NC reports $1 billion in Helene water awards, begins statewide resilience-plan update
State officials say western water systems still have more than $758 million in unmet needs despite the funding milestone.
BURNSVILLE — North Carolina has awarded more than $1 billion for Hurricane Helene water infrastructure and resilience projects, but state officials say damaged western communities still face more than $758 million in unmet needs.
Gov. Josh Stein and Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson announced the milestone Saturday in Burnsville, where the storm disrupted drinking-water service and damaged local infrastructure.
The state says 98% of water systems damaged by Helene have been restored. The remaining work includes permanent repairs, replacement of vulnerable infrastructure and projects intended to reduce damage from future storms.
Burnsville has received $13 million through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund for drinking-water, distribution-system and sewer-line improvements.
That amount follows $4.5 million in emergency loans and technical-assistance grants used to replace the town’s raw-water intake. Burnsville’s total State Water Infrastructure Authority support now exceeds $17 million.
The recently enacted state budget provides more than $700 million for Helene recovery, including $20 million for dam repairs and $1 million for landslide-risk mapping.
The State Water Infrastructure Authority approved another $44 million in state-supported Helene water projects July 15. State officials said federal disaster funds allocated to DEQ for Helene water-system repairs have otherwise been exhausted.
Stein also announced an interagency effort to update the 2020 North Carolina Risk and Resilience Plan. The statewide plan is intended to coordinate agencies’ work involving disaster preparation, infrastructure risks, flooding and long-term resilience.
The administration has not yet released a schedule, public-comment process or completed scope for the update.
DEQ also has supported 19 flood-resilience projects totaling $10 million in the French Broad River Basin. Those projects are part of the agency’s broader Flood Resiliency Blueprint.
Stein has asked Congress for an additional $10 billion for Helene recovery, including $1 billion for water quality, infrastructure, brownfield work, river restoration and hazardous-waste management.
The governor’s office said Congress has not approved a new Helene recovery appropriation since 2024.
Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
