More than half of the people served by Asheville’s Water Resources Department remain without access to water as of Oct. 13, more than two weeks after devastating flooding in the region.
The number of people without water in the city’s water department footprint is roughly 90,000 to 100,000, said spokesman Clay Chandler during a Buncombe County news conference Sunday. The water system supports about 160,000 people, including customers in Asheville and Buncombe and Henderson counties.
Officials have said they don’t anticipate water fully returning to customers for weeks at a minimum.
Nearly 80% of the customers receive water from North Fork Reservoir, which was heavily affected by sediment from heavy precipitation brought by Tropical Storm Helene. The water department started to directly treat the reservoir to clear up the murky waters.
Additionally, lines at the North Fork Water Treatment facility — the principal plant in the system — were completely destroyed. Helene also broke backup water lines buried 25 feet underground.
When asked what was the greatest challenge officials faced in getting water back to customers, Chandler said, “basically everything.”
U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Gov. Roy Cooper visited the reservoir on Oct. 10, the same day water department crews connected a 36-inch bypass line damaged in the storms. On Saturday, Buncombe County officials announced water was flowing through the line and reaching some customers in Swannanoa, though the water was heavily chlorinated and contains sediment.
What to do before water service returns
Asheville officials have provided instructions of what residents should do before water service returns:
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Flip off the breaker to the water heater.
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Turn off water to the water heater.
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Turn off hot water to sinks.
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Unscrew faucet aerators.
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Turn off the ice maker in your fridge.
Boil water notice remains in effect for Asheville area
With water now reaching some customers who rely on the North Fork reservoir, the city reminded customers Friday that the water is not safe to drink from the tap and they must boil it for at least one minute before consumption. A boil water notice for water from North Fork means there are confirmed contaminants in the water.
The water is safe for cleaning, such as laundry, showering (don’t get it in your mouth), washing dishes and flushing toilets.
Customers who receive water from the Mills River treatment plant are under a boil water advisory. While there are no confirmed contaminants, officials have said there is reason to believe they exist. Whether under a boil water notice or advisory, the action is the same: vigorously boil the water for at least one minute before consumption.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Up to 100K people have no running water in Asheville area after Helene
