DEQ Accepting Public Comments on Draft Water and Wastewater Funding Intended Use Plans

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure is accepting comments until June 14, 2024, on updates to several Intended Use Plans (IUPs), and until July 1, 2024, for new Intended Use Plans for the State Revolving Fund programs.

The Intended Use Plans address administration of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), including from the base programs and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), BIL Emerging Contaminants and BIL Lead Service Line Replacement programs.

The Division follows IUPs to apply for and administer the State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The SRF program offers low-interest loans (with principal forgiveness) for water infrastructure, including water and wastewater treatment facilities, wastewater collection systems, water distribution systems, reclaimed water facilities, energy efficiency upgrades, stormwater control measures and stream restoration projects. The program also funds projects addressing PFAS contamination and replacing lead service lines in drinking water systems.

The IUPs include the Priority Rating Systems that have undergone an earlier public comment period. Five draft new IUPs are available for public comment through July 1, 2024. These Intended Use Plans determine how new funding will be administered in the coming year:

1. Draft FY 2024 IUP for the Base and BIL General Supplemental Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
2. Draft FY2024 IUP for the Base and BIL General Supplemental Clean Water State Revolving Fund
3. Draft FY2024 IUP for the BIL DWSRF Emerging Contaminants Funding   
4. Draft FY2024 IUP for the BIL CWSRF Emerging Contaminants Funding   
5. Draft FY2023 IUP for the BIL DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding

Updates to five adopted IUPs and Project Priority Lists for current funding are available for public comment through June 14, 2024. Updates are indicated on the documents in red text.

1. Update to the Project Priority List for the FY2022 DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding
2. Amendment to the FY2022-FY2023 IUP for the BIL DWSRF Emerging Contaminants
3. Amendment to the FY2022-FY2023 IUP for the BIL CWSRF Emerging Contaminants
4. Amendment to the FY2019-2020 IUP for the DWSRF Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act (ASADRA)
5. Amendment to the FY2019-2020 IUP for the CWSRF Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act (ASADRA)

Interested parties are invited to provide comments on the draft or amended Intended Use Plans by 5 p.m. on the dates specified above. Comments can be submitted: by email to dwi.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov, with the subject line: Comments on Draft IUP, or by mail to: Cathy Akroyd, Division of Water Infrastructure, 1633 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1633.

Learn more about the Division of Water Infrastructure here.