City of Asheville lifts boil water notice seven weeks after Helene

(NewsNation) — Asheville, North Carolina, residents tin safely portion from the pat present that the citywide boil h2o announcement has been lifted, the city's h2o section announced Tuesday. The announcement came much than 7 weeks aft Helene, the deadliest hurricane to deed the U.S. since Katrina, swept done the Southeast.

Officials had been flushing the h2o strategy for a week until Saturday erstwhile nary earthy oregon untreated h2o remained, according to city spokesperson Clay Chandler. They tested 120 samples implicit the weekend.

"Customers whitethorn resume mean usage of the h2o system. It is nary longer advisable to usage bottled h2o for consumption," Chandler said astatine a quality conference.

The tempest damaged h2o lines astatine the North Forth Reservoir, Asheville's h2o source, forcing residents to trust connected bottled h2o for drinking, cooking and bathing for adjacent to 55 days.

The metropolis expects a surge successful h2o demand, truthful residents should debar large-volume usage, including filling bathtubs, watering yards and taking agelong showers.

Western North Carolina was deed hard erstwhile Helene struck Sept. 27, wiping retired infrastructure and knocking retired powerfulness for weeks. At slightest 42 radical died successful Buncombe County wherever Asheville is located.

Schools remained closed for astir a period owed to undrinkable h2o and roadworthy repairs.

"We recognize that an archetypal disruption successful h2o service, followed by not having potable h2o retired of the tap, was disruptive and frustrating, and we convey you for hanging successful determination with us," Chandler said.