In March, the Environmental Protection Agency revised its Lead and Copper Rule that strengthens regulations for eliminating lead from drinking water. The new requirements mandates, among other things, that water utilities nationwide increase tap water testing, and that they create a service line inventory to check for the presence of lead pipes in water systems, [...]
Asheville Water Resources continues to make improvements at its water treatment facilities. Current circumstances, combined with hot, dry weather, have produced water demand at a level that will be difficult to sustain. For this reason, the City of Asheville is asking our customers to take voluntary water conservation measures. You can reduce usage the following ways: Stop outdoor [...]
Asheville water bills went down in the past year following discontinuation of a capital fee on customers’ combined utility statement on July 1, 2020. At the same time, the City of Asheville did not raise water rates last year. With the new Fiscal Year 2021-2022 that begins July 1, Asheville water customers will see a slight [...]
Reprinted from American Water Works Association Carrying the sadness of losing a family member to suicide guided an Asheville Water Resources professional to reach out to a stranger he saw lingering at the edge of a highway overpass. The compassion of his action saved a life. Anthony “Buzz” Brown was driving down Sand Hill Road in his truck [...]
Understanding the continuing economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Asheville is extending the safeguarding of City utility accounts for all customers from shut-offs due to nonpayment. To be clear: Bills will not be forgiven, but rather customers who fell behind in payments will be offered payment plans to help them catch up [...]
Asheville Water Resources has identified seven areas for neighborhood water line replacements from late 2020 through 2021. This includes multiple water lines along bustling South Tunnel Road, which will be transferred to a newer larger existing waterline; 950 lineal feet of water line on Brevard Road; and other projects, including two residential areas in Buncombe [...]
Coming your way in 2021: smart water meters. At their Sept. 22 meeting, Asheville City Council authorized the City Manager to execute an agreement with Cavanaugh and Associates to develop, facilitate and complete the Request for Proposals process for selection of an “advanced metering infrastructure system.” That’s a mouthful but what it means is that the [...]
On March 13, in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, Asheville Water Resources suspended all water account disconnections due to non-payment of City of Asheville combined utility bills. On March 31, the state of North Carolina followed suit with an executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper that also suspended utility disconnections due to the [...]
After more than two years of construction, the North Fork Dam Improvement Project is nearing completion. This will deliver to our community a safer dam with more capacity to hold water from the reservoir and one that is better enforced against potential seismic activity. It is scheduled to be fully operational as of Oct. 31. As this [...]
In a continued effort to prevent significant damage in the event of a natural disaster (flood or earthquake), and to meet the regulatory standards and design requirements set by North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Dam Safety Division, the City of Asheville, in conjunction with consultants from Schnabel Engineering, identified and implemented proactive improvement measures [...]
The 2020 hurricane season is upon us, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above average amount of activity. According to NOAA forecasters, the outlook predicts a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season, and only a 10% chance of a below-normal season. The average [...]
A 5 million-gallon tank serves as a final stop before City of Asheville water is distributed through our pipes to homes, industry and businesses. It’s called a clearwell and, like other aspects of Asheville Water Resources facilities, it requires maintenance from time to time. That maintenance will begin June 15 at the North Fork Water Production [...]
Black Mountain customers who have received their water from the City of Asheville will now instead get it from the town of Black Mountain. About 415 customers are directly affected by this switch. The initial testing is set for June 8. This move is designed to: Increase water pressure in a lower-than-normal pressure area. Clearly define service areas for [...]
Beginning on Friday, some East Asheville water customers may experience discolored water, due to an unexpected and necessary repair. No water outages are expected, though water pressure may vary from May 15-22, while this repair is being completed. Asheville Water Resources is working to mitigate any impacts through flushing water lines in conjunction with this repair. [...]
As state and local public health officials begin to ease restrictions, and outline what businesses can reopen, we wanted to share with you some necessary water information and precautions. Although water has been flowing continuously through the City of Asheville’s water system, private plumbing lines at local businesses closed during the Stay Home, Stay Safe [...]
Water Production and Maintenance staff continue their work during this pandemic to ensure safe water supply. The City of Asheville is following CDC, state and Buncombe Health Department guidelines in all of our operations. The health and safety of our communities and employees is our highest priority. Here’s a look behind the scenes of Water Production [...]
In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, Asheville Water Resources will suspend all water account disconnections due to non-payment of City of Asheville combined utility bills. During this time, we want to ensure all Asheville water customers have access to clean drinking water and wastewater services. In suspending water disconnections, the City hopes to [...]