Important things to know before water service is restored

UPDATE: On Sunday, Asheville, North Carolina officials issued a boil water advisory for customers in Downtown, north Asheville, and south Asheville. The south Asheville areas affected include from Biltmore Avenue south to the Blue Ridge Parkway, including all of Sweeten Creek Road, Mills Gap Road, Concord Road and surrounding areas. The Shiloh and Oakley areas are also affected. The Boil Water Notice is due to loss of pressure in distribution system pipes and levels of turbidity (particles) in the water.Officials said there is contamination due to impacts from Hurricane Helene including the potential for untreated water in the distribution system from pipe breaks and levels of turbidity that exceed Safe Drinking Water Act standards initially used to restore water pressure. Your water may look cloudy and/or have a chlorine odor. Customers are required to vigorously boil tap water for one minute before consuming it. Once laboratory testing of the system confirms the possibility of risk is not present, customers will receive notification that the boil water notice has been lifted via the same method you received this notice.Water can be used for flushing toilets, washing hands, laundry and bathing. City officials ask residents to monitor small children during bathing to ensure they do not accidentally drink the water. Infants can be given sponge baths. What to do before water service returns:Flip off the breaker to your water heater. Turn off water to your water heater. Turn off hot water under your sinks. Remove aerator (it typically unscrews) on faucets. Turn off the ice maker.Turn off water to your whole house filter, if you have one.What to do when your water service returns:Flush your home plumbing by running the bathtub’s cold water faucet.Your water heater may be turned back on once your home’s plumbing has been flushed.It’s safe to flush your toilet after completing steps 1 and 2.When the boil water notice is lifted, residents should wait two to three hours, then flush only the cold water lines for 10-15 minutes. If discolored water persists, call customer service at 828-251-1122. Previous Story below:Buncombe County, North Carolina, officials said some areas will soon have water service restored.Water resources staff began pressuring and filling the North Fork Bypass line, officials said. The challenge crews currently face is the amount of sediment in the reservoir. During the briefing, Clayton Chandler said, “Once that system starts to get pressurized, it’s going to be Whack-a-Mole to where there is damage that we haven’t even seen yet because we can’t see the pipes, but when water starts flowing through them where there is a hole in the pipe, it’s gonna shoot pretty much straight up in there, and it’s just going to depend on what level of damage we’re dealing with in this first stage.”According to city leaders, a private contractor will install curtains in the reservoir to create a section where water particles can be clumped together so they become heavy and fall to the bottom. This is a new method the city is using to make this water usable. Usually, this is done through a filtration system, but the water is too murky. This same treatment process is happening in stages to get sediment to settle at the reservoir.Because the North Fork Water Treatment Plant is not able to be used at the time, crews will begin pressurizing the distribution system directly from reservoir water instead of going through the treatment plant. Officials said areas are being restored incrementally with the process moving west from Northfork to Asheville.Crews recognized Swannanoa as ground zero for the water system destruction, and work will take place there starting this weekend. Once crews move past Swannanoa, the process of water restoration will hopefully be easier and faster. As areas begin to receive water, officials provide important safety measures that residents should know:When water becomes available it is important to note it will have more sediment than usual. Turn off icemakers and cut off water from toilets while not in use. If you have water from the city of Asheville, you are under a boil water notice. You must boil this water vigorously for at least one minute before you can use it for consumption, such as cooking, brushing teeth and drinking. It is safe to use this water for showers; however, avoid getting water in the mouth. Sponge baths may be more appropriate for babies and small children. If you get water that looks dirty, close the valve to your hot water heater to prevent sediment from accumulating. If you begin receiving water that looks dirty, shut the power off to your water heater to prevent sediment from accumulating. When clean water is restored, you can turn this back on. If you do not have water, turn your water heater off to prevent a fire from occurring. You can turn this back on when clean water is restored. Because Black Mountain has multiple water sources, some residents have begun receiving water. If you have water in Black Mountain do not drink it or give it to pets, even if you boil it, it is not safe to consume. Only use it to flush your toilet. Due to falling temperatures, Black Mountain fire Chief John Coffey urges people to follow safe heating practices. These guidelines include: Do not use ovens, BBQ grills, or anything else inside your home that is not approved for home heating. Call your fire department to get more guidance. Follow safety recommendations for generators, and do not operate it inside your home. It must be at least 20 feet away from your house and with vents or windows due to carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms include headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, and more. Seek fresh air and call 911. Use a carbon monoxide detector with working batteries. Water distribution sites are still set up for people who need it.