Buncombe County’s Hurricane Helene briefings are held Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. You can livestream the updates on the Buncombe County Government Facebook page or tune into Blue Ridge Public Radio 88.1 FM or the iHeart radio stations, including 99.9, 104.3, and 105.1 FM and 570 AM.

Here's what we know:

Friday, Nov. 15

Boil water notice may be lifted next week

Water Resources Department PIO Clay Chandler announced that crews had been able to push ~25 million gallons of treated water through the system and had not added raw water since Saturday, Nov. 9. They will be sampling over the weekend to potentially lift the boil water notice as early as the night of Tuesday, Nov. 19 or the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 20. Read more about this faster-than-expected timeline.

More on the water system + lead testing

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) mobile treatment unit project will continue as a redundancy. Chandler said that they hope to be able to keep the system until our filters are upgraded to be able to handle more-turbid water.

On Thursday, Nov. 14, news broke that seven area schools had tested positive for detectable lead in their water. Chandler stated that students had not consumed the water and that the source was older pipes. Because of the piping configuration at the North Fork Water Treatment Plant, Water Resources was unable to treat the raw reservoir water with zinc orthophosphate — which provides corrosion control — for ~19 days.

At the Nov. 15 briefing, Chandler further confirmed that tests of the source water had come back negative for any detectable lead. There was a trace amount of copper detected, but it was "way, way below the action limit."

Private property debris removal program almost ready to launch

Buncombe County will open a private property debris removal program on Tuesday, Nov. 19. This program will let property owners fill out a right of entry, which is required to allow contractors to assess debris on private property and coordinate with the USACE to arrange removal. There will be both online and in-person applications, as well as a call center. More information on the program will be announced early next week.

USACE talk storm debris

As of Friday, Nov. 15, the USACE had removed 200,000 cubic yards of debris out of the 10 million cubic yards estimated in total; more than 81,732 cubic yards of storm debris have been collected in the City of Asheville. The focus right now is storm debris in the right of ways, which is the strip of land on the edge of a property, typically ~15 feet from the street.

The USACE offered a couple of reminders for right-of-way debris:

Make sure to separate out materials, according to these categories. Different trucks pick up different materials, so having them separated speeds up the collection process.
Do not place debris in black plastic bags — if crews can't see what's inside, collection is slowed down.

FEMA and USACE teams have also begun conducting assessments of waterways, in areas that have requested assistance. After debris is scoped and assessed, crews will remove eligible debris that is an imminent threat.

Rental Assistance Program ensures expanded accessibility

In October, Asheville City Council authorized the allocation of $1 million in City resources for rental assistance. The City is partnering with Eblen Charities to administer these funds, and Eblen has been working to expand its staffing by 42% to manage the high demand for assistance. The Rental Assistance Program ensures equitable access for all residents, including undocumented individuals and those impacted by the storm who may have difficulty providing typical documentation.

Celebrate the season at the Holiday Jamboree

Due to limited resources, the City of Asheville decided to forgo the traditional downtown holiday parade this year. Instead, the Holiday Jamboree will offer a community gathering at Pack Square Park on Saturday, Nov. 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Reflecting the demands of recovery work, the Holiday Jamboree will feature entertainment, food, and holiday festivities. "We hope to bring back the traditional parade next year when our resources are less constrained," said City Manager Debra Campbell. "This year’s Jamboree will celebrate the resilience of our community and allow us to come together in a meaningful way."

Keep an eye on the news at distribution sites

All City of Asheville food + water distribution sites now feature TVs. The sets will display important updates throughout the day so that you can stay in the loop.

Thursday, Nov. 14

Water testing shows lead in seven city and county schools; students have not consumed tap water

According to City of Asheville Water Resources Department spokesperson Clay Chandler, the water at seven area schools has detectable lead levels.

