Research

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.

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.

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 of our infrastructure when it comes to public health. A recent project, led by professor Chris Osburn of NC State’s Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences…

Aug 25, 2025

A New World for Microbes

“Do microplastics alter ecosystem processes in their respective habitats?”

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 in partnership with the William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science (KIETS). These projects, which couple scientific expertise with local knowledge, foster…

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 Water Resources Research Institute and North Carolina Sea Grant, and one is supported by the Stormwater Consortium. Their projects focus on timely topics including coastal…

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 (PFAS), a contaminant of emerging concern. The Urban Water Consortium (UWC) was established in 1985 to connect urban water managers in North Carolina with scientific…

Nov 7, 2024

Plastic from the Mountains to the Sea

From the Fall 2024 issue of Coastwatch: From plastic trash along creeks and rivers, to microplastics in waterways — and in our bloodstreams — plastic pollution is present on every continent, including Antarctica. As we reported in the Summer 2023 issue of Coastwatch, plastic pollution is significant in North Carolina, as samples from the Neuse River…