ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The city of Asheville has received nearly $7 million in additional state and federal funding to support ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts following Tropical Storm Helene, city officials announced Monday.
The $6.9 million in combined funding includes more than $5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to rebuild a damaged fusegate on the auxiliary spillway at the North Fork Water Treatment Plant, a critical component of Asheville’s drinking water system.
City officials said the spillway system played a key role during Helene by helping prevent catastrophic flooding and protecting downstream communities.
Mayor Esther Manheimer credited state and federal partners for helping secure the funding, including U.S. Sen. Ted Budd.
“These federal dollars are crucial to rebuilding vital infrastructure like our water system,” Manheimer said in a statement. “This continued government support by both FEMA and the state allows us to move forward with our efforts to rebuild and serve the people of Asheville with consistency and resilience.”
The auxiliary spillway and fusegate were completed in 2021 as part of the North Fork Dam Improvement Project, designed to safely release excess water during major storm events.
Interim Water Resources Director Bill Hart said the system performed as intended during Helene, protecting the treatment plant’s earthen dam and preserving about 80 percent of the city’s drinking water supply.
“The auxiliary spillway at North Fork is perhaps the single most important project in our water system’s history,” Hart said in a statement. “This funding is critical to replacing the spillway’s tipped fusegate.”
Additional funding will be used to repair city infrastructure damaged during the storm, including:
- $158,419 for guardrail repairs
- $256,057 for construction of a temporary bridge at Hardesty Lane
- $909,177 for repairs to city parks
Parks slated for repairs include Aston Park Tennis Courts, Kenilworth Park, Montford Ballfield, Weaver Park, Roger Farmer Park, Eagle Street Park and Malvern Hills Park.
City officials said more information about recovery projects is available on Asheville’s Helene recovery website.