Included in the city's water sampling plan, which has been posted to the water services recovery webpage, is an investigative sampling program testing for lead and copper at city and county elementary schools, participating childcare facilities, and private schools. No copper was detected, but the following schools showed detectable lead levels:

County elementary schools: Oakley Elementary School, Sand Hill Elementary School, Charles C. Bell Elementary School, Glen Arden Elementary School
City elementary schools: Lucy S. Herring Elementary School, Hall-Fletcher Elementary School
Participating private school: Odyssey Community School

However, Chandler clarified lead was not found in the water source itself, but rather came from water traveling through older pipes owned by customers. Out of caution, Water Resources has collected samples of the raw water at North Fork to test for lead and is awaiting results from a third party lab.

Chandler provided insight into how lead got into the water, explaining that due to the piping configuration at the North Fork Water Treatment Plant, Water Resources was unable to treat the raw reservoir water with zinc orthophosphate — which provides corrosion control — for ~19 days.

When the samples were taken, schools had yet to reopen and water had been sitting in the pipes for two to three weeks. Chandler noted that no students have consumed the tap water at any of these schools or childcare facilities. Staff and students are provided with bottled water, and water fountains will remain blocked off and unplugged, as they were before schools reopened. Following EPA recommendations, the schools are installing National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certified filters to reduce lead and are assessing plumbing for potential sources of exposure.

Until the ongoing boil water notice is lifted, residents are advised to only drink bottled water. If you must use the city tap water for consumption, officials recommend that customers run water through faucets for two minutes or until the water temperature changes, then boil water for one minute.

If pregnant people, breastfeeding people, or children under 6 years old have consumed tap water and have concerns, they should consult their healthcare providers — if they don't have a doctor, they can call the Buncombe County Blood Lead Information Line at 828-250-5205 to leave a message and be contacted by a public health nurse.

According to city officials, "Plumbing in structures built before 1988 have increased potential to be a source of lead exposure if water sits undisturbed in plumbing for 4-6 hours." For this reason, residents in homes built before 1988 are encouraged to request a lead and copper testing kit by contacting Water Resources at 828-259-5962 or emailing leadprevention@ashevillenc.gov.

Wednesday, Nov. 13

Turbidity, treatment, and project progress

As of this morning, Nov. 13, the turbidity at North Fork reservoir had fallen below 15 NTUs. A third round of in-reservoir treatment began today.

Crews have been able to push ~20 million gallons of treated water into the system, but keeping up this process is contingent on turbidity continuing to fall. With this amount of water going through treatment, they are able to run the North Fork filters for about 25-30 hours before having to stop the process and clean the filters with a backwashing procedure. Note: The boil water notice is still active for all City of Asheville water.

The contractor that was employed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to work on the mobile treatment units visited the site on Monday. Materials and equipment for the interim water treatment project could begin to arrive as early as this weekend. The timeline of late November or early December for project completion still stands.

Need a little more background? Check out this article.

City of Asheville reorganizes its recovery structure

The City of Asheville is adopting a new organizational structure, which City Manager Debra Campbell said is intended to align federal + state funding resources and initiate both rapid response and long-term recovery. The structure's focus areas are housing, storm debris, economic recovery, water recovery, infrastructure, arts and cultural resources, and functional support (e.g. cost recovery, data communication).

Hagerty Consulting Inc. will provide support, and staff will meet with the City Council on Nov. 19, Dec. 5, and Dec. 10 for recovery briefings and a work session.

Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund launches

The City of Asheville has created a $700,000 fund that will aid small businesses in their recovery. The grants, which are up to $25,000, will be distributed by Mountain BizWorks and are meant to help with losses that aren't covered by other forms of assistance. Learn more and submit your application by Wednesday, Nov. 27.

Storm debris collection continues

As of Tuesday, Nov. 12, the City of Asheville's storm debris contractor has collected 59,387 cubic yards of storm debris — which is over 1,100 truckloads. Work is still focused on cleaning up public right of ways, and all residents and businesses are encouraged to sort storm debris appropriately and move storm debris to the curb.

Dropped off your bagged trash

Waste Pro will be running regular routes for trash and recycling where available. Drop-off sites for bagged household trash are open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14 at Ingles Fairview and on Friday, Nov. 15 at North Buncombe Pool.

