Press release form Buncombe County:
Buncombe County’s community briefings will now be once a day, every day at 11 a.m. live on our Facebook page: facebook.com/BuncombeGov. We will continue this schedule for the immediate future.
Non-potable water (grey water) for flushing toilets is now available at all County and City distribution sites:
The City of Asheville continues to make progress on its treatment plants and distribution systems. If you currently have water, please conserve.North Fork Water Treatment Plant: The North Fork bypass line is slated to be completed soon, which is a major milestone in the work toward the restoration of the water system in the region.
North Fork Reservoir: The reservoir continues to be murky. Sediment levels must go down before the water is drawn. Environmental Protection Agency officials are on-site providing resources and technical assistance to treat the reservoir. Water cannot be delivered from reservoirs until distribution systems are repaired.
Mills River Plant: The Mills River Plant is fully operational.
Distribution System: Contractors continue to make progress on large-scale repairs to primary transmission mains. The City’s contractors, TP Howard and Tanoka, are working with NCDOT and their contractors to complete critical repairs to the distribution system as damage is identified and materials are sourced as they arrive.Food
Residents in the Food and Nutrition Service program can now use EBT cards to purchase hot meals. Additionally, Chick-fil-A is distributing sandwiches and water at Swannanoa Ingles (2299 US-70) from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., today through Friday while supplies last.FEMA Assistance
FEMA grants are not loans and do not need to be repaid. FEMA personnel are out in the community and have branded equipment and badges. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) Teams will be out in the community today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Black Mountain Ingles, A-B Tech Conference Center, Pack Square Park, Emma Community Center, New Bridge Baptist Church at 199 Elkwood Ave., Asheville, and at the laundry use trailer at Basilica of St. Lawrence, 97 Haywood Street, Asheville.Environmental Health
If your well was flooded or damaged during Hurricane Helene it is critical that you disinfect and sample the water before using it.
Waste Pro will run routes beginning tomorrow in the Enka-Candler area. They will also have a drop-off location at Leicester Elementary (31 Gilbert Rd., Leicester) from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.In Asheville, trash collection is beginning today and will start with regular Monday and Tuesday collections where accessible. Residents are encouraged to download the AVL Collects app to your phone to receive notifications about trash and recycling pickup in their area. There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational. Residents can use both recycling and trash bins for household waste. Storm debris should not be placed in bins and will be collected in the future.Permits & Inspections
Both the City of Asheville and Buncombe County are waiving fees related to emergency repairs. Visit buncombecounty.org/permits or develop.ashevillenc.gov to learn more. The Buncombe County Permits office at 30 Valley St. is open.Bus Service
Limited Asheville Rides Transit (ART) bus service relaunched today. Outbound trips will end at 5 p.m. Riders can board the bus from any point along routes by flagging buses down. Please only do so if the bus is traveling on the same side of the street that you are on. Riders can find information about transit services through alerts or by calling (828) 253-5691.Cellular Sites
Mobile cellular sites are available for the public at the following locations:
The Asheville Police Department is at full patrol and detective staffing with 20% more officers volunteering on days off. Search teams located 336 reported persons alive and well. There are 60 active missing person cases being worked on including 20 unhoused individuals. Local teams are receiving substantial assistance from the FBI and Homeland Security. Drone teams continue to search in affected zones in and around Swannanoa and French Broad River, working alongside search and rescue teams.Local efforts are being assisted by over 45 independent police agencies.A curfew remains in-effect within the City of Asheville between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.Important Resources
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