Progress North Fork Reservoir, Grant Programs Buncombe County

Buncombe County -- November 15, 2024: Press Release: Buncombe County Government  Progress at North Fork Reservoir,

Debris Removal on Private Properties, and Free Water Distribution Sites 

Storm Debris  

Right of way removal: current debris removal has been focusing on the public right of way and in highly impacted areas including the eastern portion of
 the County. Storm debris should be separated into categories including large appliances, construction debris, vegetative debris, hazardous waste, and electronics, and placed in the right of way. Trucks are making several passes, so not all debris will be picked
 up at the same time. Debris should not be placed in black trash bags; crews need to see debris to categorize it for proper handling.  

Private Property Debris Removal Program: a program to allow for debris removal on eligible private properties will open to Buncombe County, City of Asheville, and Black Mountain residents, on Tuesday, November 19. There will be an online application
 option, in-person application opportunities, and a special call center option for all debris related questions. By collecting rights of entry from private properties, contractors can scope properties to begin debris removal. This will be a long-term process.
 More information on this program coming early next week. 

Waterway Debris Removal: FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are conducting waterway assessments to determine eligible debris for removal which
 include those that pose an imminent threat to public infrastructure and improved property. This is happening in counties and cities that have requested waterway debris removal. The debris will be picked up by contractors after assessments.  

Water Restoration Updates 

North Fork Reservoir: Results for the lead and copper sample taken from source water at North Fork show negative for lead and a trace amount of copper
 below the action limit. As of early Friday morning, the turbidity reading at North Fork was 15.5. This is a tenth of a point increase in the highest level recorded on Thursday. The third round of in-reservoir treatment continues today. North Fork’s capacity
 to push treated water into the system has risen to a little more than 20 million gallons per day. 

Concurrent Pre-Treatment Project: The private contractor for The Army Corps of Engineers continues constructing the system for the pre-treatment project.

 Materials and equipment are arriving daily. 

DeBruhl Treatment Plant (Bee Tree): Water Resources is coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, USGS, and others for the removal of debris
 from around and within Bee Tree Reservoir along with the rebuilding of key access roads while the facility remains offline. 

Boil Water Notice: Every City of Asheville water customer remains under a Boil Water Notice. In the absence of bottled water or water that has been purified, any water intended for consumption should run through faucets for 30 seconds to two minutes
 and then boiled for a minimum of one minute. Due to reduced turbidity levels in the North Fork reservoir, Water Resources has
 been able to feed a sufficient amount of filtered water into the distribution system, without blending it with raw water, to meet demand. The use of treated water, combined with customer usage, indicates that the system has turned over, and the vast majority
 of raw water has been replaced with treated water. 

Because of this, crews can begin the sampling process, which Water Resources developed in conjunction with the Environmental Protection
 Agency and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, to potentially lift the boil water notice. Lifting the Boil Water Notice will allow residents to resume normal domestic water use, and for businesses to operate unrestricted. 

Homeowner Grant Program 

Qualified Buncombe County homeowners can receive financial assistance for housing-related costs such as property tax bills and homeowners' insurance. The Buncombe County Homeowner Grant program application period closes today but there is still time to apply.
 

Applications can be obtained at buncombecounty.org/homeownergrant or by calling (828) 250-5500. Phone support is available
in any language. 

A reminder that the Homeowner Grant Program is not a hurricane disaster relief program, its a program that is in its fourth year and is open to any eligible
 homeowners. We reopened applications for this program to give people more time to submit applications as the original deadline was on Sept. 30, shortly after the hurricane. 

Hazard Mitigation Grant 

Buncombe County residents can receive funding to make their homes more resilient through home projects that reduce the long-term risk and impacts of natural hazards, such as floods, wildfires, and storms. 

Through the program, there are three home or property projects including elevation, home mitigation reconstruction, and acquisition.  

1. The elevation project raises the home as is and builds a new foundation that raises the first floor above the 100-year flood elevation.  

2. The mitigation reconstruction project demolishes the old home, build a new, higher foundation and a new home on the foundation.  

3. The acquisition project buys the property from the homeowner at the value of the property the day prior to the disaster, the home is demolished, and the property remains as greenspace into perpetuity.