North Carolina
Is North Carolina at risk of ‘water bankruptcy’?
North Carolina’s drought is pushing water levels lower and putting a sharper focus on whether the state’s water supply can keep pace with growth and a changing climate.
At Falls Lake, Raleigh’s primary source, levels are hovering just 2% above the threshold that could trigger restrictions.
“It is incredibly unusual for Falls Lake to be two and a half feet down in the middle of April,” Raleigh Water Assistant Director Ed Buchan said.
Reservoirs typically refill through the winter and spring. This year’s dry stretch has disrupted that pattern, leaving systems with less cushion heading into warmer months.
But drought is just one piece of a larger strain on the state’s water supplies.
A system under pressure
A recent United Nations report warns that many water systems worldwide are moving beyond short-term shortages and into a more persistent imbalance. Researchers describe it as “water bankruptcy,” when long-term use and damage outpace what natural systems can replenish.
In those cases, recovery to past conditions is no longer realistic.
The report points to a combination of factors, including population growth, overuse, pollution and climate change. Drought plays a role, but increasingly as part of a broader pattern driven by human activity.
Some of the same global pressures are beginning to surface in North Carolina.
Growth, transfers and demand
Across the state, communities are growing and looking for new water sources.
In Fuquay-Varina, officials are seeking to withdraw millions of gallons per day from the Cape Fear River Basin to support future demand, while returning treated water to a different basin. The proposal has drawn opposition from downstream communities concerned about long-term impacts.
Moving water between river basins can reduce the supply where it is taken from, especially during dry periods.
“The more we transfer water out of river basins, the greater that’s going to impact rural communities,” Western Piedmont Council of Governments Executive Director Anthony Starr said.
Those decisions are becoming more common as utilities try to keep pace with growth, but they also raise questions about how much water can be moved — and from where — before systems begin to feel the strain.
Local decisions, limited visibility
At the local level, officials say they are often weighing those questions without a complete picture of long-term impacts.
In Chatham County, commissioners recently approved a moratorium on data centers, driven in part by concerns about water use.
“I think that is probably the single greatest concern, and that is that probably what was weighed by the minds of our commissioners in deciding to pass the moratorium more than anything else,” Chatham Commissioner Karen Howard said. “We know that our climate future is at risk. We are in the process of creating a climate plan and the use of water is a significant concern for us.”
Howard said the pace of development can outstrip the ability to fully study its effects.
That uncertainty extends to smaller systems across the state.
“These rural systems don’t have the resources to do engineering studies so they don’t fully understand the impact before approving these projects,” said Heather Somers, director of the North Carolina Rural Water Association.
“If we don’t get some reins in place to reel that in and have some oversight on what these industrial users are going to pull from our resources, we’re going to be in trouble for sure,” Somers said.
Climate and compounding drought
Climate change is expected to make those challenges more complex.
Higher temperatures increase evaporation, while rainfall is becoming less predictable. That can mean longer dry periods followed by more intense storms, which do not always replenish water supplies in the same way.
Even when conditions improve, recovery may be incomplete.
“It takes a long time to get into a drought, and a long time to get out,” Buchan said.
Some water managers are increasingly looking at drought not as a single event, but as part of a longer cycle. Systems may not fully recover between dry periods, leaving less margin for the next one.
A changing balance
North Carolina’s water system has long depended on balance. Much of the water withdrawn by utilities is treated and returned to rivers, where it becomes part of the supply again.
But that balance can shift as demand changes.
Some large industrial users, including certain types of data centers, rely on cooling systems that remove water from the local system through evaporation.
“That’s water not going back to the Neuse River,” Buchan said. “It’s just gone.”
At the same time, long-term planning is built on projections that can be difficult to predict.
Regional utilities are working together through the Triangle Water Supply Partnership to map out demand decades into the future, but new types of growth and changing climate conditions add uncertainty to those forecasts.
“You’re really making a lot of assumptions,” Buchan said.
For now, utilities say North Carolina has the capacity to manage through the current drought.
But the combination of growth, shifting demand, climate variability and decisions about how water is shared across regions is raising a broader question.
Not just how to respond to this drought — but whether the system, as it exists today, can sustain what is coming next.
It was an eventful offseason in Chapel Hill, but the North Carolina Tar Heels recovered quite nicely, incorporating a formidable coaching staff and roster in just a few months.
Upon his arrival, head coach Michael Malone was faced with an uphill battle to revamp a roster, but he passed that test with flying colors. North Carolina’s style of play will look vastly different from last season, based on the players it acquired this offseason.
With that in mind, here are predictions for the five most efficient scorers on the Tar Heels’ 2026-27 roster. It is important to note that efficient scoring doesn’t necessarily mean each and every player on this list will also lead the team in scoring.
1. Matt Able
The 6-foot-6, 211-pound forward shot 41.6 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range last season at North Carolina State. That efficiency is a high baseline, as Able will be surrounded by more talent and placed in more advantageous spots in Malone’s system.
