Burnsville -- July 19, 2026: Over twenty-one months after Hurricane Helene left a path of historic devastation across Western North Carolina, a major milestone in the region's recovery has been reached.
Governor Josh Stein and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson traveled to Burnsville to announce that DEQ has officially awarded more than $1 billion toward rebuilding and fortifying water infrastructure in western North Carolina. While 98% of the water systems damaged by the historic storm are now back online, local leaders emphasize that the fight for long-term resilience is far from over.
Rebuilding Burnsville’s Water Grid
For the residents of Burnsville, this funding hits close to home. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the town was left without clean drinking water for weeks.
As part of the newly announced funding, Burnsville is receiving $13 million through the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds. This money will target critical upgrades to the town's drinking water supply, distribution lines, and sewer systems.
When combined with $4.5 million previously approved for emergency bridge loans and technical grants to replace the town’s raw water intake, Burnsville’s total state infrastructure backing now tops $17 million.
“Hurricane Helene left the people of Burnsville without clean drinking water for weeks, but with DEQ's support, Burnsville is on track to provide its residents with clean, safe, and dependable water,” Governor Stein said during the visit. “We must continue building better and more resilient water and wastewater systems to protect future North Carolinians from storm damage.”
State Budget Brings Fresh Relief
The announcement follows a breakthrough in Raleigh. Governor Stein recently signed Senate Bill 257 into law, sealing North Carolina’s first full state budget in more than two years.
The new budget earmarks more than $700 million specifically for ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Key allocations in the budget include:
$20 million dedicated to repairing vulnerable dams.
$1 million set aside for detailed landslide risk mapping in high-vulnerability areas, including Yancey County.
Continued funding for DEQ’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint, which has already directed $10 million to 19 flood mitigation projects in the French Broad River Basin.
DEQ is also leveraging lessons from Helene to launch a coordinated interagency effort to update the state's Risk and Resilience Plan, ensuring future infrastructure projects are built to withstand increasingly severe weather patterns.
The $758 Million Gap: A Call for Federal Action
Despite the billion-dollar milestone, state officials are sounding the alarm on a massive funding gap. The State Water Infrastructure Authority (SWIA) recently announced an additional $44 million in state-funded aid, but noted that this round exhausted the last of the federal disaster funds allotted through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The reality on the ground remains stark: unmet needs for remaining local water infrastructure repairs still total more than $758 million.
To bridge this gap, Governor Stein traveled to Washington, D.C., to press lawmakers for a $10 billion federal aid package. The request includes $1 billion specifically for the EPA to restore damaged rivers, manage hazardous waste, and upgrade water quality systems. However, Congress has not approved a new round of dedicated Hurricane Helene recovery funding since 2024.
“It’s an important milestone that DEQ has awarded over $1 billion for Helene recovery, but in some ways it’s just the beginning,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “In the years ahead we will continue to work hand in hand with local governments and nonprofits to complete these projects as quickly as possible.”
Image: NC Governor Stein's Office