When Recovery Means Resilience: North Carolina’s Watershed Moment
Just under a year after Hurricane Helene unleashed relentless rain and catastrophic flooding across North Carolina, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced a $337 million funding package to rebuild and strengthen the state’s battered water infrastructure. For countless communities still bearing the scars of Helene’s devastation, the news offers more than just a shot at repair—it’s a chance to build a future where water won’t turn against them during the next major storm.
Beyond crumpled culverts and washed-out pipes, Helene’s aftermath exposed cracks in North Carolina’s emergency preparedness and chronic underinvestment in public waterways. Boil advisories lingered for days. Rural households coped with flooded septic fields while cities scrambled to restore basic services. EPA Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber put it plainly this week: “The approaching first anniversary of Hurricane Helene reminds us of the critical importance of access to safe, clean water, especially during difficult times.”
The allocation arrives as part of a broader push toward climate resilience. Just last July, North Carolina received another $409 million for drinking water improvements—a stark reminder of the scale and frequency of disasters fueled by a warming climate. The new funds are not merely to patch up damage, but to transform North Carolina’s aging water systems with a vision for long-term sustainability and social equity.
Beyond Repairs: A Strategic Investment in Public Health and Equity
Of the $337 million, a substantial $276 million falls under Title VI of the Clean Water Act and the State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. Designated for planning, design, and construction of critical water treatment and wastewater projects, this money aims to support both immediate repairs and the kind of modernization communities have needed for decades. A closer look reveals that a whopping $253.7 million will flow into a Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund to offer low-interest or even forgivable loans—making major upgrades truly accessible, even for the state’s most resource-strapped municipalities.
Then there’s the new Decentralized Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund: set at $22.5 million, it targets a uniquely American problem. Across North Carolina, tens of thousands rely on aging or failing septic tanks—a reality that climate change has rendered perilous. When heavy rains hit, overwhelmed septic systems can leak dangerous pathogens into waterways and homes. The EPA’s focused funding will help connect these households to centralized sewer services or make vital repairs, offering a direct intervention at the intersection of environmental health and economic justice.
Announcing the awards, Administrator McOmber underscored, “These funds are critical to North Carolina as they continue to recover and look to the future to build stronger and more resilient water systems.” Compared to conservative approaches that have prioritized short-term, cost-cutting over structural adaptation, this federal investment embraces the reality that climate-induced disasters are not only more frequent—they’re more complex and inequitable in their impact.
“Federal support for water system resilience isn’t just about fixing pipes. It’s about preventing public health crises, closing environmental justice gaps, and preparing our communities for the next storm.”
– Dr. Ada Castillo, Environmental Policy Scholar, UNC Chapel Hill
Too many North Carolinians—especially in rural, Black, and Indigenous communities—have long faced unsafe drinking water or unaffordable sewage service. According to a 2020 report from the U.S. Water Alliance, people of color are more likely to live in areas where water contamination is a chronic risk. Government investments targeting both infrastructure and justice are essential if we are to confront the generational inequities laid bare by disasters like Helene.
Policy at a Crossroads: Breaking the Cycle of Neglect
What sets this EPA funding apart from previous recovery efforts isn’t just its size, but its forward-looking posture. With $61 million set aside through the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the state will see robust action on debris management, hazardous waste cleanup, and future disaster planning. After Helene, mountains of contaminated debris choked waterways and overpowered landfills, raising urgent questions: Who cleans up when disaster strikes? And who is left exposed if we don’t?
Too often, conservative lawmakers have treated such questions as afterthoughts, relying on reactive spending only after a crisis hits. The cost of this neglect isn’t abstract—it materializes in outbreaks of waterborne disease, closed businesses, and families forced from their homes. Such short-term savings are a false economy, paid in human suffering and mounting deficits. As Harvard climate policy expert Dr. Natasha Boone observes, “Studies consistently find federal disaster support is most effective—not just ethically, but economically—when it prioritizes resilience and pre-disaster preparation.”
In a sharp contrast, North Carolina’s current approach—backed by the EPA and a more progressive state outlook—embraces resilience as basic good governance. The new federal funds support community-driven planning, innovative engineering, and transparent accountability. This puts North Carolina on the right side of history, aligned with evidence and justice.
Building resilience isn’t about betting against the odds. It’s about refusing to gamble with the health and future of people whose well-being depends on public infrastructure. When you turn on the tap, or flush a toilet, do you want your safety to rest on yesterday’s patchwork politics? Or would you rather see bold, compassionate leadership investing in solutions for generations to come?
