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Research

image: landfill.

Mar 17, 2026

Measuring Leachate Contamination in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico Watersheds

A new study from a joint fellow with the NC Water Resources Research Institute and North Carolina Sea Grant investigates what happens as increasingly frequent extreme weather events flush contaminants -- including landfill leachate -- into coastal waterways.

Dec 10, 2025

Waste Not, Want Not

As population growth puts pressure on existing resources, a new study explores wastewater renewal, thanks to a Community Collaborative Research Grant from North Carolina Sea Grant, the NC Water Resources Research Institute, and the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science. The CCRG Program is currently accepting proposals.
image: Pamlico River, water's edge.

Dec 3, 2025

Reducing the Nutrient Load

Last year, researchers teamed with local experts to look at hybrid constructed wetlands as part of a solution for North Carolina’s impaired watersheds, thanks to the Community Collaborative Research Grant Program from North Carolina Sea Grant, the NC Water Resources Research Institute, and the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science. The CCRG Program is currently accepting proposals.
image: starry landscape.

Nov 18, 2025

Soul of the Soil

Researchers and the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe joined forces to assess soil contaminants, thanks to the Community Collaborative Research Grant Program from WRRI, Sea Grant, and NC State's William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology, and Science. The CCRG Program is currently accepting proposals.

Sep 18, 2025

New Tool Helps Wastewater Treatment Plants Across North Carolina

When is the last time you thought about your sewer system? While often overlooked, sewer systems play a crucial role in transporting and treating wastewater and are an integral part…

Aug 25, 2025

A New World for Microbes

“Do microplastics alter ecosystem processes in their respective habitats?”
image: view out of a well.

Aug 15, 2025

PFAS, Arsenic, and Trade-Offs

New research finds that drilling deeper groundwater wells may provide residents in counties along the Cape Fear River with safer drinking water. It’s a promising alternative for many people living near the river, where per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — also known as “forever chemicals” — have seeped into shallow groundwater for years.

Jun 18, 2025

Announcing Our 2025 CCRG Grant Recipients

Four new projects have received funding from the Community Collaborative Research Grant Program (CCRG). North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) and North Carolina Sea Grant administer the CCRG Program…

May 6, 2025

New NC WRRI and NC Sea Grant Fellows to Conduct Research on Invasive Species, Stormwater Runoff, Algal Blooms, and More

Seven fellows were selected for WRRI’s “Mountains to Sea” request for proposals, focusing on coastal and freshwater resources across the state. Six student fellows are funded by the North Carolina…
graphic: water and magnifying glass.

Apr 29, 2025

New Research Projects Focus on PFAS, A Contaminant of Emerging Concern

WRRI is pleased to announce two new projects, funded in partnership with the Urban Water Consortium, that address testing and treatment of water and wastewater for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances…