Shiloh Water Service Line Inventory and Replacement

Happening Now

The City of Asheville Water Resources has received a total of $3.99 million in funding to help determine the water service line material on both sides of a water meter – the utility- and customer-owned sections. The funding will allow the City to replace any water service lines that are found to be lead or galvanized iron pipe on both the utility- and customer-owned sections.

The Water Resources Department has developed a plan for the Shiloh Community customer outreach. The plan includes community meetings, outreach via phone calls and text messages, mailers, and door hangers. Customer participation is necessary to be included in this project. Although participation is crucial to the success of the project, participation is voluntary.

For a comprehensive explanation of this project and the Water Resources Department’s overall service line inventory initiative, visit the Shiloh Community Project presentation or the City of Asheville Lead Awareness Page.

Why Shiloh?

This area was chosen because it meets the following criteria established by the City and the terms of the grant:

Water mains that serve these areas were installed when lead and galvanized pipe were commonly used for service line material.
Homes in the area were, for the most part, built between the 1930s and the 1970s.
When the streets in the Shiloh community were selected they were considered a historically disadvantaged area, per the City’s Climate Justice Map and the state of North Carolina’s Department of Water Infrastructure Map.

Shiloh Community Phase 1: Streets involved in the Inventory and Replacement Project

Taft Avenue
Jeffress Avenue
Grant Avenue
Century Boulevard
Gaines Avenue
Hampton Street
Caribou Road from Hampton Street Intersection to Ardmore Street

Shiloh Community Phase 2: Streets involved in the Inventory and Replacement Project

Southern side of Shiloh Road
Booker Street
Forest Street
Seminole Street
Caribou Road from Forest Street to Hendersonville Road
Imperial Court
Deanwood Circle
Dawnwood Condominiums
Forestdale Street
Adamswood Road

Background

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented the new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) in early 2021, requiring all public water utilities to develop a water service line inventory. The Water Resources Department had previously started a Lead Awareness Program that included free service line inspections and testing drinking water for lead.

Water Resources has applied for a total of $4 million in funding from the North Carolina Department of Water Infrastructure (NCDWI) for the replacement of lead and galvanized service lines.

Shiloh Community Service Line Inventory and Replacement Project

Phase 1 Information

On April 30, 2023 Water Resources applied for $2 million in funding and NC DWI approved the City’s application in November 2023. Community outreach for Phase I began in January 2024, whose area is shown in maps below. Outreach included door hangers that provided information and an opportunity to sign up for participation in the project. Water Resources also attended two community meetings at the Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center on February 5, 2024, and February 26, 2024, both of which included a presentation on the project. Staff shared project details and answered community members’ questions.

Phase 2 Information

On March 1, 2024, Water Resources applied for another $2 million in funding. NCDWI approved the City’s application on May 29, 2024. Community Outreach began in August 2024. Outreach included door hangers notifying residents of project and the options on how to sign up to participate.

The project will be performed in a two step process:

Inventory Process – a contractor hired by the city will dig a small hole on either side of the meter (a total of two holes) to determine service line material on the city-owned and customer-owned portions of the service line. We need to do this at every home on the streets that are listed for the project. All residents need to participate in order for the City Water Department to meet the funding requirements, ensure the best use of the funding provided by NCDWI and to create an accurate service line inventory.
Replacement Process – Only lead or galvanized iron pipe service lines will be replaced during the project. Customers who participated will be notified if they qualify. A contractor hired by the city will replace service lines on either the city-owned or customer-owned side. The replacement will occur depending on the date the customer signed the agreement.

Hurricane Helene Delay

Hurricane Helene delayed this process due to the devastating impact it placed on the City of Asheville Water System. We appreciate the Shiloh Community’s patience and look forward to moving forward with the project as quickly as possible. Please see the timeline below for additional information about the project.

Project Estimated Timeline

Estimated Project Timeline
Milestone	Estimated Completion Date
Inventory Process – Engineering and Investigation Efforts
Contract for Engineering Services	Approved 7/23/24
City outreach to residents in the project area	Ongoing
Engineering Report Submittal & Approval from NC Department of Water Infrastructure (NCDWI)	August 2025 – November 2025
Bid & Design Package for Inventory Submittal and Approval to NCDWI	August 2025 – November 2025
Advertise Inventory Project for Inventory, Receive Bids, Submit Bid Information, and Receive Authority to Award (ATA).	December 2025 – January 2026
Shiloh Community Outreach – Door hangers & Community Meeting with City project manager and contractor.	March 2026
Inventory Process to Completion	March 2026 – April 2026
Replacement Process
Bid & Design Package for Inventory Submittal and Approval to NCDWI	May 2026 – June 2026
Advertise Inventory Project for Inventory, Receive Bids, Submit Bid Information, and Receive Authority to Award (ATA).	May 2026 – June 2026
Advertise Project, Receive Bids, Submit Bid Information, and Receive ATA	July 2026
Execute Construction Contract(s)	August 2026
Shiloh Community Outreach – Door hangers & Community Meeting with City project manager and contractor	August 2026
Replacement Project Complete	September 2026 – December 2026

Supporting Documents

City of Asheville Lead Awareness Page

Project of Scope of Work Submitted to State 12/1/23– Project scope will be updated to include Phase 2 of the project in August 2024.

Project Map of Phase 1 Area– Map of Phase 1 Project Area – Taft Avenue, Jeffress Avenue, Grant Avenue, Century Boulevard, Gaines Avenue, Hampton Street, Caribou Road from Hampton Street Intersection to Ardmore Street.

Project Map of Phase 2 Area– Map of Phase 2 Project Area – Southern side of Shiloh Road, Booker Street, Forest Street, Seminole Street, Caribou Road from Forest Street to Hendersonville Road, Imperial Court, Deanwood Circle, Dawnwood Condominiums, Forestdale Street, Adamswood Road.