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 March 30, 2026, on updates to several Intended Use Plans (IUPs) and Project Priority Lists, and until April 13, 2026, for new draft Intended Use Plans and proposed Priority Rating Systems 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). The IUPs are for the base State Revolving Funds, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) General Supplemental funding, IIJA Emerging Contaminants funding, and IIJA Lead Service Line Replacement funding.

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 identifying and replacing lead service lines in drinking water systems.

Five draft new IUPs for the State Revolving Funds are available for public comment through April 13, 2026. These Intended Use Plans determine how new State Revolving Funds will be administered in the coming year. The new IUPs include the Priority Rating Systems that are used to prioritize projects for funding assistance:

1. Draft FY2026 IUP for the Base and IIJA General Supplemental Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)
2. Draft 2026 IUP for the Base and IIJA General Supplemental Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
3. Draft FY2026 IUP for the IIJA DWSRF Emerging Contaminants funding
4. Draft FY2026 IUP for the IIJA CWSRF Emerging Contaminants funding
5. Draft FY2025 IUP for the IIJA DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement funding

Updates to four adopted IUPs and Project Priority Lists for current funding are available for public comment through March 30, 2026. Updates are indicated on the documents in red text.

1. Update to the FY2025 DWSRF Intended Use Plan
2. Update to the FY2025 CWSRF Intended Use Plan
3. Update to the FY2024 IIJA DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Intended Use Plan
4. Additions to the Project Priority List for the IIJA Emerging Contaminants funding with July 2025-February 2026 funding awards

Interested parties are invited to provide comments on the draft or amended Intended Use Plans by 12 pm 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.