Aqua granted over $1.7 million in funding for infrastructure projects across North Carolina

Aqua North Carolina announced it has received several grant awards from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) Division of Water Infrastructure. The funding will be allocated for ongoing lead service line replacements, PFAS removal and water system improvements across the state.  

Aqua North Carolina received a $938,754 grant from the State Water Infrastructure Authority for phase 4 of its Lead Service Line Inventory project. This is Aqua’s sixth successful application submitted to support Aqua’s work in identifying lead service lines in communities it serves. Aqua has been awarded approximately $7 million in grants and low interest loans to identify lead service lines in 20 counties across Aqua North Carolina’s 51-county footprint.

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements provides heightened protection for communities from exposure to lead in drinking water,” said Aqua North Carolina President Shannon Becker. “It requires water providers to identify and, if found, remove lead service lines on both public and private property. This is a major effort, and we are pleased to share that as part of our Lead Service Line Inventory Program, all the service lines we evaluated in 2024 were identified as non-lead. Additional funding received for phase 4 of the project will supplement project costs necessary to identify and inventory service lines in our communities and minimize the impact to our customer’s rates.”

Aqua also received $800,000 for the replacement of aging water mains in the Idlewood Acres community located in Catawba County. This award will support Aqua’s comprehensive plan to replace all the water mains in this community, which are nearing the end of their useful life. This project will increase reliability by significantly reducing the number of main breaks and minimizing related service interruptions in the water system.

“Investing in our infrastructure is a key part of Aqua’s commitment to our customers. Over the past year, we have made significant upgrades to improve our water and wastewater systems across the Tarheel state, including addressing emerging challenges like PFAS, lead, and other contaminants,” said Becker. “These improvements enhance service reliability and contribute to a more sustainable future for our customers and their families.”

In 2024 alone, Aqua invested approximately $55 million in capital improvements, with plans to invest another $400 million over the next five years. Aqua will continue to seek funding for projects to reduce the financial burden passed to customers through water rates.

 

Related News

From Archive

• Most Read
• Most Commented