Learn more about our water, the environment and waste reduction

Teachers and Educators

The City of Asheville Water Resources Department (WRD) has a flexible education program for students of various ages. The Water Resources Department promotes conservation and sustainability of vital resources.

We offer tours of our conventional water treatment plant and gravity fed treatment plant for schools interested in a field day.

For general inquiries and questions contact Elizabeth Mueller, emueller@ashevillenc.gov, (828) 552-1732

Tour Requests

School group tour requests are reviewed individually. For the safety and security of the WRD property and your attendees, the basic guidelines include:

  • Requests must be made a minimum of two weeks in advance
  • Tours are hosted on weekdays starting as early as 8:30a.m. with the last available start time at 3:30 p.m.
  • The tour schedule can be modified to meet the needs of your group, typically lasting about one hour
  • Tour groups should not exceed 22 attendees (including teachers/chaperones)
  • Adult to children ratio should not exceed 1:10 for students under 16 years of age
  • All visitors must read and sign our waiver before visiting the treatment plant
  • Attendees will be required to adhere to all safety requirements at the treatment plant
  • Driver’s license may be required, if applicable
  • Proper apparel and closed toes shoes must be worn on day of visit
Request a Tour

School Visits

If transportation is not an option for your group, we are open to visiting your school to deliver a lesson in the environment and water quality. We are also open to educational and outreach opportunities for all ages. Please complete this form if you would like a Water Resource Department representative to come to your classroom or attend an event you are hosting.

Request a Visit

Our Commitment to Environmental Conscientiousness 

ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System

In 2004 the City of Asheville Water Resources Department became the first water utility in North Carolina to be certified by NSF to ISO 14001 and has maintained it’s certification for over twenty-one years. This certification demonstrates our dedication to environmentally mindful and protective practices and procedures throughout the Department.

The Water Resources Department is committed to managing and protecting the community’s resources and to providing the highest quality of water service to customers through our Environmental Management System:

  • Continuous Improvement in the product, systems, and processes to maximize customer satisfaction;
  • Communication among and between staff, customers, vendors, contractors, and governing board;
  • Compliance with relevant federal, state, and local environmental regulations;
  • Commitment to a clean, healthy environment through the prevention of pollution.

NC Environmental Stewardship Initiative 

The WRD is also a proud Partner of the voluntary Environmental Stewardship Initiative (ESI) program through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ).  NCDEQ’s support comes from being recognized for our commitment to going above and beyond in reducing our environmental impact.

                     

Other ways we are invested in our environmental impact

We are reducing our impact through various aspects and initiatives. Some of these include:

  • Recycling lab products that are commonly thrown away through a third-party organization
  • Reducing energy usage through LED light bulb conversions at all WRD locations
  • Removing single-use plastics in the workplace
  • Collaborating with Waste Reduction Partners for confidential, no-charge, no-obligation water use audits of high-use customers
  • Participating in quarterly Hard2Recycle and FreeStore events
  • Supporting the Mills River Partnership
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