Hurricane Helene Recovery: Water Updates, FEMA Assistance Sites & Debris Pickup Guidelines

As of this morning, 6,000 customers remain without power.  

Food and Water Distribution Sites   
To help get schools ready to re-open, there will be changes to the food and water distribution sites soon. The Lucy Herring Elementary distribution site will close at 7 p.m. on Monday and will be relocated to 980 Brevard Road (former K-Mart and current At Home Store) parking lot starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Residents should double-check sites before heading out.    
Today’s sites include: AC Reynolds High School, Asheville Middle School, Buncombe County Sports Park Complex, Black Mountain Ingles, Fairview Elementary School, Swannanoa Ingles, Leicester Elementary School, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, Lucy Herring Elementary School, North Windy Ridge Intermediate School, Pack Square Park, Oakley Elementary, William W. Estes Elementary School 

Schools   
Buncombe County Schools will resume extracurricular high school activities today on a voluntary basis. 

Community Care Stations   
Community Care Stations are open at Swannanoa Ingles, A.C. Reynolds High School, and 594 Barnardsville Highway (Morgan Hill Baptist Church). Services include food, WiFi, showers, laundry, and more. Residents should bring toiletries and detergent if they are able to. If not, the stations will supply them. 

Solid Waste and Debris Pickup   
Trash and Recycling: WastePro is resuming normal operations for both household trash and recycling. Residents should place both recycling and trash bins out. 

• Monday, Oct. 14: WastePro will run normal routes for accessible locations in Leicester. Trash trucks will be located at Leicester Elementary for residents they are not able to access. Do not leave trash at this site if trucks are not there. This is for household bagged trash only. This will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Leicester Elementary at 31 Gilbert Road today only.   
• Tuesday, Oct. 15: WastePro will run normal routes for accessible locations in Enka and Candler. WastePro will also have trucks located at ABTech Enka at 1459 Sand Hill Road in Candler from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday for residents they are not able to access. Do not leave trash at this site if trucks are not there. Household bagged trash only.  

The Landfill at 85 Panther Branch Road in Alexander is open from Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Transfer station at Hominy Creek is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for household bagged trash.
Debris Removal: Residential debris pickup will begin this week. Residents should separate debris by type and ensure it is placed in the right-of-way.  

Important Debris Reminders:  

• Debris removal is not a one-pass operation. There will be multiple trucks and passes, so residents do not have to place all debris out at one time or worry if they have debris left.  
• Do not place debris near or on trees, poles, or other structures. This includes fire hydrants, meters, and curbside trash carts.   
• Do not block the roadway for large trucks/emergency vehicles.    
• Contractors cannot pick up debris on private property.   
• Do not attempt the cleanup process without proper PPE: masks, long pants, safety glasses, gloves and sturdy shoes are recommended.   
• Residents should not attempt to bring debris to the landfill. Mud/soil will not be accepted at any Buncombe County disposal facility.   

FEMA Assistance   
This week FEMA will be at fixed locations in the community. Starting today and through Wednesday FEMA sites include: 

• From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Black Mountain Ingles and Swannanoa Community Care Center Ingles Parking Lot. 
• From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: 572 Fletcher Martin Road in Asheville, Swannanoa Library, Food Lion in Fairview, EMMA Community Center, 1675 Barnardsville Highway, New Bridge Baptist Church, Nesbitt Chapel Church, and 44 Broad River Road in Black Mountain.   
• From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Pack Square Park and AC Reynolds High School 
• From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Montford North Star Academy.   

The Disaster Recovery Center at AC Reynolds High School is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Donations   
The donation center at 6 Commerce Way in Arden is currently full. Donations can be directed to ABCCM, Bounty & Soul, or Beloved. Clothing donations can be made at Goodwill locations which are providing vouchers for those in need. Financial donations can be made to the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County at www.unitedwayabc.org.  

Water System Updates 
Water at the Town of Black Mountain continues to be for flushing only. Even if boiled, this water is not for human or pet consumption. The Town of Black Mountain asks residents to not burn within town limits due to dry conditions. 
North Fork Reservoir: North Fork continues to feed highly chlorinated water into the City of Asheville water distribution system. In-reservoir treatment at the North Fork Reservoir begins this week so that water can be treated in the treatment plant. Good news is that streams are now feeding clean, clear water to the reservoir. 
Distribution System: On Sunday, Oct. 13, the water resources department began supplying water to areas west of Swannanoa. The damage to the Swannanoa area was more severe than expected, but water maintenance crews were able to get water to the Haw Creek junction, which is a primary distribution point for the remainder of the system. While preparations have been completed to begin sending water to the Fairview area and to the higher elevation areas of South Asheville that do not have water, it is important to note that service restoration will continue to return slowly and incrementally, moving west. 

Action Steps for Residents: 

• Report water main breaks to the Water Customer Service Line at 828-251-1122. 
• Once water service returns to residences or businesses, customers should flush their private lines by running water through a bathtub or outdoor faucet for about 15 minutes.  
• Close the valves to hot water heaters or other appliances that run water such as icemakers until the water returns. 
• Boil water notices and advisories both require customers to boil their water vigorously for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth. 
• The water is safe for laundry, handwashing, washing dishes, and showering in but take caution to not get it in the mouth. 

City of Asheville Updates 
Public Transportation: ART service hours have been expanded to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and is operating for free as flag stops where passengers can board at their preferred location. Three additional routes, N1, S4, and a portion of 170 will run between Haw Creek and the Transit Center. ART is providing service to the majority of the POD sites and FEMA Assistance sites within the City of Asheville. For more information, call the transit customer service, at 828-253-5691. 

Storm Debris Removal and Management: There are over 3 million cubic yards of storm debris within Asheville City limits. A private contractor will work on storm-related debris pickup. Temporary debris sites are being established where debris is staged, separated, and processed. City staff have conducted door-to-door outreach to notify impacted residents about the temporary debris sites. This process will continue as new sites are brought online.  

Curfew at the City of Asheville is 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Areas where streets are damaged will now be barricaded with large concrete blocks where police will not be on site to guard. 

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County 
The nonprofit has helped in many ways throughout Hurricane Helene Recovery with a focus on three priorities which include raising and distributing donations to partners engaged in recovery efforts, mobilizing community volunteers to support schools and community partners relief in long-term recovery efforts through handsonasheville.org, and ensuring they have the most up-to-date information for the 211 call center which many people have relied on for important information during the hurricane. 
To support efforts, people can donate funds, volunteer, and spread the word for 211 which is available 24/7. 

Sign up for our text messages by texting “BCAlert” to 99411 or go to www.buncombecounty.org/codered.