Buncombe County’s Hurricane Helene briefings are now 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, Oct. 25
Please note that there will be no briefings on Saturday, Oct. 26 or Sunday, Oct. 27.
Water Resources discusses the North Fork dam
In response to some concerns and questions raised about the status of the North Fork dam, Water Resources Department PIO Clay Chandler gave a presentation on the infrastructure around North Fork. During the storm, the lake rose at least 18 feet — although it was likely even more, given that sensors are only able to measure at 10 feet above full pool.
The activation of the auxiliary emergency spillway (shown in the photo under its normal, dry conditions) was mechanical, not human-initiated, and it worked exactly as it was designed to do. Its buckets filled up and tipped automatically at 7 1/2 feet above full pool.
Because of the excess of water contained in those spillways during the storm, the department believes that it is entirely possible that the spillways were responsible for washing out the main transmission lines.
However, the two spillways also prevented, according to Chandler, “What was already a catastrophe from becoming exponentially worse.” The auxiliary spillway “almost certainly” prevented the North Fork dam from failing. On Thursday, City of Asheville crews and third-party experts examined the dams for the third time, and while some repairs are needed, officials say they are safe.
As for the turbidity at the top of everyone’s minds, treatment at the North Fork reservoir is ongoing. As of Thursday, Oct. 24, the turbidity level was 25. Under normal conditions, the level is under 1.
Bus service returns to (almost) normal
Beginning Sunday, Oct. 27, the ART bus service will resume regular schedules for most bus routes — the N2, 170, AND WE1 eastbound routes will resume with modifications. Note: Bus service no longer operates with flag stops.
Afterschool programs are starting up
Starting Monday, Oct. 28, Asheville Parks and Recreation afterschool programs are resuming from 3 to 6 p.m. Currently the city is only able to offer after school program opportunities to students who were previously enrolled. Find out more about these events and additional programming.
Sort your storm debris
Debris collection is continuing in Fairview, Swannanoa, and North Buncombe. Reminder to set out your storm debris at the right of way and separate it into large appliances, vegetative debris, hazardous waste, construction debris, and electronics. Trucks will make several passes. Learn more about storm debris.
Duke Energy has designated teams to remove its debris.
Leaf collection begins
Starting Monday, Oct. 28, City of Asheville sanitation crews will begin collecting paper-bagged leaves. The city has requested that residents wait as long as they can to put leaves by the curb to allow storm debris collection to be more efficient. Leaves will be collected on a biweekly schedule.
- When it’s time to place leaves out for collection, remember to use either paper bags (no plastic) or containers marked as yard waste.
- Don’t place storm debris in yard waste containers. Storm debris will be collected by a contractor and does not have to be cut to a specific size.
- City crews are not collecting any limbs or yard waste piles at this time.
Check out this city resource for more information on how to prepare leaves for collection.
An update on Spectrum
Spectrum has restored service to nearly 93% of customers in Buncombe County, with just over 7,000 customers remaining offline as of Wednesday, Oct. 23. Restoration is taking longer than crews initially anticipated due to the amount of damage and repairs required, challenges to safely access certain areas, and the need to return to make repairs in areas where infrastructure is being rebuilt.
Make sure to sign up for the new waste service
Don’t forget that if you are a Waste Pro customer, you will need to sign up for service with FCC Environmental to continue household trash and recycling pick-up after Jan. 1, 2025. Go to www.buncombecounty.org/solidwaste for more information. City Manager Debra Campbell shared, “We know this is really tough to add one more thing as we’re going through our disaster recovery response, but please go ahead and get signed up so they can be sure to serve you in the new year.”
Thursday, Oct. 24
Disaster Recovery Center will be relocated
In order to accommodate students’ return, the Disaster Recovery Center at AC Reynolds High School has closed — a new location for the center will be announced as soon as possible. However, the community care station at the high school will still be in operation. In the meantime, a Mobile Disaster Recovery Center is open today, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Oct. 27 at the Bee Tree Fire Station in Swannanoa from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and at the Buncombe County Sports Park parking lot from Monday, Oct. 28 through Thursday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Volunteer Reception Center opens this weekend
As part of a joint effort from United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, Lutheran Disaster Response and Relief, and Buncombe County, the Volunteer Reception Center will open this Saturday, Oct. 26 at the United Way office at 50 S. French Broad Ave.
