The Monday, Nov. 18, Buncombe County Helene recovery briefing covered the lifting of the area’s boil notice, how much money has been distributed by FEMA and more.
Also included were daily updates on food and water distribution and locations of Community Care Centers where showers, laundry and other essentials are available.
Briefings go live on the Buncombe County Facebook page at 11 a.m. on weekdays. You can also find recordings of past briefings on the page. Here’s what was covered in Monday’s briefing.
Boil notice lifted
The news Asheville and surrounding areas have been waiting for since Tropical Storm Helene swept through the area in late September came in the Nov. 18 briefing.
Water Systems representative Clay Chandler informed the community that the sampling process needed to determine whether the boil water notice could be lifted was completed over the weekend.
Results Monday morning were all clear of E. coli and coliform, which will allow Water Resources to lift the boil notice today. All raw water in the system has been replaced with treated water and is ready for use.
“Customers may resume normal usage of the water system,” Chaney said. “It is no longer advisable to use bottled water for consumption. Normal use for consumption and hygiene may resume.”
Water Resources asks customers to temporarily avoid larger uses of water such as filling bathtubs, landscaping, etc. due to an expected temporary increase in usage. Additionally, lead is still a concern for customers with pipes installed before 1988, and the “flushing” procedure should still be used.
More than 1,000 samples have been taken throughout the distribution system during the past several weeks, which Chandler said took “an army” of workers.
“Our gratitude also extends to our partners her at the city, the state, federal level and our partners in the private sector. Without every single one of them, today would not have been possible. We are especially thankful to our customers for their patience.”
Businesses along the Swannanoa River were completely destroyed in the wake of Tropical Storm Helen. Sunday, November 17, 2024
Household waste disposal
Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 18-19, Waste Pro will operate normal routes for household trash and recycling. Residents whose properties are inaccessible to Waste Pro should use the transfer station or landfill.
Wednesday-Friday, Nov. 20-22, Waste Pro will operate normal routes for household trash and recycling in accessible locations, and will also be located at the following locations from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. accepting household bagged trash only:
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Wednesday, Nov. 20: Hearts with Hands – 850 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa, NC 28778 at the circle drive near the entrance to Owen Park.
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Thursday, Nov. 21: Ingles Fairview – 225 Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC 28803.
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Friday, Nov. 22: North Buncombe Pool – 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville, NC 2878.
Private Property Debris Removal Program
The Private Property Debris Removal Program is active, with an official launch Tuesday, Nov. 19. The online application option is live; call the One Buncombe Call Center with questions about debris at 828-250-6100.
More information will be available from Tetra Tech at tomorrow’s briefing, 11 a.m. on Nov. 19.
Small business grants
For-profit businesses in Buncombe County and Asheville are eligible to receive grants of up to $25,000 to support recovery expenses not covered by insurance or other funding sources.
The grant funding program is a collaborative effort between Buncombe County and Asheville as well as other public and private partners. Applications are open through Nov. 27 and can be found at mountainbizworks.org/abgrants. Applications are also available in Spanish.
There is no annual revenue threshold for this grant. Eligible businesses must have fewer than 200 employees, with priority given to the most impacted areas and companies.
More: Tropical Storm Helene caused $53 billion in damage, early report says. Here’s what we know.
Community Care Stations
Community Care Stations are open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. with showers, laundry and more. All Community Care Stations now have ADA accessible showers and bathrooms. Laundry drop-off and pickup is available at the Swannanoa Ingles.
Locations of Community Care Stations are:
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At Home Store parking lot on Brevard Road
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Buncombe County Sports Park
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Morgan Hill Baptist Church
Officials reassured the community that these stations will remain in place “for the foreseeable future.”
How to dispose of lithium-ion batteries
Notify your local fire department if you believe that any lithium-ion batteries in your home or garage may have been exposed to flooding, especially those found in devices such as e-bikes, golf carts and electric vehicles.
Lithium ion batteries that have been exposed to possible damage need to be properly disposed of. Use the following measures to stay safe:
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Place flood damaged lithium-ion powered products in metal or non-combustible tubs and keep at least 6 feet away from debris and structures.
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Do not put lithium-ion battery-powered products in with storm debris for pickup.
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Never put lithium-ion batteries inside garbage or recycle carts or bins.
How much money has FEMA given to Helene survivors?
As of a Nov. 18 update, FEMA has approved over $240 million to over 133,000 households and individuals in NC. In Buncombe county, $79 million of these funds have been approved for more than 52,000 households.
Temporary housing solutions are also being provided, with more than 4,800 households checked into hotels and motels under the transitional shelter and assistance program, including 1,600 households in Buncombe.
It’s not too late to apply for assistance or request more information. FEMA has mobile disaster recovery centers in the area available to help out with these processes.
Visit the Disaster Recovery Center at Asheville Mall in the former GAP store location, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, or the mobile DRC at Buncombe County Sports Park until 5 p.m. today, Nov. 18.
More: Madison County Manager’s report: FEMA disbursed $3.3 million; 1,400 property value appeals
Free Thanksgiving meals
A drive-thru event from Hearts with Hands will distribute Thanksgiving meals including turkey, sides, desserts, and drinks. A variety of essentials are also available including:
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Non-perishable food boxes
The event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 27, from 12-4 p.m. at 850 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa, NC 28778.
To register, visit heartswithhands.org or call 828-667-1912 by Monday, Nov. 25 at 12 p.m.
Storm debris collection
As of the end of the day on Nov. 16, contractors had collected approximately 89,000 cubic yards of storm debris in Asheville, an amount equal to about 40 olympic-sized swimming pools. Workers remain focused on right of way cleanup, and all residents and businesses are encouraged to sort debris appropriately and move it to the curb.
Debris removal zones in Asheville
Today, contractors will have 30 trucks in Asheville:
Debris collection will continue across the city, including in city-owned parks, until all storm debris in the right of way and on public property has been collected.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Buncombe Helene recovery: Boil notice lifted, FEMA distributions
