Wastewater Design Flow Modifications.

This bill allows wastewater treatment system operators in North Carolina to calculate sewage flow rates for new homes at a lower standard of 55 gallons per day per bedroom, provided the state environmental department approves the change based on local usage data. Under the new rules, operators must still ensure that reducing the flow rate does not harm public health or the environment, while systems without allocated capacity for future connections must continue using the standard rate of 75 gallons per day per bedroom. To support these changes, the state will allocate $10,000 to the Department of Environmental Quality in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to review and evaluate the proposed lower flow rates. The legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.