Governor Josh Stein and Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson visited the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant in Wilmington to announce $17 million in grants aimed at addressing contamination from PFAS and GenX chemicals in New Hanover County. The funding will allow for the extension of waterlines, connecting more than 300 homes with contaminated wells to Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s (CFPUA) public water supply.
This announcement comes after a broader investment of over $472 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across 66 counties. Of that amount, CFPUA received $17.8 million to help replace and upgrade capacity at the Southside Water Reclamation Facility.
“When families turn on the tap, they deserve to know that their water is clean and safe,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This $17 million investment in Wilmington will protect more than 300 families from forever chemicals by connecting their homes to the public water supply. We’ve made historic commitments to upgrade water infrastructure across North Carolina because keeping North Carolinians healthy starts with reliable, resilient water systems.”
“People who live in the Cape Fear River Basin are rightly concerned about high levels of forever chemicals like GenX and PFAS in their drinking water,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “The Department of Environmental Quality remains committed to doing everything we can to reduce exposure to these harmful chemicals so that families can trust that the water coming out of their tap is healthy and safe.”
Vice Chair of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners and CFPUA Board Member Dane Scalise stated, “Clean drinking water is among the most fundamental services government provides. This funding helps connect families in New Hanover County to the safe water they deserve, and we’re grateful for the State’s continued partnership in that effort.”
CFPUA Board Chairman Wesley P. Corder added, “Since CFPUA brought new filters online at our Sweeney Plant in 2022, we have been able to effectively remove GenX and other PFAS from our public drinking water. We are very grateful for this support from Governor Stein’s Office and the Department of Environmental Quality, which will enable us to connect more families in our community to CFPUA’s clean, clearly better water.”
The $17 million grant will be distributed through DEQ’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In affected areas served by these projects, over 75 percent of sampled wells had PFAS levels above health-based standards.
Statewide investments through NCDEQ are designed not only to improve current infrastructure but also strengthen it against future storms, address contamination issues such as lead pipes, and reduce exposure to harmful substances like PFAS.
Governor Stein has emphasized strengthening North Carolina’s water systems during his tenure as governor—a role where he serves as chief executive for state laws execution and policy direction according to the official website. Since taking office as North Carolina’s 76th governor (source), he has overseen more than $1.4 billion invested into improving statewide drinking water and wastewater systems.
As Attorney General before becoming governor, Stein filed lawsuits against companies including DuPont and Chemours for contaminating local waterways with forever chemicals; those cases remain ongoing.
For additional information on state-funded programs related to water infrastructure improvements or policy roles held by the Office of Governor—including leadership over executive appointments or budget direction—see the official site.