The center complements the Hands On Asheville-Buncombe website, serving as a hub for volunteer opportunities. Starting Saturday, you can visit the center in person from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to be connected with opportunities available that day from a variety of nonprofits and community groups.
Nonprofits and groups needing volunteers can register their opportunities on Hands On — doing this simultaneously registers groups with the Volunteer Recovery Center. To register, organizations can email info@handsonasheville.org or call 828-393-5628.
Mountain Mobility can help you cast your early vote
Buncombe County’s community transportation service, Mountain Mobility, is providing direct access to three early voting sites via the Trailblazer routes. Customers can be picked up anywhere along a Trailblazer route, and the service is free and available to all. Anyone using the three Trailblazer routes will be able to get to the following sites:
- Black Mountain Trailblazer riders can get to the Black Mountain Library.
- Enka-Candler Trailblazer riders can get to the Enka-Candler Library.
- North Buncombe riders can get to the Weaverville Community Center.
US Army Corps of Engineers steps in for storm debris
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now handling storm debris pickup in Buncombe County. The Corps is operating in Buncombe County and in all impacted WNC counties. They were already managing debris removal for rivers, streams, and mudslides — and now they’ll be managing all other storm debris.
It is important to separate debris from electronics, vegetative materials, and hazardous waste and place it in the right of way. Check out this graphic for guidance:
FEMA is looking for temporary housing
FEMA is currently seeking interested, eligible homeowners or property management companies to help meet the temporary housing needs of Hurricane Helene survivors by leasing their properties directly to FEMA. Check out the qualifications — and get in touch by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Find assistance from Pisgah Legal Services
CEO Jackie Kiger encouraged the community to take advantage of Pisgah Legal’s free services. Anyone in need can apply online or call 828-253-0406 for help. The team can assist in areas like:
- FEMA and disaster benefits
- Housing and evictions
- Domestic violence prevention
- Resources about rights in housing, benefits, consumer protections, and more
Don’t forget requirements for offline traffic lights
As kids head back to school and there are still a number of traffic lights that aren’t working, Buncombe County shared a reminder that if a traffic light isn’t working, slow down and treat it as a four-way stop.
An update from Spectrum
As of Thursday, Oct. 24, 8,077 Spectrum customers were still offline.
Wednesday, Oct. 23
Changes to distribution sites
By the end of the day today, Oct. 23, the Fairview Elementary and AC Reynolds Middle School sites will be closed and move to the Ingles parking lot at 225 Charlotte Hwy.
Other Buncombe County distribution sites remain open at the following locations:
- Sky Lanes Bowling Alley
- Black Mountain Ingles
- Swannanoa Ingles
- Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center (no flushing water)
- Pack Square Park
- Buncombe County Sports Park
Applying for D-SNAP
The deadline to apply for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance is Thursday, Oct. 24. Find information on eligibility, qualifications, and how to apply.
Buncombe County Board of Elections approves Election Day sites
On the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Buncombe County Board of Elections voted unanimously to approve Election Day polling locations after storm destruction warranted 17 of the 80 polling places to be replaced or transferred.
County Manager Avril Pinder said it will take a few days for Board of Elections staff to populate its online search tool directing people to their updated polling places. It will be available at buncombecounty.org/vote.
Reminder: Early voting is underway, running through Saturday, Nov. 2, and more than 38,000 have already cast their ballots. Find info on the 10 approved early voting sites and answers to other election-related questions.
Permits for demolition
If you plan to demolish, remodel, or remove asbestos from any building in Buncombe County, you must obtain a permit from the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency. You can get a free permit here and direct questions to the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency at 828-250-6777.
Grant funding for farmers
Farmers in Buncombe, Burke, Cleveland, Haywood, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Qualla Boundary, Rutherford, Swain, Watauga, and Yancey counties who have been impacted by Helene can apply for a $3,000 grant from EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems for supplies to aid in recovery and rebuilding.
Find volunteer opportunities
You can go to the Volunteer Reception Center at United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County (50 S. French Broad Ave.) this Saturday, Oct. 26 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. to be assigned to an opportunity that fits your skill set.
A spokesperson from United Way will provide more information on volunteering at the Thursday, Oct. 24 briefing.
