The $12 million in grants offers important support for state and tribal programs—especially as carbon capture initiatives and industrial expansion ramp up.
The EPA has been running these sampling surveys since 1983, building what’s now the longest-running and most comprehensive data set on Great Lakes health.
For now, most Butte residents can safely use their tap water again—but the situation remains under close watch as environmental authorities continue to test and assess water quality.
“These investments will make drinking water systems more resilient to future storms, helping to ensure that communities have uninterrupted access to healthy water,” said NCDEQ Secretary Reid Wilson.