The Town of Hillsborough will receive $1 million in federal funding to improve safety in its water treatment disinfection process.

The federal assistance was included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Act. The funding is part of $659 million in Community Project Funding for 510 projects included in the act. See the news release from the office of Rep. Valerie Foushee, who submitted the project along with 14 others for review by the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.

“The Town of Hillsborough appreciates the support of Congress and especially Rep. Valerie Foushee to help fund local projects to strengthen the health and safety of our town,” Mayor Mark Bell said. “The goal of our project is to replace the chlorine gas disinfection system at our water treatment plant with a less hazardous system. This will reduce health risks to employees and the public while also decreasing potential supply interruptions for our disinfection system. Support for Hillsborough’s project is crucial to ensure the town can safely meet the demand of our residential and business utility customers in the future.”

Treatment Changes

The town has used chlorine gas in its water treatment process since the early 1970s. The chlorine gas is mixed with ammonia to create chloramines to disinfect water. Most water treatment plants have switched to using sodium hypochlorite — a liquid chlorine solution — to disinfect drinking water.

The federal funds will help the Hillsborough Water Treatment Plant convert to the liquid disinfection system, which would eliminate hazards associated with transporting, storing and using chlorine gas. The plant has had no major leaks of chlorine gas. Such leaks are rare but can cause serious injury or death. The Orange Rural Fire Department and other emergency response agencies conduct response drills with Hillsborough’s plant staff to be prepared should a leak occur.

During the last fiscal year, the town analyzed its existing disinfection system. The analysis included recommendations to convert to liquid chlorine disinfection. Preparing for the change is expected to cost $2 million, which includes constructing a temperature-controlled storage building to store the liquid chlorine solution and other needed piping and electrical modifications.

The chemicals for a liquid chlorine solution are expected to cost $20,000 to $30,000 more per year. Because the demand for chlorine gas has decreased across the state, only one chlorine gas supplier remains in North Carolina. Increases in chlorine gas prices and occasional shortages have become concerns.

The Utilities Department hopes to have the project completed by 2029.