Status of the Blue Ridge Parkway
National Park Service representative Jana Friesen McCabe gave insight into the team’s response to the disaster, first assuring that there was no injury or loss of life among parkway staff.
NPS began initiating a phased reopening of the parkway on Oct. 11, beginning with the first 200 miles in VA, where less damage was sustained. As of this morning, Oct. 23, the first NC section was reopened near Blowing Rock.
In NC, there were at least 30 rock and mudslides, with 10 identified as “major,” resulting in loss of the roadway. Initial assessments also revealed additional smaller rock slides, tens of thousands of trees in roadways, and the destruction of the Linville Falls Visitor Center along with other campgrounds and picnic areas.
Right now, crews are working to open transportation corridors and clear the parkway here in the Asheville area — additional updates will be provided in the coming weeks.
Water testing info available
Water Resources PIO Clay Chandler provided an update, first pointing out that there have been new additions to the city’s water services recovery website, including results from daily water testing.
Created with guidance from the EPA and North Carolina DEQ, Water Resources developed a recovery-focused water sampling plan. Chandler shared that there are 134 sampling stations in the distribution system, and currently, 35 stations are being tested daily on average, with hopes to bring the number to 40 soon — to put that in perspective, eight to 10 stations would be tested in normal conditions. Samples are sent to a third-party lab, and the results have a turnaround time of seven to 10 days.
Chandler also shared that there have been no detections of E. Coli since Helene and reiterated that the boil water notice in effect is due to sediment.
On the water services site, you’ll find primary and secondary maximum contaminant limits — primary limits are enforceable, and secondary limits are not enforced, but recommendations for water aesthetics. Chandler gave an example, noting that right now the levels of iron and manganese in our water distribution system have slightly exceeded maximum contaminant limits, and regulators are aware of that. He added, “The practical effect of that being those with medical conditions that might be susceptible to increased levels of aluminum, iron, and manganese over a long period of time should consult with their doctor.”
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Buncombe County pauses donations and volunteering
After receiving an outpouring of support, Buncombe County is no longer accepting donations, saying that the resources are not available to store and distribute them. Financial donations to reputable organizations were encouraged.
Similarly, the county no longer has volunteer opportunities outside the emergency response structure. “We want to respect people’s time and energy,” said County Manager Avril Pinder, “so we gently ask that they only come here if government agencies request their presence or if they have prearranged opportunities with community organizations.”
Buncombe County offices and libraries ready to reopen
- On Wednesday, Oct. 23, Buncombe County offices will reopen to the public with regular business hours, with the exception of most parks and two libraries.
- All libraries will open except Oakley Library and Swannanoa Library. Mobile parks and library programming will be announced in the coming days as plans are finalized to bring these services to communities.
- Only North Buncombe Fields and Hominy Valley Park will open; all other parks remain closed.
Pick up credentials at a driver’s license office
All WNC license plate agencies, apart from Marshall, and all driver’s license offices, apart from Burnsville and Spruce Pine, are open. Driver’s license offices are now designated as credential pick-up centers; if your license or ID card can’t be delivered by mail, you can return to the location of your in-person transaction after 21 days to pick up your credential.
If you complete (or completed) your renewal or ordered a duplicate online, or at an office that hasn’t yet reopened, go online to see where your credential can be picked up. Note: You should allow at least 21 days from the date of your transaction to see if it can be delivered to your home or for it to arrive at the designated office for pickup.
Community care station network expands
A new community care station has opened at Owen Pool in Swannanoa. Currently, the laundry service is being set up but will be available in the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Community care stations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and have showers, laundry, food, and in some cases medical care, all available at no cost.
- AC Reynolds High School
- At Home Store (parking lot)
- Big Lots/Innsbrook Mall
- Buncombe County Sports Park
- Bethel United Methodist
- AC Reynolds Middle School
- Ingles Swannanoa
- Morgan Hill Baptist Church
Guidance for well water testing
Buncombe County Environmental Health is shifting its immediate focus to sampling wells that were flooded or damaged by the storm. The office will screen water sample applications to determine if the well was flooded or damaged. For the qualified wells, disinfection kits and water sample collection kits will be provided.
If your well wasn’t damaged or flooded, you’re encouraged to wait to submit your sampling application to allow the office to give priority to those most impacted by the storm.
