North Carolina officials marked a major milestone in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts as the Department of Environmental Quality announced it has awarded more than $1 billion in grants for water, wastewater, and resilience projects across western North Carolina.
The announcement came during a July 17 visit to Burnsville, where Gov. Josh Stein joined DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson, Yancey County Sheriff Shane Hilliard, and Burnsville Mayor Russell Fox to highlight ongoing recovery efforts nearly two years after the storm devastated mountain communities.
Officials emphasized that while billions in recovery funding have been committed, rebuilding remains incomplete and communities continue to face long-term challenges.
“This is an important milestone, but it’s really important to remember that in some ways this is just the beginning of the work we’re going to do with the communities out here,” Wilson said.
The funding includes more than $906 million for drinking water, wastewater, and septic system repairs and improvements. According to Wilson, the money supports 222 projects across 28 counties, with the goal of not only repairing storm damage but improving infrastructure resilience against future disasters.
“For us, resilience is really important,” Wilson said. “We’re trying to make sure that everything we do, every dollar we spend, helps make sure that we are stronger when future floods and other disasters come.”
Burnsville’s water system became one of the town’s most visible examples of Helene’s destruction. Fox said the town’s water intake, located about 500 yards upstream from the event site, was destroyed during the storm.
“It was completely washed away; there was absolutely nothing left of it,” Fox said.
Floodwaters rose several feet above the roadway, damaging critical infrastructure and leaving the town without its normal water system.
Fox credited local workers, the NC National Guard, volunteers, and private landowners with helping restore service.
“We worked tirelessly,” Fox said. “Had a lot of good help and we got water restored to our customers in 17 days as opposed to probably 45, was our initial estimate on that.”
DEQ awarded $18 million specifically for Burnsville and Yancey County. The funding will help construct a new pump station, replace the destroyed drinking water intake, build additional wells and storage capacity, and replace a sewer line.
Stein said the investments are intended to strengthen communities before future disasters occur.
“We must build better systems to try to keep this kind of damage from happening in the future,” Stein said.
The governor also highlighted the human impact of Helene, including the loss of life and the destruction of homes and businesses across western North Carolina.
Yancey County experienced some of the most severe impacts from the storm. Stein said the county received more rainfall from Helene than any other county in the state. They experienced more than 600 landslides, 11 residents died, and 1,400 homes and buildings were destroyed.
Sheriff Hilliard said Helene was personal for him and his family.
“My parents lost their home, my grandmother, my aunt,” Hilliard said. “I know what it’s like to lose a lifetime of memories.”
Hilliard said the storm damaged homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and infrastructure, but he said the response showed the strength of the community.
“But it didn’t take our faith,” Hilliard said. “It didn’t take our determination. It did not take our willingness to help one another. And it certainly did not take the mountain spirit that makes Yancey County such a special place.”
He credited law enforcement, emergency responders, utility crews, churches, volunteers, and neighbors for working together in the aftermath.
“No one stopped,” Hilliard said. “I asked whose job it was. They just simply jumped in and helped.”
However, Hilliard said recovery remains ongoing.
“We made tremendous progress, but it isn’t finished,” he said. “There’s still families trying to rebuild homes, businesses working to recover, and debris that needs to be cleaned up.”
Stein said the state has also committed additional resources through the recently enacted state budget, which includes $700 million in additional Hurricane Helene recovery funding.
The money will support temporary housing assistance, nonprofit home repairs, local government recovery efforts, wildfire response, private road and bridge repairs, and resilience programs.
The budget also includes $1 million for mapping landslide risks to critical infrastructure.
“If we know where these risks are, we can do a better job keeping people informed and keeping them safe,” Stein said.
Stein also said North Carolina needs additional federal assistance and is seeking $10 billion in federal funding for Helene recovery.
“We know as a state government we can’t do it alone,” Stein said. “We know as towns and communities that Burnsville and Yancey County cannot do it alone. We need federal support.”
Wilson said the state’s recovery work will continue for years as officials focus on rebuilding stronger infrastructure.
“We’re going to be out here for years to come working on the ground with Burnsville and other communities,” Wilson said. “To make sure these projects are completed as quickly as possible so that our mountain communities can rebuild stronger.”
He said the goal is not only recovery from Helene but preparation for future storms.
“We’re just very excited about this milestone but also committed to being out here for whatever it takes for the long haul,” Wilson said. “To help all these mountain communities that were so damaged by this storm.”
