Governor Stein announces millions in grants to improve water quality in Cape Fear region

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — Governor Josh Stein was in the Cape Fear on Thursday, his first stop was in Wilmington, where he announced millions of dollars coming to the region for infrastructure upgrades to improve our water quality.

“When a family turns on their tap at home, they should be confident, they should be certain that that water is clean and safe,” said Governor Stein.

Governor Josh Stein visited Wilmington on Thursday to announce millions of dollars in grants aimed at improving water quality in the Cape Fear Region, where residents have long been concerned about forever chemicals like GenX and PFAS in the Cape Fear River.

“The state has recently awarded the CFPUA nearly $35 million in water infrastructure investment,” said Governor Stein.

Josh Kastrinsky is the Deputy Communications Director for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

He says $17 million of that funding will help connect more than 300 homes in New Hanover County to CFPUA’s public water system.

“We are able to provide some funding to connect people whose wells are contaminated with PFAS to city water, which will be a cleaner source of drinking water,” said Kastrinsky.

The CFPUA says filters installed at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant in 2022 are now effectively removing GenX and other PFAS from the public drinking water supply.

New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise says the investment is a major step forward.

“The Governor recognizes how critical this is to New Hanover County, and he’s joining us in the work that we’ve been undergoing for a number of years, and we’re going to see through to completion,” said Scalise.

Another portion of the funding, $17.8 million, will go to the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority to support replacement and capacity upgrades at the Southside Water Reclamation Facility.