US EditionHow Asheville Travel Is Bouncing Back After Hurricane Helene
Repairs restored water service to 80% of Asheville customers by Nov 18 after Hurricane Helene caused $200 million in infrastructure damage.
- Last year, Hurricane Helene left Asheville's primary water system devastated, severely damaging the North Fork treatment plant that supplies 80% of Asheville customers and creating a public health crisis in Buncombe County.
- Heavy rain and overtopping toppled a fusegate and washed out the two main transmission pipelines and an auxiliary bypass line after 17.51 inches of rain at North Fork Reservoir.
- Three contracting companies paused other work to repair pipes, while Asheville Water Resources Department seeks federal funding for a $200 million filtration project with FEMA talks underway.
- Within three weeks, crews restored water for basic uses while full normal usage returned by Nov. 18, but the fire department couldn't use hydrants and vulnerabilities persist, spokesperson Clay Chandler said.
- Temporary systems face a funding cliff at month-end, costing roughly $6 million monthly, while multi-year Mills River upgrades to 15 million gallons per day and a $60 million bypass may stretch to about 2032.
18 Articles
18 Articles
UK alum helps build ‘one-of-a-kind’ temporary water pretreatment system after Hurricane Helene
LEXINGTON — On Sept. 27, 2024, historic winds and rainfall from Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina and the Western Appalachian region of the country, resulting in more than 100 reported deaths. Flooding and landslides caused damage to the primary and…
Officials mark one year since Hurricane Helene, highlight progress on repairs
HAYWOOD COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — One year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, federal, state and local leaders gathered Friday to reflect on the storm’s toll and highlight the progress made in recovery efforts. Helene struck on Sept. 27, 2024, becoming the state’s deadliest and most destructive storm. The storm claimed 108 lives and caused billions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses, natural attractions, and transportatio…
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