A project that aims to overcome barriers to growth in North Carolina’s aquaculture industry and strengthen the resiliency of the state’s wastewater infrastructure has been awarded $1.2 million in funding.

The project is being led by East Carolina University assistant professor Natasha Bell, who aims to improve wastewater treatment to help the region become a hotspot for aquaculture growth.

“Eastern North Carolina is facing many challenges related to climate change, including saltwater intrusion on cropland and damage from extreme weather events,” she said in a press release. “These threaten important sectors of the economy and valuable coastal ecosystems. Our study aims to help the region adapt to these challenges through the implementation of ecological engineered wastewater treatment technologies, such as hybrid constructed wetlands, which utilize naturally occurring methods to process contaminants.”