Governor Josh Stein has announced that the Department of Environmental Quality will dedicate more than $244 million to water infrastructure projects across the state.
Twenty-eight counties will receive a mix of loans and grants to fund 45 different drinking water and wastewater initiatives. The DEQ says these projects will increase resilience against future storms, reduce the contamination of forever chemicals, and replace lead pipes.
Alamance, Wilkes and Randolph are among the counties included. Together they will receive over $32 million, with a large majority headed to the city of Graham. A $26 million loan will go toward its Graham-Mebane Water Treatment Plant Reliability Project.
Over in Western North Carolina, $44 million will be dedicated to Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.