State Pours $196 Million into Helene Recovery; WNC Water Projects Headline $215M Package

Raleigh -- April 16, 2026: In a major boost for Western North Carolina’s recovery, Governor Josh Stein and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced today that the vast majority of a new $215 million infrastructure package will go directly to communities ravaged by Hurricane Helene.Of the 66 projects funded across 26 counties, approximately $196 million—nearly 91% of the total—is dedicated to rebuilding and fortifying drinking water and wastewater systems in the mountains.“People