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    • Buncombe Helene Recovery: Asheville Holiday Parade Canceled
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    Buncombe Helene Recovery: Asheville Holiday Parade Canceled

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    The Buncombe County Helene recovery meeting on Friday, November 15th covered a target date for the area’s boil water notice to be lifted, a date when debris collection from private property will be available and more.

    Also included were daily updates on food and water distribution and the locations of Community Care Centers where showers, laundry and other essentials are available.

    Briefings go live on Buncombe County Facebook page at 11 a.m. on weekdays. You can also find recordings of previous briefings on the page. Here’s what was covered in Friday’s briefing.

    The Asheville Holiday Parade has been canceled

    City staff are focusing on essential cleanup, infrastructure repair and support for affected residents. Because of this, the traditional holiday parade will not be able to take place.

    “We are focused on how we can safely and efficiently bring holiday cheer to our community in a way that supports our ongoing storm recovery work,” said City Manager Deborah Campbell.

    Instead of a full-scale parade, the city is introducing a “Holiday Jamboree,” a community gathering at Pack Square Park on Saturday, Nov. 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It aims to celebrate community resilience and bring residents together.

    When will Asheville’s boil water notice be lifted? Asheville Water Updates

    Asheville Water Resources representative Clay Chandler said the results of a lead and copper sample from the North Fork source water came back negative for lead, although traces of copper were detected well below limits.

    Turbidity on November 15 was 15.5, a slight increase from November 14, the first day in weeks that turbidity did not decrease.

    Over 20 million gallons per day are pushed through the system daily. Contractors for the USACE project continue to work 24 hours a day. The deadline for the completion of the project remains the same: from the end of November to the beginning of December. Debris removal continues at DeBruhl with help from FEMA and other organizations.

    Chandler added that the mechanism used to push raw water into the system will be taken offline beginning Friday evening, Nov. 15, because the use of treated water combined with customer use has provided data he believes is sufficient to conclude that the system has, for the most part, turned around, replacing most of the raw water with treated water.

    This also means that water officials can begin the sampling process to be able to lift the boil water notice. This process and plan was developed with the EPA and DEQ and will begin tomorrow, November 16th. The total number of tests required is 120; based on a daily rate of about 40 samples, this process should end late Monday, November 18.

    These bacterial samples have an incubation period of 18-24 hours, meaning by the afternoon or evening of Tuesday, November 19, Water Services will have an understanding of the health of the distribution system and whether it will it is possible to lift the boil. water notice.

    Hazard Mitigation Program

    Hazard reduction personnel from NC Emergency Management will be available today, Friday, November 15, at the Asheville Mall to assist property owners at the Asheville Mall between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

    This program helps protect against further damage and loss following a disaster, with options such as buying homes at their pre-storm value, raising homes above the estimated level of a 100-year storm, and more.

    To start applying online, visit ncdps.gov/our-organization/emergency-management/disaster-recovery/hazard-mitigation-grants-information-request

    More: Buncombe County homeowners can apply for Helene assistance through 2 additional programs

    Repairs of private roads and bridges

    Funding for repairs to private roads and bridges is available even if the owner’s home is not damaged. Visit disasterassistance.govcall 1-800-621-3362 or visit the Disaster Recovery Center, open daily at the Asheville Mall from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

    Aid for the recovery of small businesses

    For-profit businesses in Buncombe County and the City of Asheville are eligible to receive grants of up to $25,000 to support recovery expenses not covered by insurance or other funding sources.

    Applications are open today until November 27 and can be found at mountainbizworks.org/abgrants/ *available in Spanish*

    Community care posts

    Community care stations are open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with showers, laundry and more. All community care stations now have ADA accessible showers and bathrooms. Laundry drop-off and pick-up is available at Swannanoa Ingles.

    The locations of the community care posts are:

    • At Home store parking lot on Brevard Road
    • Big Lots/Innsbrook Mall
    • Buncombe County Sports Park
    • Bethel United Methodist
    • Fairview English
    • Swannanoa Ingles
    • Owen Poole
    • Morgan Hill Baptist Church

    Where to get food and water in Buncombe County

    Water and ready-to-eat food are available daily at distribution points at:

    • Sky Lanes bowling alley
    • Black Mountain English
    • Swannanoa Ingles
    • Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
    • Pack Square Park
    • Buncombe County Sports Park

    More: Lead found in water at 7 Asheville-area elementary schools: What we know

    Launch date of private property debris removal program

    The Private Property Debris Removal Schedule will be launched on Tuesday, November 19th. There will be an online application option, in-person applications and a call center for scrap questions. More information to come early next week.

    Why is the US Army Corps of Engineers in Asheville?

    Corey Koger of the US Army Corps of Engineers provided an update on the debris and provided answers to some frequently asked questions. He described some of the USACE projects.

    First, Koger explained the efforts to remove the right-of-way debris. The right-of-way is the strip of land at the edge of your property, including utilities and sidewalk, approximately 10-15 feet from the edge of the street. This is where debris should be taken if you want assistance removing debris from the right-of-way.

    Different trucks pick up different materials because there are separate disposal sites. Do not put waste in black plastic bags as it slows down the collection process. Because of these separate disposal sites, the USACE has required that anyone placing debris in a right-of-way separate that debris into these categories at the curb:

    • Instruments
    • Household hazardous waste such as batteries, paints, varnishes, pesticides, etc.
    • electronic
    • Vegetation
    • Remains of constructions and demolitions

    Koger added that although they mulch vegetative debris, this mulch will not be used because of the potential hazards. USACE is not responsible for clearing landslide debris. Contact your local emergency management for landslide debris collection.

    Next, Koger provided some additional information about the private property debris removal program. Because the right-of-way runs from public or private streets, the USACE does not currently enter the properties. Collection of entry fees will be performed by contractors for the city or county to allow contractors to discover properties through the PPDR. After this, debris removal can be performed. Koger reminded the audience that this is a long-term process that doesn’t happen overnight.

    Finally, Koger explained that FEMA and USACE teams are currently conducting waterway assessments to determine what debris is eligible for collection. At the moment, this is mainly debris that could pose a threat to the public. Once the eligible debris has been determined, they will establish, contract and begin collecting waterway debris.

    Vehicles, vessels and title property are not disposed of by the USACE. Instead, they will put local municipalities in circulation to collect through formal processes that cannot be completed through the body.

    Rental Assistance Programs

    As of Oct. 22, the Asheville City Council authorized the allocation of $1 million in existing city resources to support rental assistance. The city has since engaged with Eblen Charities to administer rental assistance. City Manager Deborah Campbell explained that staff has confirmed that Eblen will provide equitable access to city residents seeking assistance, including undocumented individuals and households.

    This means ensuring that the documentation requirements do not exclude anyone who is undocumented or unable to meet the typical requirements due to storm losses. In previous cases, Eblen required a Social Security number because of funding source requirements. However, with city funding, immigration status is not a limitation and should not be a barrier.

    Like other service providers, Eblen has received a large increase in requests, affecting applicant turnaround. They worked to hire additional employees, increasing staff by 42%.

    Asheville Debris Collection

    As of Nov. 13, more than 81,732 cubic yards of storm debris has been collected in Asheville. Work is still focused on clearing the public right-of-way. Residents and businesses are encouraged to sort debris and take it to the curb.

    Today, entrepreneurs will have 30 trucks running in areas:

    • Zone 1 – 1 truck
    • Zone 2 – 1 truck
    • Zone 3 – 6 trucks
    • Zones 4 and 5 – 8 trucks
    • Zone 6 – 6 trucks
    • Zones 7 and 8 – 8 trucks

    Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Contact her at [email protected].

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