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Building the Capacity of Drinking Water Systems

North Carolina

State Agencies Supporting Water System Partnerships

North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources

State Policies and Programs Regarding Water System Partnerships

DWSRF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES ADDITIONAL SUBSIDIZATION

The Public Water Supply Section initiates consolidation projects using the DWSRF Disadvantaged Community Additional Subsidization Program and offers principal forgiveness loans to the most appropriate water system having capacity that is willing to take over a failing system serving a disadvantaged community. In this context, a disadvantaged community is a community served by a PWS that lacks capacity as defined in the Safe Drinking Water Act, Sections 1420 and 1452(a)(3). Because these projects are initiated by the PWS Section, no application is required.

DIRECT CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

The Capacity Development Program reports that compliance of water systems in the state has improved because of enforcement activities, on-site visits, technical assistance, and the consolidation of problem water systems with more reliable systems. The PWS Section regional office staff has also been effective in helping small and also non-viable systems interconnect through DWSRF Disadvantaged Communities Additional Subsidization Program.

OPERATOR SHARING

North Carolina Revised statute § 90A-31 directs that all Operators in Responsible Charge (ORC) of water systems, whether employed by the system or contracted through a commercial water operation firm, must obtain certification through the Water Treatment Operators Board of Certification.

Helpful Links to State Resources

The Public Water Supply Section has worked with the University of North Carolina Environmental Finance Center to develop and maintain a comprehensive database and inter­active map of all of the physical interconnections between water sys­tems in the state of North Carolina.

This and other partnerships resources from UNC EFC are located here: https://efc.sog.unc.edu/our-partners