The CFPUA Board on Wednesday recognized New Hanover County’s delegation to the N.C. General Assembly for members’ work to support our region’s utility infrastructure, water resources, and environment.
In January, the CFPUA Board unanimously passed a resolution thanking Senators Michael V. Lee and Bill Rabon, and Representatives Deb Butler, Ted Davis, Jr., and Charles W. Miller for their work during the legislative session. During Wednesday’s meeting Board Chair Jennifer Adams presented the resolution in-person to several members of the delegation.
“On behalf of the 200,000 people who depend on CFPUA for safe, reliable water and sewer services, our Board thanks New Hanover County’s delegation,” Chair Adams said. “CFPUA’s customers should know that they are represented in Raleigh by public servants who prioritize our community’s critical water resources.”
The resolution can be read at this link.
The 2023 Appropriations Act allocated $35 million to CFPUA, including $17 million to support regional utility consolidation efforts and $18 million to extend CFPUA water service to areas dealing with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination in private groundwater wells.
The State Budget also includes funding for CFPUA’s regional partners that will benefit the organization and its customers.
The Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority, which supplies water to CFPUA and other regional utilities, received $30 million to complete its 54-inch Parallel Raw Water Transmission Main. This project will help protect and expand the region’s raw water supply.
CFPUA is currently in negotiations with the Town of Wrightsville Beach for a potential water and sewer consolidation, and the State Budget allocates $8 million directly to Wrightsville Beach for the potential consolidation. In addition, New Hanover County received $15 million to build water and sewer infrastructure at the planned Blue Clay Business Park, infrastructure that when completed will be conveyed to CFPUA to own and maintain.
This funding for CFPUA and our regional partners could not have been secured without the hard work of local legislators, many of whom hold key budget committee roles in their respective chambers.
The Board’s resolution also recognizes the delegation for its work related to PFAS contamination.
Several members introduced legislation seeking to protect North Carolinians from the effects and costs of PFAS pollution and to expand PFAS exposure research. The final budget allocated $4 million to the North Carolina Collaboratory for PFAS research in the Cape Fear River Basin, as well as $20 million for programs related to management of firefighting foams containing PFAS.
(Left to right): CFPUA Board Chair Jennifer Adams, Representative Deb Butler, Representative Ted Davis, Jr., Senator Michael V. Lee, and CFPUA Executive Director Kenneth Waldroup at the Wednesday, February 14 CFPUA Board Meeting.