The City of Asheville continues to provide Tropical Storm Helene recovery resource updates on a daily basis.
The City of Asheville Water Resources Department is ramping up efforts to meet growing demand for lead and copper testing, while also providing new insights into the impact of Tropical Storm Helene on the city’s watershed.
Lead and Copper Testing Strategy
The City of Asheville is encouraging residents, particularly those with homes built prior to 1988, to participate in the city’s free lead and copper drinking water testing program. Testing is especially recommended for households with pregnant or nursing individuals and children under the age of six.
As of December 9, the city has received more than 6,600 requests for lead testing. In response, Water Resources is working to increase testing capacity by contracting with additional North Carolina State-certified laboratories.
The standard turnaround time for lead test results is typically 2-3 weeks. However, due to heightened demand, the city is currently estimating a 4-6 week processing period for most test results.
Priority testing is being focused on:
- Schools and childcare facilities: These facilities serve vulnerable populations, including children under 6, and are geographically distributed throughout the water system, providing key insight into overall system health.
- Homes in the city’s compliance testing pool: These properties were last tested for lead and copper in July 2024, offering an opportunity to compare results before and after system restoration.
These targeted sampling efforts are part of a broader strategy to ensure that optimal corrosion control has been restored in the water system. Results from these priority tests will be shared publicly on the city’s Water Services Recovery page.
The initial round of results from customer requests are already posted on the Water Services Recovery page, and they are very encouraging. Out of 159 samples taken from private homes in mid-late November, nine had a detectable lead level, although only three either matched or exceeded the EPA’s lead action level of 0.015 parts per million on the first draw – meaning, water was collected straight from the tap, without allowing it to run beforehand.
After running the water for 30 seconds, none of the samples had detectable levels of lead. This underscores the importance of flushing your system if water has sat dormant for six hours or more.
To increase accessibility for the testing kits, the Water Resources Department is working in partnership with Asheville Fire Department (AFD) to establish test kit pick-up and drop-off sites. Site locations and operating hours will be announced as soon as they are finalized.
Watershed Assessment
Drone footage captured by Asheville Police Department’s drone team provides a new perspective on the damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene to the North Fork watershed. The aerial view revealed:
- Thousands of uprooted trees
- Multiple and significant landslides
- Significant shifts in the topography of large portions of the watershed
This information will help inform the city’s response strategy and guide future restoration work within the watershed. The drone footage can be found in the Water Recovery Briefing here.
For more information on Water Recovery efforts please visit the City of Asheville’s Water Services Recovery page.