Water

Every week until Labor Day weekend, the Wake Water Quality Lab is taking samples from recreational areas across the county to check for the levels of E. coli and enterococcus bacteria.

Upgrades to the Kerr Lake Regional Water System's treatment plant are underway. Oxford officials warn that if the General Assembly claws the money back, that may cause an unexpected spike to water bills.

The N.C. dental board adopted emergency measures to give dentists in western N.C. more flexibility to reopen offices.

The city of Asheville has restored running water to most of its users nearly a month after Hurricane Helene damaged infrastructure and killed more than 200 people around the region. A boil water notice will remain in effect indefinitely as workers clear sediment from reservoirs and run water quality tests. Some residents find the guidelines for daily tasks without potable water lengthy and confusing.

In areas like Buncombe County, people are drilling wells to have a backup water source in the event of future weather-related crises.

Hurricane Helene’s flood waters may have contaminated drinking water across western North Carolina. Residents with overtopped wells must boil and test the water before concluding it’s safe.

Hurricane Helene severely damaged drinking water utilities in the Southeast. Western North Carolina was especially hard hit. Flooding tore through the city of Asheville's water system, destroying so much infrastructure that officials said repairs could take weeks.

Some towns are providing assistance for people on private systems, about half the state’s households.

A variety of health problems have been linked to contaminated water on the North Carolina Marine Corps base between 1953 and 1987.

State environmental officials are working to adopt groundwater and surface water standards for toxic chemicals known as PFAS. But the rule making process is taking longer than expected.