2025 Water quality report is now available
The Fayetteville Public Works Commission has published its 2025 Water Quality Report. While the Water Quality Report is a requirement of the state, the results of water sampling verify PWC’s commitment to water quality going beyond compliance.
One of PWC’s primary goals is to continue providing customers with a safe, reliable, and affordable supply of drinking water. PWC is an award-winning utility, recognized nationally for water quality. PWC was the first utility in North Carolina to earn the Partnership for Safe Water Director’s Award for water treatment.
PWC has received this prestigious recognition for 25 consecutive years. PWC has also been recognized with the 2024 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. In 2025, PWC was recognized with two of NC One Water Awards highest distinctions for service: Water Distribution System of the Year – Overall Winner and the Wastewater Collections System of the Year – Large System Award.
The Annual Water Quality Report is a snapshot of last year’s overall water quality. Included are details about our sources of water, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. Customers with questions about this report or your water can contact Customer Service at 910-483-1382.
In 2025, PWC treated over 10.5 billion gallons of water while remaining in 100% compliance with all EPA regulations. PWC continuously monitors water quality by performing more than 150,000 tests a year. This year’s Water Quality Report, as well as past reports, are available for viewing online at FayPWC.com/Water-Quality-Report/.

City Manager presents recommended FY2027 Budget
City Manager Douglas Hewett presented the Fiscal Year 2027 Recommended Operating Budget to the City Council and the public at the Budget Work Session on Thursday, May 14. The recommended budget totals $322,813,979.
Key highlights of the FY2027 Budget include:
• Tax Rate Adjustment: The recommended budget proposes a property tax rate of $0.4595 — still one of the lowest in the City's history. The modest $0.01 increase will help maintain strong, reliable services without placing a significant burden on taxpayers.
• Public Safety Investment: The recommended budget allocates $120 million to public safety, to include:
• Fayetteville Police Department — $76 million, a $2.54 million increase
• Fayetteville Fire Department — $42 million, a $2.1 million increase
• Office of Community Safety — $2.18 million, a $287,000 decrease
• Mental Health Response Expansion: Two new mental health response units will be added to the Office of Community Safety to assist residents in crisis while minimizing law enforcement response, when possible. This OCS work, along with efforts to reduce violence, address homelessness, and support youth programs, reflects a new and more balanced approach to community safety.
• Employee Compensation: The recommended budget invests in the City workforce through step increases for public safety personnel, a 4% pay raise for all City employees, and a 1% increase in the City's 401(k) contribution.
• Solid Waste Fee: To offset rising fuel costs, the recommended budget proposes a $10 annual increase to the Solid Waste Fee.
"This budget is built on a simple but powerful commitment: delivering quality, sustainable public services that allow our communities to thrive and our businesses to grow," City Manager Douglas Hewett said. "It ensures we continue providing the services our residents rely on, while remaining fiscally responsible and advancing City Council priorities. We recognize that national and global events can shape our local community in ways we don't always anticipate. That is precisely why careful planning and strong leadership matter more than ever."
The City Council will review the recommended budget during the budget work sessions on May 21 and May 28, followed by a public hearing on May 26 at the regular City Council meeting. All budget work sessions are open to the public and can be watched live on FayTV, the City's government access channel, available on Spectrum Channel 7, at FayTV.net, and on the FayTV app on most streaming devices.
The public hearing will be held on Monday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. during the regular City Council meeting.
Residents who wish to speak must sign up by 5 p.m. the day of the meeting through one of the following:
• Online: FayettevilleNC.gov/Clerk
• Phone: 910-433-1989
• Email: CityClerk@FayettevilleNC.gov
The recommended FY-2027 budget can be reviewed at FayettevilleNC.gov/Budget.

“Through Their Eyes, We Remember. Through Their Voices, We Honor.”
Youth from across our community are bringing history to life through Heroes of Fayetteville–Cumberland County, a retrospective performance celebrating the influential voices, extraordinary achievements, and enduring legacies of hometown heroes from the past and present, performed by talented students in grades 1–8 from the Greater Life of Fayetteville’s After-School Program and additional Cumberland County schools.
Students from the following local schools participated in all aspects of the production, showcasing their artistic talents both on stage and behind the scenes while gaining hands-on experience in theatrical production, storytelling, staging, and creative elements to bring the stories to life:
• Cumberland Road Elementary | Stedman Elementary School
• Ashley Elementary School | Anne Chesnutt Middle School
• Ferguson-Easley Elementary | Lake Rim Elementary School
• Gray's Creek Elementary School | Alderman Road Elementary School
• William H. Owen Elementary School | Home School
The first performance will take place on Friday, May 29, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by a second performance on Saturday, June 6, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Both performances will be held at the FTCC Tony Rand Student Center, located at 2200 Hull Road in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
“It is more than just a performance — it is a movement of remembrance, identity, and purpose,” said Georgeanna Pinckney, Executive Director of Greater Life of Fayetteville. “These memorable monologue performances will not only amplify the creativity of our youth, but also preserve the stories and legacy of those who helped build our community.”
Audiences of all ages will experience a renewed sense of community pride and cultural appreciation while gaining a deeper understanding of the leadership, sacrifice, resilience, and service that continue to shape Fayetteville–Cumberland County today.
Community members, families, educators, civic leaders, and supporters are encouraged to attend this celebration of youth, culture, and history. To attend, RSVP at Eventbrite https://HeroesFay.eventbrite.com.
Heroes of Fayetteville-Cumberland County is presented by Greater Life of Fayetteville and funded by the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County.