POLISCOPE
Back to bills
Part ofWater & Sewer Systems →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.
HB 694NORTH CAROLINASession 2025State Billpassed both
Passed

North Carolina directs UNC School of Government to study water and wastewater regionalization

Original title: Reg'l Water Study/IBT Subbasin/TMDL.

Last action · July 9, 2025: Ch. SL 2025-77Sponsors: Harry Warren and 4 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

What This Bill Would Do

The North Carolina General Assembly directs the Environmental Finance Center at the UNC School of Government to study the costs, benefits, and obstacles of regionalizing public water and wastewater systems across the State, with a final report due by April 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Local governments and state agencies will receive data and recommendations on whether combining utility systems can lower service costs and improve operational stability for distressed public utilities.

Background
  • The Environmental Finance Center at the UNC School of Government frequently provides applied research, training, and advisory services on utility pricing, finance, and management for local governments. context
  • North Carolina has historically addressed distressed local utility systems through state funding programs that encourage regional cooperation and consolidation. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

public water and wastewater systems

Systems are subject to study recommendations regarding financial, auditing, and oversight requirements and potential regionalization measures.

Directly affected

local government officials

Officials receive guidance and information regarding regionalization benefits, obstacles, and economic development infrastructure decisions.

Key Facts

  • The Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government is directed to study and report on the benefits, costs, and obstacles of water and wastewater regionalization across North Carolina.
  • The study must provide recommendations on legislative or regulatory changes in financial, auditing, or oversight requirements to improve the financial stability of public water and wastewater systems.
  • The study must identify particular public water or wastewater systems in the State that would benefit significantly from regionalization measures.
  • In compiling the report, the Environmental Finance Center must consult with the State Water Infrastructure Authority, the Local Government Commission, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
Show all 7 facts
  • The Environmental Finance Center must report its findings and recommendations no later than April 1, 2026, to the chairs of the House Oversight Committee, the Senate Committee on Regulatory Reform, and the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations.
  • The act defines 'public water system' by reference to G.S. 130A-313 and 'wastewater system' by reference to G.S. 159G-20.
  • The act takes effect immediately when it becomes law.

Frequently Asked Questions

What organization is conducting the water regionalization study?
The Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government is conducting the study.
When is the final report due?
The report and recommendations are due no later than April 1, 2026.
Who must be consulted during the creation of the report?
The Environmental Finance Center must consult with the State Water Infrastructure Authority, the Local Government Commission, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and any other relevant entity.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

34 actions
  1. Jun 26, 2025House
    Ordered Enrolled
  2. Jun 26, 2025House
    Concurred In S Com Sub
  3. Jun 25, 2025House
    Placed On Cal For 06/26/2025
  4. Jun 25, 2025House
    Withdrawn From Cal
  5. Jun 18, 2025House
    Placed On Cal For 06/25/2025
  6. Jun 18, 2025House
    Withdrawn From Cal
Show 28 earlier actions
  1. Jun 17, 2025House
    Placed On Cal For 06/18/2025
  2. Jun 17, 2025House
    Withdrawn From Cal
  3. Jun 16, 2025House
    Placed On Cal For 06/17/2025
  4. Jun 16, 2025House
    Cal Pursuant 36(b)
  5. Jun 12, 2025House
    Regular Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
  6. Jun 12, 2025Senate
    Regular Message Sent To House
  7. Jun 11, 2025Senate
    Passed 3rd Reading
  8. Jun 11, 2025Senate
    Passed 2nd Reading
  9. Jun 10, 2025Senate
    Reptd Fav
  10. Jun 4, 2025Senate
    Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
  11. Jun 4, 2025Senate
    Com Substitute Adopted
  12. Jun 4, 2025Senate
    Reptd Fav Com Substitute
  13. Jun 2, 2025Senate
    Re-ref to Agriculture, Energy, and Environment. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
  14. Jun 2, 2025Senate
    Withdrawn From Com
  15. Apr 30, 2025Senate
    Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
  16. Apr 30, 2025Senate
    Passed 1st Reading
  17. Apr 30, 2025Senate
    Regular Message Received From House
  18. Apr 30, 2025House
    Regular Message Sent To Senate
  19. Apr 29, 2025House
    Passed 3rd Reading
  20. Apr 29, 2025House
    Passed 2nd Reading
  21. Apr 28, 2025House
    Placed On Cal For 04/29/2025
  22. Apr 28, 2025House
    Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
  23. Apr 28, 2025House
    Reptd Fav
  24. Apr 16, 2025House
    Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
  25. Apr 16, 2025House
    Reptd Fav
  26. Apr 3, 2025House
    Ref to the Com on Agriculture and Environment, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
  27. Apr 3, 2025House
    Passed 1st Reading
  28. Apr 2, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Harry WarrenHouse · District 76RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Stephen RossHouse · District 63RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Ben MossHouse · District 52RepublicanCosponsor
Howard PennyHouse · District 53RepublicanCosponsor
Bill WardHouse · District 5RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Focus on Utility Consolidation

The legislation highlights ongoing state preference for regional infrastructure solutions to address financially distressed local water and wastewater systems.

Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of GovernmentState Water Infrastructure Authority

Connected Entities

Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, Local Government Commission, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and 5 more
OrganizationJoint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations“Receives the study report from the Environmental Finance Center.”Map →
OrganizationLocal Government Commission“Consulted by the Environmental Finance Center during the study.”Map →
OrganizationNorth Carolina Association of County Commissioners“Consulted by the Environmental Finance Center during the study.”Map →
OrganizationHouse Oversight Committee“Receives the study report from the Environmental Finance Center.”Map →
OrganizationEnvironmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government“Directed to conduct the study and report on water and wastewater regionalization”Map →
OrganizationSenate Committee on Regulatory Reform“Receives the study report from the Environmental Finance Center.”Map →
OrganizationState Water Infrastructure Authority“Consulted by the Environmental Finance Center during the study.”Map →
OrganizationNorth Carolina League of Municipalities“Consulted by the Environmental Finance Center during the study.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.ncleg.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance45
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record