At North Carolina, Able could eclipse 40 percent from three-point range and near 50 percent from the field. Able doesn’t require a high volume of shot attempts to produce, which is why he is one of the most exciting players for me to watch next season.
2. Sayon Keita
Again, this doesn’t mean I expect Keita to emerge as one of the leading scorers on the roster. That being said, the former Barcelona center should be operating exclusively near the basket, and the majority of his shot attempts should come from close proximity.
Keita’s offensive production, for the most part, will generate from lobs, put-back dunks, and layups. There will be times Keita will be asked to create his own points in the post, but he will predominantly operate in the paint.
3. Jarin Stevenson
Malone prioritized retaining Stevenson, and the Alabama transfer’s role will expand in 2026. The 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward was an afterthought at the beginning of last season, but in ACC play, Stevenson’s production and efficiency took a major leap.
In the final nine games of the season, with Caleb Wilson out of the lineup, Stevenson averaged 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. When Stevenson officially re-signed with North Carolina, Malone stated that he envisions the senior forward fulfilling a role similar to Aaron Gordon when Malone coached in Denver. With a potentially elite backcourt, Stevenson will have ample space to drift into, providing manageable looks at the basket.
4. Terrence Brown
Last season at Utah, the 6-foot-3, 174-pound guard shot 45.3 percent from the field, which is very impressive considering that he was a ball-dominant guard in the Big 12. However, Brown struggled from three-point range, shooting 32.7 percent from beyond the arc.
While I expect that to improve under Malone, Brown still expects to be shooting a handful of low-percentage shots along the perimeter. This is not to say that Brown will struggle; rather, it reflects where his shots will come from on the floor.
5. Neoklis Avdalas
The Virginia Tech transfer possesses a versatile skill set and can play both backcourt positions and on the wing. The 6-foot-9, 216-pound guard is a legitimate point guard option, according to his former coaches, and Malone is obviously aware of that.
Last season, Avdalas shot 38.6 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from three-point range, which was a disappointing output. However, those percentages should improve at North Carolina.
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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Waste Management is providing up to $18 million in grants to help clean up additional debris from Hurricane Helene in the western region, state officials said Friday.
According to NCDEQ, applications are being accepted for the Debris Recovery & Disposal grant program, which is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the American Relief Act of 2025.
The program provides up to $18 million in grants to local governments, councils of government, and nongovernment organizations, according to NCDEQ.
State officials said applications are being accepted through Sept. 14. The maximum award is $3 million. The grants may be used for up to three years.
Counties, municipalities, councils of government, and nongovernmental organizations in FEMA-declared disaster areas due to Helene are eligible for the grants, according to NCDEQ.
According to NCDEQ, eligible projects include collecting and disposing of non-hazardous debris from private or public properties, clearing and managing debris at streambanks, floodplains, farmland, and local park lands, and removing debris to improve solid waste and recycling infrastructure.
Applications may be emailed to Chris Hollinger with the Division of Waste Management at chris.hollinger@deq.nc.gov.
State officials advise applicants to email or call Hollinger at 919-707-8284 or contact Jason Watkins at jason.watkins@deq.nc.gov or 336-776-9674 to discuss the eligibility of their project before applying.
More information about applying can be found on the NCDEQ website.
North Carolina
‘Infuriating, heartbreaking’: Raccoon recovering after getting caught in leg trap at Mecklenburg County park
The video above is a live stream of WBTV and affiliated programming, and may not be directly related to the article below.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A raccoon is fighting for its life after it got caught in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park this week.
North Carolina Wildlife Rehab said a group of children found the raccoon stuck in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park on Thursday, June 18, but did not specify which park.
“This is absurd, infuriating, and heartbreaking,” a spokesperson said. “Just think about how many animals may have already been harmed—and how many babies may have been orphaned because of this.”
Raccoon had heat stroke, front legs trapped
Wildlife Rehab said it’s unclear how long the raccoon was trapped, but both of his front legs were caught.
Thankfully, his legs were not broken; however, he suffered heat stroke and had a body temperature of 105.4 degrees.
“Please keep this sweet boy in your thoughts and prayers as he fights to recover,” a spokesperson said.
Multiple traps found on property
The children reportedly found the trap attached to a fence on an adjoining property, and investigators said officers found several more during their search.
“Thankfully, the kids did not attempt to free the raccoon themselves, though that easily could have happened,” a spokesperson said. “Instead, they immediately got their parents, who then contacted Animal Control.”
Officials said the raccoon was the second animal caught in a leg trap, and both incidents occurred at parks in Mecklenburg County.
Wildlife Rehab said the traps are illegal and cited animal cruelty. In North Carolina, however, foothold traps aren’t entirely illegal, but they’re strictly regulated by state law. They can be used in Mecklenburg County if they comply with state guidelines for trap size, jaw type, and proper tagging.
–> Also read: Trio stole donated blankets, beds from Cabarrus County animal shelter, director says
As of this writing, no arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed.
Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.
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