Water and wastewater affordability bill sent to governor

RALEIGH — A bill changing North Carolina laws on water and wastewater permitting has been sent to Gov. Josh Stein.

House Bill 376, titled the “Water/Wastewater Affordability & Capacity Act,” was presented to the governor Friday, June 26, according to the North Carolina General Assembly’s list of bills pending the governor’s signature.

The bill is a statewide measure with no counties specifically cited. The bill page lists affected laws involving public health, water and sewer systems, wells, local government, health departments and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The measure has changed several times as it moved through the General Assembly. The current bill page lists the latest edition as Edition 5 and identifies the primary sponsors as Reps. Mark Brody, Jeff Zenger and Dennis Riddell.

According to the bill summary, earlier versions included provisions involving on-site wastewater permits, construction authorizations, local health department responsibilities, private drinking water well permitting and the role of certified evaluators. The summary also notes changes to how local boards of health may propose more stringent wastewater system rules and how private well permitting programs are handled.

The Senate approved the bill on second reading June 16 by a 45-0 vote. The House received the Senate committee substitute for concurrence June 17, and the measure was later listed by the General Assembly among bills pending action by the governor.

If signed, the act would become part of a broader legislative push this session involving housing, permitting, infrastructure and local government procedures. Stein may sign the bill, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature.

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.