Join the FCC Environmental team

FCC Environmental, the county's new solid waste contractor, will host a hiring event on Tuesday, Nov. 19, and Wednesday, Nov. 20 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Tuesday, Nov. 12

Apply to the Homeowner Grant Program by Friday

Remember: the Homeowner Grant Program reopened in the wake of Hurricane Helene and the deadline to apply is this Friday, Nov. 15. Eligible Buncombe County homeowners can receive up to $300 in financial assistance for housing-related costs — City of Asheville residents may qualify for up to $500.

Get help with Hazard Mitigation Grants

The FEMA-funded Hazard Mitigation Grant program serves to reduce or eliminate future damages and losses after a disaster through structure elevation, structural reinforcement, and property buyouts.

Hazard Mitigation staff from North Carolina Emergency Management will be available this week to assist property owners at the Disaster Recovery Center in the Asheville Mall. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., visit the former Gap store across from the Bath and Body Works for assistance applying. Learn more about what to complete before meeting with NC Emergency Management staff.

Find resources at local sites

Community care stations are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., providing ADA accessible showers + bathrooms, laundry, and more. Find the stations at the following locations:

At Home Store parking lot
Big Lots/Innsbruck mall
Buncombe County Sports Park
Bethel United Methodist
Fairview Ingles
Swannanoa Ingles
Owen Pool
Morgan Hill Baptist Church

Water and meals ready to eat are available at distribution sites daily at:

Sky Lanes Bowling Alley
Black Mountain Ingles
Swannanoa Ingles
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
Pack Square Park
Buncombe County Sports Park
Fairview Ingles

You can also find free vaccines from the Buncombe County Public Health mobile team. Here’s the schedule for this week:

Tuesday and Friday, 12-6 p.m. | Swannanoa Ingles Community Care Station and Tunnel Road Community Care Station
Wednesday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Big Ivy Community Center
Thursday, 2-5 p.m. | Bounty & Soul market at the former BiLo in Black Mountain

FEMA deadline extended

FEMA has approved $75 million to more than 51,000 households and individuals in Buncombe County. The deadline to apply for Disaster Assistance has been extended to Tuesday, Jan. 7. Sign up for Disaster Assistance online, by calling 800-621-3362, or by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center.

FEMA also offers multiple temporary housing options, through the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program — as of Monday, Nov. 11, more than 1,600 households in Buncombe County were in this lodging.

In addition, FEMA is hiring in several cities across NC, including Asheville. To see the job listings, visit www.usajobs.gov, type in the keyword FEMA, and set your location as NC.

Consulting firm aids with private property debris removal

Buncombe County has retained Tetra Tech, a consulting firm specializing in disaster recovery, to aid with community recovery and private property debris removal.

As part of the Community Navigators Assistance program, the firm's staff are at the Asheville Mall and out in the community.

The program for private property debris removal is currently being designed, but the Director of Post-Disaster Programs at Tetra Tech explained that the first steps of the program will be to open four intake centers throughout the county, mobilize traveling intake specialists, and set up an online application for private property debris removal. In-house visits will also be available to allow folks to sign up for the program.

Tetra Tech is also hiring locals in roles, including office and field work — find open opportunities.

Help with pet care from Asheville Humane Society

Two free pet food + supply distribution sites are available from the Asheville Humane Society:

Asheville Humane Society campus, 14 Forever Friend Ln. | Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
River Ridge Shopping Center (behind Gabe’s), 800 Fairview Rd. | Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

You can also make an appointment to bring your pet to one of Asheville Humane Society’s affordable pet care clinics on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are released on a weekly basis.

If you’re looking for a furry friend, the adoption center at 14 Forever Friend Ln. is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. To conserve potable water, a limited number of animals are being housed at the campus, but all pets available for adoption can be viewed online.

Lastly, if you wish to help the Asheville Humane Society provide critical care to animals, you can make a donation.