After the storm on Friday, Sept. 27, my partner, Justin Mitchell, and I ventured out into our neighborhood in East End/Valley Street to assess the damage. Our area includes four apartment buildings along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and many of the residents have lived here their whole lives. As a result, many are elderly and some are immobile. Just across from our driveway is one of the Mountain Springs Apartment buildings, which houses 40 people.
By Sunday, it became clear that our water infrastructure wasn’t going to improve anytime soon, and our neighbors needed a way to flush their toilets. We decided to gather creek water using buckets and bins from a friend’s property and bring it back for our neighbors.
By Monday, our new neighbors, Dennis Seely and Laura Misner, arrived with a small sump pump. We knew there was a water source behind the building — we could hear it but couldn’t see it. By the end of the day, with some long extension cords and a few hose pipes, we were able to pump spring water from the “Mountain Springs” and fill tubs and recycling bins, ultimately starting a water delivery system to surrounding neighborhoods.
As word spread quickly, the residents at 1 Miller St. were able to turn on the pump and provide water to neighbors who came by with containers while we continued our deliveries.
By the middle of the week, Dennis and Laura returned with a more powerful sump pump, which allowed us to pump water faster and fill a 60-gallon rain barrel. As the news spread, someone donated a used IBC tote tank (a large, cube-shaped intermediate bulk container), which we stationed and filled. By the end of the week, my family brought another IBC tote tank during a supply delivery. Then, by Monday of the second week after the storm, someone saw our social media posts and dropped off four more IBC tote tanks.
With these resources, we set up additional flush water stations along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at other Mountain Springs Apartment complexes, so anyone passing by could fill up for a flush. Over the following week, Dennis and Justin worked hard to improve the system, ensuring the spring water flowed efficiently and that we could fill the tanks quickly. We also continue to deliver flush water to a list of neighbors who need assistance.
— Autum Kirgan
Asheville
Asheville resident Autum Kirgan is a licensed acupuncturist and clinic director at South Slope Acupuncture & Wellness.
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