronger, more resilient water infrastructure. I appreciate @epaleezeldin‘s commitment to supporting our state as we work to rebuild critical infrastructure and…
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) August 12, 2025
“The Town of Old Fort’s water system was destroyed by Hurricane Helene,” Pam Snypes, mayor of Old Forts said in a press release. “Fortunately, our citizens were provided water as quickly as possible, but it was provided with Band-aid repairs. Over the last ten months the town has been working to make those repairs more efficient. Repairs are very expensive. The availability of these funds will provide a way to ensure going forward that out water system will be a stable system in the event another disaster occurs.”
According to the press release, under Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), states may use these funds to advance the act’s public health protection goals. The allocation will capitalize DWSRF, which can then provide low-interest loans—potentially with principal forgiveness—to support the planning, design, and construction of qualifying drinking water improvement projects.
“Hurricane Helene severely damaged drinking water systems throughout Western North Carolina and thousands of people were without safe drinking water for weeks,” said NCDEQ Secretary Reid Wilson in a press release. “These investments will make drinking water systems more resilient to future storms, helping to ensure that communities have uninterrupted access to healthy water.”
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