water quality

In a brightly lit room, someone fills up a clear glass with water from the sink.

Sep 27, 2023

NC WRRI Fellows Work to Improve Well Water Quality Through PFAS Research

BY EMMA SCARDINA Graduate students Tiffany VanDerwerker of North Carolina State University and Charlotte Robbins of UNC Chapel Hill are supporting rural communities through their research on PFAS in well water. VanDerwerker’s research considered an alternative water source for homes that have contaminated well water. Robbins’ project analyzes how PFAS leaks from landfills into surrounding…

Aug 28, 2023

Call for Abstracts

Submit Abstracts by November 18th The conference program is determined by the abstracts that are submitted and accepted by WRRI. Past conferences have had sessions on a variety of topics from across the state including water quality and quantity, flooding, emerging contaminants, water and wastewater treatment, erosion control, stormwater management, water policy, and much more.…

A screenshot showing a cartoon animation of two students talking. Off to the right side, large text states, "What makes water renewable, and how can we keep it that way?"

Aug 7, 2023

“Keeping Water Renewable” Lesson Plan Receives National Award

This year’s APEX Awards for Publication Excellence have honored Keeping Water Renewable: 5E Lesson, a free, standards-aligned lesson on renewable water for middle and high school students. The interactive blended lesson provides a thorough explanation of the water cycle, including how climate change and human interference affect water quality and availability and contains enough material for 10 to 12 class periods. The lesson was developed by PBS NC, in partnership with NC Water Resources Research Institute, North Carolina Sea Grant, and the NC Department of Environmental Quality. It is available on the PBS NC website.

May 3, 2023

NC WRRI Releases New Strategic Plan, Highlights Research and Engagement Initiatives

The North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute recently released a new strategic plan to guide the program’s investments toward effective responses to the state’s immediate and long-term needs in water resources management. The updated plan is available on the NC WRRI website, along with a document highlighting research and engagement initiatives. “This plan represents input…

River Avengers from Watershed Wisdom lesson

Aug 22, 2021

“Watershed Wisdom” Lesson Plan Receives National Award

Watershed Wisdom earned a Grand Award from the 2021 APEX Awards for Excellence in the category of Campaigns, Programs & Plans.

Louie Rivers participates in a Parks with Purpose meeting with members and the public.

Jul 8, 2020

Walnut Creek Partnership Continues Core Missions While Assisting with Urgent Needs

Photo above: Louie Rivers (center, in red) participates in a Parks with Purpose meeting with Walnut Creek Wetland Community Partnership members and the public. The Walnut Creek Wetland Community Partnership, of which NC WRRI is a partner, has been hard at work on outreach into their Parks with Purpose service area, continuing to engage and…

Mar 2, 2020

Reconstructing the Past to Understand Impacts on Water Quality

A WRRI–North Carolina Sea Grant-supported researcher studies decades of satellite data to see the where and how CAFOs may be impacting water quality. By Maya Hoon UPDATED: Home to many swine industries, North Carolina has been a booming hub for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) since the 1980s. However, as hog farms continue to increase,…

Feb 10, 2020

NC Sea Grant – WRRI Fellow Studies Lead Contamination In Vulnerable NC Communities

Lead threatens water security in low-income and African American communities By Maya Hoon As household plumbing and water pipes age, lead, a potent neurotoxin, may contaminate drinking water from corrosion. With this issue raising concern within North Carolina, researchers seek to produce information on where contaminated drinking waters are more likely to occur. Among these…

Aug 19, 2019

WRRI-Funded Researcher Hunts Contamination Through Seeps

As North Carolina’s population grows and communities expand, questions of how to provide clean water and to carry off wastewater continuously challenge town and city planners. Septic systems are a common solution for builders constructing homes and businesses in areas where municipal water infrastructure has not yet been built out. However, as impermeable surfaces —…

Aug 6, 2019

Algal Blooms Information Session Aug. 24 in Edenton

Scientists and community leaders will come together on Aug. 24 to discuss harmful algal blooms in northeastern North Carolina. State officials have issued multiple warnings this summer for residents and visitors to avoid contact with algae on waters in the region. The meeting, at the College of the Albemarle location in Edenton, will start at…