The Thursday, Oct. 31, Buncombe County Helene recovery briefing covered a water system update, upcoming voting deadlines, FEMA assistance advice 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 daily on the Buncombe County Facebook page at 11 a.m. You can also find recordings of past briefings on the page. Here’s what was covered in Thursday’s briefing.
How did Helene affect the French Broad River?
Hartwell Carson, French Broad Riverkeeper for MountainTrue, said that his responsibility to clean up and protect the French Broad River has become much more difficult and even more important post-Helene. The group has been working to asses the impact Helene had on the river, including studying levels of trash, pollutants and sediment in waterways.
Carson said they have taken about a dozen e. coli samples across the entire French Broad watershed. The results were “better than anticipated” given broken sewer lines and damaged wastewater treatment plants.
“They’re certainly not levels where you’re going to want to go swimming, but they’re not nearly as bad as I feared,” Carson said.
The organization has also tested for about 135 chemical pollutants. Though only one result has returned so far from the Marshall area, this result was also better than anticipated — only two pollutants were detected, with only one that could prove harmful to human health (petrochemicals). Carson added that the levels of found petrochemicals weren’t “particularly troublesome” as human health risks.
Well sampling in Buncombe County and surrounding areas is being conducted by MountainTrue to determine how many wells have been contaminated. Carson said that these samples have showed about a 30% failure rate of wells, which is overall better than what the state is seeing.
Finally, Carson shared that river cleanup is being conducted in locations that are safe to access once a week — one was happening along the greenway in Asheville as of Oct. 31. Though Carson said it may seem like a “drop in the bucket” he added that the process is important. Crews are focusing on important economic areas first such as areas of the river where outfitting businesses are hoping to reopen in the spring and summer.
Follow along at mountaintrue.org or on MountainTrue social media accounts for information on cleanups, water test results and more.
Water system updates
Clay Chandler, representative for Asheville’s Water Resources Department, gave an update on the water system. Chandler explained that he wasn’t present for his usual Wednesday slot Oct. 30, as he was visiting North Fork to observe the treatment process that began Wednesday morning.
The final anchoring of curtains in the reservoir was completed Wednesday afternoon. Water services will finish the second round of treatment today, Oct. 31, including treating areas inside the curtain.
Chandler added that weather conditions were excellent for treatment and offered some positive insight on the quality of the water in the reservoir.
“Even though it was overcast, you could still see the reflections of the mountains in the water,” Chandler said. “That is a very, very good sign. That’s a sign that the water is starting to clear up.”
Turbidity levels are at 21.2, down from 21.9 at the end of the day Tuesday, Oct. 29. Water services is hopeful that the treatment process will speed up the drop in turbidity. Levels will be measured over the weekend. Chandler said that the department will have a better idea on Monday, Nov. 4, of how much the curtains and second round of treatment are going to speed things up.
Hearts with Hands Thanksgiving meal distribution
Hearts with Hands will host a Thanksgiving meal and supply distribution Nov. 27 from noon-4 p.m. The event will be a drive-thru at the Hearts with Hands Warehouse at Exit 55 at 850 Warren Wilson Road in Swannanoa.
Register heartswithhands.org or call 828-667-1912 by Monday, Nov. 25 at noon. Each registered family member will receive a complimentary meal including turkey, sides, desserts and drinks. A variety of essential items will also be provided including cleaning products, hygiene kits, paper products, non-perishable food boxes, baby and pet supplies and more.
FEMA assistance information
County Manager Avril Pinder said that if you applied for FEMA assistance, you should receive a letter explaining the organization’s decision within 10 days. Read your letter carefully, and stay in touch as more information may be needed for approval.
If you are approved, you may receive funds by direct deposit or U.S. Treasury check based on your choice on application. The first payment you receive may be for essentials like food and water. You could also receive funds to hire a contractor to provide an estimate for home repairs.
If your situation changes, you may be eligible for further disaster assistance. If you’re not approved, FEMA may need additional info, which will be explained in your determination letter, so read it carefully. The fastest way to submit additional information is to upload to your account at disasterassistance.gov. You can appeal any FEMA decision or reward amount by sending documents that show you need more help such as estimates for repair, bills, etc.
Community Care Centers now ADA accessible
Community Care Centers are open daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. with showers, laundry and more. All Community Care Centers now have ADA accessible showers and bathrooms. Laundry drop-off and pickup is available at the Swannanoa Ingles. The locations are:
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A.C. Reynolds High School
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At Home Store parking lot
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Big Lots/Innsbrook mall
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Buncombe County Sports Park
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Bethel United Methodist
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Swannanoa Ingles
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Owen Pool
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Morgan Hill Baptist Church
Free vaccines in Buncombe County
Buncombe County registered nurses and the Mobile Team are offering free Tdap, COVID, Flu and Hep A vaccines at Community Care sites including:
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Swannanoa Ingles: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 12-6 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
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Buncombe County Sports Park: Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.
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Big Lots: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 12-6 p.m.
Buncombe County food and water distribution sites
Water and meals ready to eat are available at distribution sites open every day at:
One Buncombe Call Center
The One Buncombe Call Center is ready to answer any Helene-related questions at 828-250-6100. The call center is open every day from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mobile Disaster Recovery Center closes
The mobile Disaster Recovery Center at Buncombe County Sports Parks will close today, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. A new location will be announced soon. The Disaster Recovery Center at Cane Creek Pool continues to be open every day from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
More: Helene one month later: Asheville’s resilience bonds city after storm. ‘I want to be here’
Free cleaning products, essentials
The YWCA is distributing supplies like cleaning products, food and essentials for babies on Thursdays and Tuesdays from 1-4 p.m. at 185 S. French Broad Ave.
Red Cross blood drive
Provide support to your community by contributing to the Red Cross blood drive at Pack Memorial Library in downtown Asheville until 3:30 p.m. today, Oct. 31. You’ll also receive a treat bag and a limited-edition Red Cross Halloween t-shirt while helping to restore a critically low supply of blood in the Buncombe area.
Voting in Buncombe County
Corinne Duncan, Director of Elections for Buncombe County, said that more than 94,000 voters have already turned out, with Election Day less than a week away. In Buncombe, these numbers mean that nearly half of the registered voters in the county have already voted.
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot has passed. The Election Services Office at 59 Woodfin Place must receive your ballot by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5, for your vote to be counted. Mail the ballot or drop it off in person at the office or any early voting location.
There are three days left to vote early, with early voting locations closing at 3 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 2. Remember to bring your photo ID or be prepared to fill out an exception form. If you don’t have a photo ID, you can stop by the Elections Services Office to get one for free. You can also Same Day Register during early voting. Bring ID and proof of residency.
The county’s 10 early voting locations include:
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Black Mountain Library
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East Asheville Library
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Enka-Candler Library
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Fairview Library
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South Buncombe Library
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West Asheville Library
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UNCA Health & Counseling Center (new location)
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Weaverville Community Center
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Dr. Wesley Grant Southside Center
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Leicester Community Center
Seventeen of 80 Election Day voting locations have changed post-Helene. Notification cards have been sent to anyone affected. Changes are also listed on the website at buncombecounty.org/vote. Voting on Election Day is 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
More: Most powerful voters: NC ranks No. 2 in US. Here’s why, plus voting info for Buncombe
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: French Broad River impacts, water system
