U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Individual Water & Wastewater Grants in North Carolina

open


What does this program do?

This program provides funds to households in an area recognized as a Colonia before October 1, 1989.  Grant funds may be used to connect service lines to a residence, pay utility hook-up fees, install plumbing and related fixtures, e.g., bathroom sink, bathtub or shower, commode, kitchen sink, water heater, outside spigot, or bathroom.

What is an eligible area?

These grants are only available in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. The Colonia must be located in a rural area i.e., unincorporated areas and any city or town with a population of 10,000 or less) and is identified as a community designated in writing by the state or county in which it is located; determined to be a Colonia on the basis of objective criteria including lack of: potable water supply, adequate sewage systems, decent, safe and sanitary housing, or have inadequate roads and drainage.

Who is eligible?

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Own and occupy a dwelling located in a Colonia and have evidence of ownership.
  • Have a total taxable income (based on the latest federal income tax form from all individuals residing in the household) that is below the most recent poverty income guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Have no delinquencies on any federal debt.

How may funds be used?

Grant funds may be used to pay the reasonable costs for individuals to:

  • Extend service lines from a system to a residence.
  • Connect service lines to a residence’s plumbing.
  • Pay reasonable charges or fees for connecting to a system.
  • Pay for necessary installation of plumbing and related fixtures within dwellings lacking such facilities.  This is limited to one bath tub, sink, commode, kitchen sink, water heater, and outside spigot.
  • Construct and/or partition off a portion of the dwelling for a bathroom, not to exceed 4.6 square meters (48 square feet) in size.
  • Pay reasonable costs for closing abandoned septic tanks and water wells when necessary to protect the health and safety of recipients of a grant.
  • Make improvements to individual’s residence when needed to allow the use of the water and/or waste disposal system.

Grant Restrictions

  1. Maximum grant
  • Maximum grant to any individual for WATER service lines, connections, and/or construction of a bathroom is $3,500.
  • Maximum grant to any individual for SEWER service lines, connections, and/or construction of a bathroom is $4,000.
  • Lifetime assistance to any individual for initial or subsequent grants may not exceed a cumulative total of $5,000.
  1. Limitations on use of grant funds

Grant funds may not be used to:

  • Pay any debt or obligation of the grantee other than obligations incurred under the grant.
  • Pay costs that are not considered reasonable by the Agency.

How do we get started?

Applications for this program are accepted year round.  Please apply through your local Rural Development office.

What governs this program?

Why does USDA Rural Development do this?

This program facilitates the use of community water and/or waste disposal systems by the residents of Colonias along the U.S./Mexico border.

National Architect Requirements:

There are no other architect, engineering or environmental requirements at the national level. If there are additional state-specific requirements they will be listed above. 

There are no other additional requirements at the national level. If there are additional state-specific requirements they will be listed above.

 ASHEVILLE AREA OFFICE

Jody Lovelace, Area Director

160 Zillicoa Street, Suite #2

Asheville, NC 28801

828-254-0916

844-325-6823 Fax

Email: jody.lovelace@usda.gov

Counties Served: All Area One Counties

JEFFERSON SUB AREA OFFICE

134 Law Enforcement Dr., Suite 201

Jefferson, NC 28640

336-246-2885

844-325-6823 Fax

Email: Joyce.Latham@usda.gov

Counties Served: Ashe, Watauga, Alleghany, Wilkes, Caldwell

FRANKLIN LOCAL OFFICE

195 Thomas Heights Road

Franklin, NC 28734

828-524-3175

844-325-6823 Fax

Email: rebecca.pinto@usda.gov

Counties Served: Macon, Haywood, Jackson, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Swain

MURPHY LOCAL OFFICE

225 Valley River Avenue, Suite J

Murphy, NC 28906

828-837-2721

844-325-6823 Fax

Email: jody.lovelace@usda.gov

SPRUCE PINE LOCAL OFFICE

11943 S. 226 Hwy Suite D

Spruce Pine, NC 28777

828-765-0889

844-325-6823 Fax

Email: susan.roland@usda.gov

Counties Served: Mitchell, Yancey, Madison, Avery, Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania

SHELBY AREA OFFICE

Jody Lovelace, Area Director

844 Wallace Grove Road

Shelby, NC 28150

704-471-0235

844-325-6850 Fax

Email: kevin.oliver@usda.gov

Counties Served: Cleveland, Gaston, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Mecklenburg

