Mitchell County residents navigate water shortages and wastewater challenges after Helene
By Will Atwater
More than two weeks after the remnants of Hurricane Helene decimated western North Carolina communities, conditions are improving in the region. Yet, for many, what once was a simple act — filling a glass with water from the kitchen sink or flushing a toilet — still remains daunting, especially in parts of Mitchell County.
“There [are] still areas you can’t access unless you’re on a motorcycle […] communities that are tied off,” said Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Spruce Pine), who represents Mitchell County. “We’ve had an incredible outpouring from so many communities across the state and others, but we’re in a long-term recovery today.”
At an Oct. 15 news conference to discuss updates on Helene relief efforts, Gov. Roy Cooper said things are improving across the region.
“Federal, state and local partners, along with our volunteers and the private sector, have made significant progress in restoring power and restoring water and cell service, opening roads, distributing critical supplies and providing support to those who need it.” He added, “Our outages are now a little under 13,000, down from a million in the beginning. Closed roads are at 500, down from about 1,200, and many water systems and wells are operational. However, challenges do remain in restoring water to Asheville and some other communities.”
“Mitchell County Water Treatment System for the entire county, both towns, is gone,” Hise said. “It does not exist, and it’s unsalvageable. That’s a four-year process to put a water treatment plant back in. We don’t have a temporary solution to these things right now.”
Hise provided that grim picture on Oct. 9, the day the General Assembly convened to announce the passage of HB 149, a $273 million Hurricane Helene relief package. The bulk of funding, about $250 million, will support state agencies and local governments to help affected communities.
The relief package approved by the General Assembly, along with financial support offered to residents by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, should help speed things along.
But getting running water from the kitchen faucet will be a challenge for many for a long time to come.
Mitchell County’s uphill climb
Hise said the legislature’s relief package is good news for his constituents, and it brings some hope to soften the harsh reality people have endured for the past few weeks.
“I’m excited to be here today to see that we’re asking as a community for the support of the state — and the state of North Carolina is stepping up,” Hise said.
Mitchell County has roughly 15,000 residents and two incorporated towns: Bakersville (the county seat) and Spruce Pine. Bakersville is roughly 11 miles north of Spruce Pine, and “its water and sewer are functioning and back to normal,” David Biddix, a Mitchell County public information officer, told NC Health News by phone.
But the majority of Bakersfield residents were still without power as of Oct. 14, according to Biddix.
He said he was told by an official that currently “about half the customers on the Spruce Pine Water System have water, [and] it’s very fragile, meaning it can come and go — it’s a boil water advisory.”
Biddix also said that there’s an operation south of town, near the Parkway Fire Department and across from Grassy Creek Baptist Church on Highway 226, that’s treating water from Grassy Creek to make it potable. Residents can bring containers and get water.
Sewer system woes
“The town’s sewer plant, which sat alongside the North Toe River […] was totally destroyed,” Biddix said. “It’s gone and can’t come back up.”
Hise said that at the height of the flood, the plant was under 15 feet of water.
“The tanks don’t hold water any more,” he said. “All of the electronics are gone, two of the buildings are gone that were at the center.
“I mean, it’s intentionally built on the river.”
Elaborating on the loss of the wastewater treatment plant, Hise told NC Health News on Oct. 9 that officials are still searching for ways to restore the system but have come up with few answers.
He noted, “We tried to run the numbers for [transporting sewage] to the Asheville system, [which] would require 60 trucks running 24 hours a day.”
Hise also said the Town of Spruce Pine’s waste system processes 2 million gallons per day. With local industry shut down, that number has dropped to 600,000 gallons. That’s more manageable, but it is only short term.
“So we’re not going to run the industry for the next four years?” Hise asked. “That’s not going to work either.”
On Oct. 15, Biddix said town officials signed an agreement with an engineering company to “develop a short and mid range solution.” He said the short range plan may involve pumping from the lift station into large tankers and hauling it away.
“You’re talking almost 700,000 gallons a day,” he said. Officials have not announced a plan for addressing the longer term problem.
Biddix said that as of Oct. 15, the Town of Bakersville had removed its boil water advisory, but the advisory remains for Spruce Pine residents.
To date, the state has provided 650 portable toilets and 15 community care stations with showers and laundry facilities across western North Carolina, according to a North Carolina Emergency Management Joint Information spokesperson. Mitchell County has 13 portable toilets and a place where residents can fill containers with gray water for flushing.
Flush or not to flush
Although the wastewater treatment facility in Spruce Pine was destroyed by the storm, some people — Biddix among them — can flush their toilets.
“I’m on town water, but I have a septic system, so my town water is working fine, and I can flush my toilet because it’s not going back into the sewer,” Biddix said.
For those who are on the Spruce Pine municipal wastewater system and can’t flush due to the loss of the treatment plant, there are portable facilities available. However, if there are people who, for whatever reason, can’t flush and don’t yet have access to a portable toilet or comfort station, there is another alternative.
“In the absence of mobile bathroom units and gray water for flushing, I recommend considering temporary latrines,” said Musa Manga, assistant professor, Department of Engineering at UNC- Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health.
A latrine can range from a narrow trench cut into the ground to a deep hole, depending on whether it’s for one or several individuals to use.
“Depending on the local water table, this could be a practical solution,” Munga added. “Ideally, these latrines should be situated at least 30 meters away from any water sources to prevent contamination. They should also be dug to a depth of around two feet and covered when not in use to help reduce odor and deter pests.”
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