S 447

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
  SESSION 2025
 S  1
  SENATE BILL 447
 Short Title:   Reliable Water & Sewer Infrastructure Act.  (Public)
 Sponsors:      Senators Everitt and Grafstein (Primary Sponsors).
 Referred to:   Rules and Operations of the Senate
  March 25, 2025
1A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE SEWER REPAIR TASK FORCE, AND TO APPROPRIATE
3     FUNDS TO THE SOUTH GRANVILLE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.
4Whereas, the development of wastewater infrastructure is essential to economic
5 growth in North Carolina, particularly rural areas and rapidly developing suburban counties of
6 the State; and
7Whereas, the State Water Infrastructure Authority estimated in 2017 that there was
8 $11 billion in unmet wastewater infrastructure capital needs across the State; and
9Whereas, it is in the interest of the State's environment and citizens to have access to
10 modern, functional wastewater infrastructure; Now, therefore,
11 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
12SECTION 1.(a) Establishment; Purpose. – The Sewer Repair Task Force (Task
13 Force) is established. The purpose of the Task Force is (i) to review and assess the current state
14 of wastewater infrastructure in the State, (ii) to develop strategies and plans for the effective
15 implementation of wastewater treatment projects, for addressing existing challenges and barriers
16 to project financing and construction, and for addressing future needs within the State, and (iii)
17 to identify funding mechanisms, including potential contributions from industrial wastewater
18 discharges, to support wastewater infrastructure development.
19SECTION 1.(b) Task Force. – The Task Force shall consist of 18 members,
20 appointed as follows:
21(1)    Four members of the House of Representatives upon the recommendation of
22the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a member
23of the minority party.
24(2)    Four members of the Senate upon the recommendation of the President Pro
25Tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party.
26(3)    The Director of the Division of Water Infrastructure of the Department of
27Environmental Quality or the Director's designee, ex officio and nonvoting.
28(4)    The Director of the Local Government Commission or the Director's designee,
29ex officio and nonvoting.
30(5)    Four county commissioners, who are advisory and nonvoting, one of whom is
31appointed upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of
32Representatives, one of whom is appointed upon the recommendation of the
33Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom is appointed
34upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and
35one of whom is appointed upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader
36of the Senate.
  *S447-v-1*
 General Assembly Of North Carolina  Session 2025
1(6)       Four representatives of a local government wastewater entity, who are
2advisory and nonvoting, one of whom is appointed upon the recommendation
3of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is appointed
4upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the House of
5Representatives, one of whom is appointed upon the recommendation of the
6President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and one of whom is appointed upon the
7recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate. For purposes of this
8act, a local government wastewater entity is any of the following:
9a.       A water and sewer authority created pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter
10162A of the General Statutes.
11b.       A metropolitan sewerage district created pursuant to Article 5 of
12Chapter 162A of the General Statutes.
13c.       A metropolitan water and sewerage district created pursuant to Article
145A of Chapter 162A of the General Statutes.
15d.       A county water and sewer district created pursuant to Article 6 of
16Chapter 162A of the General Statutes.
17e.       A sanitary district created pursuant to Part 2 of Article 2 of Chapter
18130A of the General Statutes that is providing wastewater collection
19or treatment services.
20f.       A joint agency created pursuant to Part 1 or Part 5 of Article 20 of
21Chapter 160A of the General Statutes that is providing wastewater
22collection or treatment services.
23SECTION 1.(c) The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
24 House of Representatives shall each appoint a cochair of the Task Force from among its
25 membership.
26SECTION 1.(d) The Task Force shall meet upon the call of its cochairs. A quorum
27 of the Task Force is a majority of its members. No action may be taken except by a majority vote
28 at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Task Force, while in the discharge of its official
29 duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120-19 through G.S. 120-19.4. The Task
30 Force may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services, as provided by
31 G.S. 120-32.02. If the Task Force hires a consultant, the consultant shall not be a State employee
32 or a person currently under contract with the State to provide services. Members of the Task
33 Force shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances as provided in G.S. 120-3.1. The
34 expenses of the Task Force shall be considered expenses incurred for the joint operation of the
35 General Assembly.
36SECTION 1.(e) In conducting this study, the Task Force shall consult with
37 representatives of the Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of
38 North Carolina, the Utilities Commission, and the Golden LEAF Foundation.
39SECTION 1.(f) The Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and
40 clerical staff to assist the Task Force in its work. The Director of Legislative Assistants of the
41 House of Representatives and the Director of Legislative Assistants of the Senate shall assign
42 clerical support to the Task Force.
43SECTION 1.(g) Meetings of the Task Force are authorized to begin on or after July
44 1, 2025. The Task Force shall submit a final report on the results of its study, including proposed
45 legislation, to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and
46 Economic Resources on or before December 1, 2026, by filing a copy of the report with the
47 Office of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Office of the Speaker of the House of
48 Representatives, the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and
49 Economic Resources, and the Legislative Library. The Task Force shall terminate on December
50 1, 2026, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever comes first.
 Page 2  Senate Bill 447-First Edition
 General Assembly Of North Carolina  Session 2025
1SECTION 2. The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) in nonrecurring funds
2 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
3 Environmental Quality to provide a grant to the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority to
4 be allocated as follows:
5(1)     Twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) for expansion of wastewater facilities
6serving Creedmoor and Butner.
7(2)     Fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) to upgrade wastewater treatment
8facilities to meet new federal standards for PFAS.
9(3)     Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for water meter modernization.
10(4)     Five million dollars ($5,000,000) for replacement of lead pipes to comply with
11new federal requirements.
12SECTION 3. Section 2 of this act is effective July 1, 2025. The remainder of this act
13 is effective when it becomes law.
 Senate Bill 447-First Edition  Page 3