U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) has expressed support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to allocate $409.4 million to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). The funding is intended to improve public water systems across the state, with a focus on enhancing infrastructure resilience in the aftermath of 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 Senator Budd. “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.”
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin also commented on the significance of the grant. “In February, I visited communities in Asheville to witness firsthand the crucial role drinking water utilities have in responding to natural disasters,” said Zeldin. “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.”
The $409.4 million comes from the 2025 Supplemental Appropriation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton as well as funds designated for response efforts related to Hawai’i Wildfires. These resources are managed through the State Revolving Fund program and are meant for projects such as improving drinking water treatment facilities, updating distribution systems, securing sources of water supply, replacing or constructing storage tanks, and other initiatives that aim to protect public health by strengthening drinking water infrastructure.
Under Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), states are authorized to use these funds for health protection purposes. The new allocation will capitalize North Carolina’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which provides low-interest loans with principal forgiveness for planning, design, and construction costs related to eligible drinking water improvement projects.
