NC Awards $215M for Water Infrastructure After Helene

Sixty-six projects across 26 counties will receive funding for drinking water, wastewater, PFAS monitoring, and lead pipe replacement.

Photo Credit: North Carolina's Weather Authority

Posted Friday, April 17, 2026 12:00 pm

Willow Kennedy

When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in the fall of 2024, it left behind more than flooded roads and downed power lines. Water and wastewater systems in dozens of communities were badly damaged, some beyond quick repair. For residents and local officials, the disruption to safe, reliable water access was immediate, and for many, it has been lasting.

On April 15, Governor Josh Stein and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality announced that 66 projects across 26 counties will receive more than $215 million in water infrastructure funding. The State Water Infrastructure Authority approved the awards at its April 15 to 16 meeting, with roughly $196 million of that total directed specifically to communities still working through the damage Helene left behind.

This latest round brings North Carolina's total Helene-related water infrastructure investment to $861 million in combined federal and state funds since September 2025.

Where the Money Is Going

The awards span everything from new wastewater treatment plants to drinking water system upgrades to lead service line replacement. Projects reach small mountain towns like Spruce Pine and Marshall as well as larger cities including Gastonia and Morganton.

Some notable awards from this round include:

The City of Gastonia received $10 million for its Drinking Water Supply Resiliency Project.
Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority in Jackson County received $10 million to expand and harden its water treatment plant.
The Town of Lake Lure received more than $7 million for a new wastewater treatment plant and force main construction.
The City of Lumberton received nearly $5.9 million across two phases of lead service line replacement.
Union County received $500,000 for a PFAS pilot study at its Yadkin Water Treatment Plant.

Funding is drawn from multiple federal and state sources, including the EPA's Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds designated for Helene recovery, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for lead service line replacement and emerging contaminant assessment, and the Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure program.

The Gap Remains Wide

The need continues to outpace available resources. The Division of Water Infrastructure received $1.3 billion in applications following Helene. Even with this latest round of awards, the state reports that $655 million in critical, Helene-related water infrastructure needs remains unfunded.

That gap reflects a challenge that was not created by the storm. According to the EPA's most recent Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey, the United States faces a projected $625 billion shortfall in drinking water infrastructure investment over the next 20 years. Helene accelerated decisions that many communities had already been deferring.

For EHS and facilities professionals in affected regions, the practical question is whether recovery funding timelines align with operational compliance requirements already on the calendar.