Power + internet update
As of Tuesday, Oct. 22, 127 Duke Energy customers are still without power. About 10,000 Spectrum customers are without service, with about 90% of area customers restored.
An update on Emergency Operation Plans
Since launching the new system, Buncombe County Environmental Health has processed and approved 276 streamlined Emergency Operation Plans for Food Establishments. In partnership with the Division of Child Development and Early Education, Environmental Health approved 32 of 40 reviewed plans for reopening childcare centers.
Water testing results
A full water update will be given tomorrow, Oct. 23, but at the prompting of a press question, Water Resources Department PIO Clay Chandler said that the team will begin sharing real-time water testing results online so that the public is able to access them. More details will be shared during the Wednesday, Oct. 23 briefing.
Monday, Oct. 21
Water turbidity defies expectations
Clay Chandler, the Asheville Water Resources public information officer, shared that after this past weekend, 95% of the system has been restored, with Eastmoor and Bee Tree back online.
Chandler shared photos of the North Fork reservoir, showing that the surface water has barely cleared up, if at all. What surprised the Asheville Water Resources Department was that the turbidity of the water 40-50 feet below the surface has begun to improve. Initially, it was expected that after the treatment process, turbidity would improve from the surface to the bottom.
The curtains, which will help manage the turbidity and allow treatment to be done in stages, will arrive later this week, potentially Thursday or Friday. The curtains will be installed and anchored, and then a second round of the treatment process will occur, in about a week, according to Chandler. There is still no timeline on when the water will clear up.
Storm debris management
2.5 million cubic yards. That’s how much storm debris is estimated to be in the City of Asheville alone — enough for 70,000 truckloads. In Buncombe County, there are 10 million cubic yards of debris, including the City of Asheville’s amount — enough for 280,000 truckloads.
An additional site for storm debris has been secured at Enka Commerce Park. This is now the primary site where debris will be staged, ground, compacted, and hauled out. No additional debris will be taken to the previous sites that were identified at 65 Ford St. and the front nine of the Municipal Golf Course; however, security and prep work will continue at these locations so they could be reactivated if needed. Reminder: These sites are not open to the public.
D-SNAP deadline
The deadline to apply for funds to purchase food through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is this Thursday, Oct. 24. Learn more about eligibility for the program and how you can apply.
FDNY steps back
The Fire Department of New York is beginning a demobilization plan, letting local services take the lead now that they have additional resources and assistance and immediate threats have been addressed. Some areas, including Reynolds, Riceville, Fairview, Swannanoa, and Black Mountain, will continue to receive critical mutual aid.
City offices reopen
City of Asheville offices — with the exception of city recreation facilities and locations managed by community and regional entertainment facilities — will reopen on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
Despite recreation facilities not yet being open, Asheville Parks and Recreation is planning to host two Halloween-themed events this weekend:
- Trunk or Treat | Saturday, Oct. 26 | 4-6 p.m. | Stephens Lee Community Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave.
- Boo Bash | Sunday, Oct. 27 | 2-4 p.m. | Tanger Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd.
Two county parks open
North Buncombe Fields and Hominy Valley Park have reopened, but all other Buncombe County parks remain closed. As for City of Asheville-managed parks, more than 30 have reopened — find the updated list.
Trash + recycling
The Buncombe County Landfill is open Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. with normal fees.
The Buncombe County Transfer Station is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. with normal fees.
In addition to running regular routes, Waste Pro trucks will be parked at the following locations for bagged, residential trash only, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.:
- Monday, Oct. 21 — Leicester Elementary, 31 Gilbert Rd., Leicester
- Tuesday, Oct. 22 — A-B Tech Enka Campus, 1459 Sand Hill Rd., Candler
- Wednesday, Oct. 23 — Owen Pool, 117 Stone Dr., Swannanoa
- Thursday, Oct. 24 — Fairview Ingles, 225 Charlotte Hwy., Asheville
- Friday, Oct. 25 — North Buncombe Pool, 734 Clarks Chapel Rd., Weaverville
You can drop off recyclables at Curbside Management’s location at 116 Woodfin Ave., Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Spectrum
Internet has been restored to 85% of Spectrum customers in Buncombe County, with ~12,000 still offline. Last week, Spectrum shared that customers will automatically be credited for the time without service.