WINSTON-SALEM SUB AREA OFFICE

Forsyth County Agriculture Building Room 102

1450 Fairchild Drive

Winston Salem, NC 27105

704-471-0235

844-325-6850 Fax

Email: kevin.oliver@usda.gov

Counties Served: Forsyth, Alexander, Burke, Davie 

STATESVILLE LOCAL OFFICE

444 Bristol Drive

Statesville, NC 28677

704-471-0235

844-325-6850 Fax

Counties Served: Iredell, Catawba, Lincoln

Email: kevin.oliver@usda.gov

DOBSON LOCAL OFFICE

220 Cooper Street

PO Box 66

Dobson, NC 27017

336-386-8751

844-325-6850 Fax

Email: debbie.dickerson@usda.gov

Counties Served: Surry, Yadkin, Stokes

LUMBERTON AREA OFFICE

Larry Sampson, Area Director

PO Box 7426

440-C Caton Road

Lumberton, NC 28360

910-887-3762

844-325-6830 Fax

Email: larry.sampson@usda.gov

Counties Served: Robeson, Bladen, Cumberland, Scotland, Hoke, Columbus

SMITHFIELD SUB AREA OFFICE

Johnston County Agric Service Bldg

2736 Hwy 210

Smithfield, NC 27577

919-300-4866

844-325-6830 Fax

Email: kristi.wilson@usda.gov

Counties Served: Johnston, Harnett, Sampson, Wake, Wilson

BOLIVIA LOCAL OFFICE

10 Referendum Drive

PO Box 108

Bolivia, NC 28422

910-253-4448

844-325-6830 Fax

Email: paula.thrush@usda.gov

Counties Served: Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender

ASHEBORO AREA OFFICE

Kelley Woodley, Area Director

847 Curry Drive, Suite 104

Asheboro, NC 27205

336-629-4449

844-325-6822 Fax

Email: sha.stallings-morgan@usda.gov

Counties Served: Guilford, Randolph, Davidson, Rowan, Stanly, Cabarrus, Rockingham, Caswell, Alamance

SANFORD LOCAL AREA OFFICE

2416 Tramway Road

Ernest & Ruby McSwain Extension Educ & Ag Center

Sanford, NC 27332

919-775-3407

844-325-6822 Fax

Email: margarita.marble@usda.gov

Counties Served: Lee, Chatham, Moore

ROCKINGHAM LOCAL OFFICE

123 Caroline Street

Rockingham, NC 28379

910-895-3950

844-325-6822 Fax

Email: pamela.edwards@usda.gov

Counties Served: Richmond, Montgomery, Anson, Union

HENDERSON AREA OFFICE

Shirlene Alexander, Area Director

853 S. Beckford Drive, Suite A

Henderson, NC 27536

252-438-3134 ext. 4

844-325-6826 Fax

Email: kim.hunt@usda.gov

Counties Served: Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren, Orange, Durham, Person,

WINTON SUB AREA OFFICE

County Office Building

305 W. Tryon Street

P.O. Box 8

Winton, NC 27986

252-358-7836

844-325-6826 Fax

Email: travis.lassiter@usda.gov

Counties Served: Hertford, Gates, Chowan, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Camden, Currituck, Bertie, Northampton

HALIFAX LOCAL OFFICE

Halifax County Agriculture Complex

359 Ferrell Lane

P.O. Box 7

Halifax, NC 27839

252-583-7171 ext. 4

844-325-6826 Fax

Email: pamela.richardson@usda.gov

Counties Served: Halifax, Nash

KINSTON AREA OFFICE

Aaron Gaskins, Area Director

2044-C Hwy 11/55 South

PO Box 6189

Kinston, NC 28501-0189

252-526-9799

844-325-6827 Fax

Email: stephanie.hardison@usda.gov

Counties Served: Lenoir, Jones, Craven, Pamlico, Onslow, Carteret, Wayne, Greene, Duplin

GREENVILLE SUB AREA OFFICE

Pitt County Office Complex

403 Government Circle, Suite 3

Greenville, NC 27834

252-752-2035/252-752-2880

844-325-6827 Fax

Email: richard.gray@usda.gov

Counties Served: Pitt, Martin, Washington, Tyrrell, Dare, Beaufort, Hyde, Edgecombe

There are currently no events scheduled.