Aqua successfully bid for funding to reduce the impact of Federal Regulations on customers while improving service and reliability
CARY, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aqua North Carolina announces grant awards from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) Division of Water Infrastructure.
Aqua North Carolina received a $938,754 grant from the State Water Infrastructure Authority for phase 4 of its Lead Service Line Inventory project. This is Aqua’s 6th successful application submitted to support Aqua’s work in identifying lead service lines in communities it serves. Aqua has been awarded approximately $7 million dollars in grants and low interest loans to identify lead service lines in 20 counties across Aqua North Carolina’s 51-county footprint.
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements provides heightened protection for communities from exposure to lead in drinking water,” said Aqua North Carolina President Shannon Becker. “It requires water providers to identify and, if found, remove lead service lines on both public and private property. This is a major effort, and we are pleased to share that as part of our Lead Service Line Inventory Program, all the service lines we evaluated in 2024 were identified as non-lead. Additional funding received for phase 4 of the project will supplement project costs necessary to identify and inventory service lines in our communities and minimize the impact to our customer’s rates.”
Aqua also received $800,000 for the replacement of aging water mains in the Idlewood Acres community located in Catawba County. This award will support Aqua’s comprehensive plan to replace all the water mains in this community, which are nearing the end of their useful life. This project will increase reliability by significantly reducing the number of main breaks and minimizing related service interruptions in the water system.
“Investing in our infrastructure is a key part of Aqua’s commitment to our customers. Over the past year, we have made significant upgrades to improve our water and wastewater systems across the Tarheel state, including addressing emerging challenges like PFAS, lead, and other contaminants,” said Becker. “These improvements enhance service reliability and contribute to a more sustainable future for our customers and their families.”
In 2024 alone, Aqua invested approximately $55 million in capital improvements, with plans to invest another $400 million over the next five years. Aqua will continue to seek funding for projects to reduce the financial burden passed to customers through water rates.
About Aqua North Carolina
Aqua North Carolina serves approximately 323k people in 51 counties throughout the State of North Carolina. Visit AquaWater.com for more information or follow @MyAquaWater on Facebook and @MyAquaWater on X.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which generally include words such as “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimates” and similar expressions. The Company can give no assurance that any actual or future results or events discussed in these statements will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements represent its views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from the statements contained in this release. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the capital to be invested in Aqua’s water and wastewater infrastructure, that it will continue to seek and receive grants and low-interest loans, and that it will receive its requested rate increase. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including the factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the Company’s annual, quarterly and other SEC filings. The Company is not under any obligation – and expressly disclaims any such obligation – to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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