The totes of aluminum sulfate and caustic soda, which are deposited in the outer zones shown here, hold 300 gallons each. | Graphic via City of Asheville
Yesterday’s briefing brought new info from the Water Resources Department on the curtain installation, turbidity levels, and the second round of water treatment, which was finished yesterday. If you need a little background before reading up on these new updates, we’ve got you covered.
Take a look behind the curtain
The curtain — which works as a shield to block sediment from flowing into other application zones of the water and to allow water treatment to be completed in stages, rather than having to treat the whole reservoir at once — was anchored in place on Wednesday, Oct. 30. A mama bear and cub showed up to supervise, and Chandler noted that they seemed pleased, “I hope we can share some good news with them.”
With the curtain installed, another round of treatment began, then concluded yesterday, Oct. 31. Crews will measure the treatment’s effectiveness over the weekend and will have an idea of the degree of its success on Monday, Nov. 4. The treatment process involves depositing one tote of aluminum sulfate and one tote of caustic soda in each outer application zone.
Let’s talk turbidity + timelines
“Turbidity” is probably Asheville’s word of the year — it’s been thrown around a lot, but we need to quantify it. Turbidity, which is the cloudiness of water caused by suspended particles, is measured in Nephelometric Turbidity units (NTUs). The Water Resources Department is aiming for 1.5-2 NTUs before putting potable water back into the system.
As of Thursday, Oct. 31, the North Fork reservoir’s turbidity was 21.2 NTUs. The turbidity is reducing by about 7/10 of a point each day, but this new treatment should speed up that rate of reduction.
Once the turbidity numbers are where they need to be, it will still be two and a half or three weeks before potable water is flowing in the system. Crews will submit a plan to the EPA, then kick off a 27-million-gallon-per-day flushing process — it will involve testing, draining the nonpotable water from the tanks, and then adding potable water to the system. When the potable water is ready, the two won’t be mixed.
Don’t worry, though: According to Chandler, the department doesn’t expect an interruption in service when this happens.
Try these 3 James Beard recognized restaurants in Columbia, SC
Presented By Experience Columbia
Columbia, SC is cooking up a storm on the national stage with several local restaurants and chefs earning James Beard Award recognition in 2023 and 2024. | Photo provided by Experience Columbia
Things are heating up in Columbia, SC’s culinary scene. From mouthwatering BBQ to wine-soaked evenings, this Southern city is cooking its way to the top of the food chain, one award-worthy dish at a time.
Check out these three 2024 James Beard-recognized spots worth traveling for:
Lula Drake Wine Parlour: An elevated dining experience with a rotating, seasonal wine selection
City Limits BBQ: A must-visit for authentic South Carolina- and Texas-style BBQ
Early voting ends tomorrow, Nov. 2, and nearly half of Buncombe County has voted. Today, Nov. 1, polls are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and tomorrow, polls are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can cast your ballot at any of the 10 approved locations. Plus, same-day registration is available.
Community
FEMA’s mobile disaster recovery center at Buncombe County Sports Park is now closed, with a new location to be shared soon. The disaster recovery center at Cane Creek Pool remains open every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Biz
The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, ArtsAVL, and GBX Group have launched WNC Tip It Forward to provide $500 relief grants for local service workers and artists. Learn more about eligibility and apply.
Opening
After Helene left the company’s Swannanoa River Road location uninhabitable, Atomic Furnishing & Design acquired a new space on Broadway Street, across from High Five Coffee. The owners shared that the 7,300 sqft space can “hopefully house at least 30 amazing vendors.” Follow Atomic on social media for updates.
Open
The Wortham Center for the Performing Arts reopens its doors today, Nov. 1. As performances grace the stage again, Wortham is making attendance more accessible with the Arts Rising initiative, offering discounted $15 tickets to selected performances and reduced price or pay-what-you-can classes. Plus, there will be a pop-up gallery in the lobby featuring RAD artists.
Biz
Grant applications are now open for the WNC Small Business Initiative. Very small businesses that sustained physical damage from Helene can apply for grants up to $25,000 from Appalachian Community Capital and Dogwood Health Trust. See the qualifications and apply.
Community
On Friday, Nov. 15, the Winston-Salem VA Regional Office will host a WNC Veterans Benefits Fair at the Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel, where veterans and their families can file claims for VA benefits and get updates on their pending claims. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Number
350+. That’s how many animals the Asheville Humane Society has been able to treat for free or at a reduced cost through its affordable pet care clinics. Clinics are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with appointments available online. You can also donate to keep the care coming.
Finance
Inflation may be cooling, but car insurance premiums aren’t. Why? All insurance is now priced in real-time — so repair times, parts shortages, and credit scores all play a part in the final price. Take Money’s questionnaire on your best car insurance experience to see if you can save.*
Category
Community
Updates + need-to-know information
MountainTrue was hosting a river cleanup as Carson spoke at the briefing. | Photo by AVLtoday
The following article is being updated on our website daily. Click the button at the bottom of this section to read the full story.
Thursday, Oct. 31
How the French Broad has fared
MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper, Hartwell Carson, has been working with his team to assess Helene’s impact on the river. Carson said about a dozen E. coli samples across the entire French Broad Watershed have been collected. No specific results were shared in the briefing, but Carson said that “overall, they were better than anticipated,” considering that across the watershed, some sewer lines are broken and not all wastewater treatment plants are functioning.
Two dozen chemical samples, testing for 135 pollutants, were also taken across the watershed. Only one result, which comes from Marshall, has returned, and two out of the 135 pollutants were found. Carson said one chemical found “is associated with petrochemicals” and is harmful to human health — but added that “the levels that we found were not particularly troublesome for human health.”
MountainTrue has hosted about half a dozen river cleanups, with more continuing in locations that are safe to access. Stay up to date through MountainTrue’s website and social media to learn how you can participate in upcoming cleanups (with your PPE on, of course).
A whole room space heater. Save $30 on a small but mighty space heater with a focus on safety — it has tip-over protection, a cool touch case, and will automatically shut off if overheated.
Today, Nov. 1, Operation Gateway and Pisgah Legal Services are joining together to provide disaster relief services at the Edington Center (133 Livingston St.). Here, you can get assistance from FEMA representatives with FEMA applications, technology support from digital navigators, and free info and advice from local lawyers on topics ranging from housing issues for renters to FEMA appeals. Stop by anytime from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
