City of Hendersonville staff and representatives from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Dogwood Health Trust, Land of Sky Regional Council, and other partners joined together at the City's Wastewater Treatment Facility on September 22, 2026, to celebrate the funding milestones achieved to expand capacity and improve resiliency.
The mixture of grants and low-interest loans awarded to the City of Hendersonville wastewater treatment facility for the Flood Mitigation and Expansion Project include:
- $20.1 million in grant funding awarded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for wastewater treatment infrastructure improvements to support the local manufacturing industry impacted by Hurricane Helene
- $2 million in grant funding from Dogwood Health Trust towards the expansion project
- $11 million in North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) State Revolving Fund (SRF) grant funding for the Wastewater Treatment Facility Flood Mitigation Project
- $39 million in North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) State Revolving Fund (SRF) low-interest loans for the Wastewater Treatment Facility Flood Mitigation Project
- TOTAL: $72 million to date
“We are thrilled to receive this funding to complete improvements at the City’s Wastewater Treatment Facility," said Adam Steurer, Utilities Director. "The project makes our wastewater treatment facility more resilient to extreme flooding like we saw during Hurricane Helene but also provides additional treatment capacity to support the needs of our growing community.”
This funding goes towards a significant project at the Wastewater Treatment Facility that relocates and elevates treatment equipment away from flood-prone areas. During Hurricane Helene, Hendersonville’s Wastewater Treatment Facility was inundated with floodwaters that damaged equipment and left the facility inoperable for almost two weeks. The project also increases treatment capacity from 4.8 million gallons per day to 6.0 million gallons per day.
Highlights of the project include:
- Improving resiliency of essential public infrastructure from future flood events and disasters
- Protecting the public health of our community and safeguarding water quality within Mud Creek and downstream in the French Broad River Basin
- Ensuring reliable wastewater service for residents, businesses, and industries in the region
- Supporting sustainable business and industrial growth and development
“Our utility staff and partners have worked diligently to win these competitive funding awards so that we may complete important infrastructure projects while keeping our rates affordable," said Steurer. "I’m also grateful for the regional Land of Sky Council of Governments team and the Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development who assisted Hendersonville with the EDA funding application."
"The ability to provide great services to our residents and businesses is huge," said Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Hensley. "We have received millions of dollars in grants so far, and this will have a direct impact on our ratepayers and our businesses. We are very grateful for the partnerships that have made this possible."
The ceremony took place almost two years after Hurricane Helene flooded the City of Hendersonville's Wastewater Treatment Facility. Hendersonville continues to aggressively pursue additional funding opportunities to complete the $100+ million project.
Group photo: Representatives from the City of Hendersonville and other partners celebrate the grants and loans received to fund Hendersonville's Wastewater Treatment Facility Flood Mitigation and Expansion Project. From left to right: Zachary Trammel (McKim & Creed), Brent Detwiler (City of Hendersonville), Susan Mims (Dogwood Health Trust), Devin Owen (City of Hendersonville), Garrett DeMoss (City of Hendersonville), Suzanne Molloy (NC DEQ Division of Water Infrastructure), Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Hensley (City of Hendersonville), Adam Steurer (City of Hendersonville), Brian White (Land of Sky Regional Council)