State

Photos: Flush bucket brigades and airlifts; running water still not restored in much of flood-ravaged Western NC

By Travis Long , Robert Willett and Ethan Hyman
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com

Running water has yet to be restored in many cities and towns in Western North Carolina after devastating flooding from Helene ripped up water mains and shut down water-treatment plants across the region.

Previously simple tasks like flushing toilets in an apartment building require bucket brigades, often meaning carrying buckets of water up multiple flights of stairs, with volunteers filling in for those who need help.

Photos from the efforts across the mountains are here:

Leeza Regensburger with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, fills a large tank of drinking water for residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Leeza Regensburger with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, fills a large tank of drinking water for residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Volunteers with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, fill bottles of drinking water for residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, fill bottles of drinking water for residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul buckets of gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul buckets of gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Volunteers with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, fill bottles of drinking water for residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, fill bottles of drinking water for residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul buckets of gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Volunteers organized by grassroots group BeLoved Asheville haul buckets of gray water to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Tristan Trechsel, a volunteer with grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, flushes a toilet with gray water in a iow-income independent living facility, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Tristan Trechsel, a volunteer with grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, flushes a toilet with gray water in a iow-income independent living facility, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Mateo Crane, with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, carries plungers to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024.. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system.
Mateo Crane, with the grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, carries plungers to help residents in low-income independent living facilities, with no running water, flush their toilets on Wednesday, October. 8, 2024.. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Hannah Huston, a volunteer with grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, unclogs a toilet for Jesse Cook who lives in a iow-income independent living facility, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 10, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Volunteers haul gray water in 5-gallon buckets to flush toilets to help reduce the risk of illness.
Hannah Huston, a volunteer with grassroots group BeLoved Asheville, unclogs a toilet for Jesse Cook who lives in a iow-income independent living facility, with no running water on Wednesday, October. 10, 2024. About half of Asheville’s water customers were still without running water this week because the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped apart the city’s distribution system. Volunteers haul gray water in 5-gallon buckets to flush toilets to help reduce the risk of illness. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
A volunteer run, Hurricane Helene relief distribution center has been set up at the Harley Davidson dealership on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Swannanoa, N.C. Helicopters shuttle supplies in and back out to remote regions in the area cut off by the storm.
A volunteer run, Hurricane Helene relief distribution center has been set up at the Harley Davidson dealership on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Swannanoa, N.C. Helicopters shuttle supplies in and back out to remote regions in the area cut off by the storm. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Volunteers fill water containers for residents of Black Mountain, N.C. at the Ingles store on NC 9 on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
Volunteers fill water containers for residents of Black Mountain, N.C. at the Ingles store on NC 9 on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Paul Bloemendaal, 13, washes utensils with water from a two gallon container in their home in Banner Elk, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. The Bloemendaal’s power has been restored but there is no estimate on when they will get water back.
Paul Bloemendaal, 13, washes utensils with water from a two gallon container in their home in Banner Elk, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. The Bloemendaal’s power has been restored but there is no estimate on when they will get water back. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Evan Bloemendaal, 17, washes dishes with his brother Paul, 13, with water from a two gallon container in their home in Banner Elk, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. The Bloemendaal’s power has been restored but there is no estimate on when they will get water back.
Evan Bloemendaal, 17, washes dishes with his brother Paul, 13, with water from a two gallon container in their home in Banner Elk, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. The Bloemendaal’s power has been restored but there is no estimate on when they will get water back. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Volunteers fill water containers for residents of Black Mountain, N.C. at the Ingles store on NC 9 on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
Volunteers fill water containers for residents of Black Mountain, N.C. at the Ingles store on NC 9 on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Volunteers Melissa McElwee and Tisa Lewis fill a cooler of water for a family without running water in the wake of Hurricane Helene, at the Ingles store on NC 9 on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Black Mountain, N.C.
Volunteers Melissa McElwee and Tisa Lewis fill a cooler of water for a family without running water in the wake of Hurricane Helene, at the Ingles store on NC 9 on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Black Mountain, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
A pallet with non-potable water, for flushing toilets, is positioned on Woodburn Drive, on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Swannanoa, N.C. for residents to use after Hurricane Helene disabled water service to the town.
A pallet with non-potable water, for flushing toilets, is positioned on Woodburn Drive, on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Swannanoa, N.C. for residents to use after Hurricane Helene disabled water service to the town. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Piper Parker, of Old Fort, N.C., without power in her home since Hurricane Helene hit on September 27, uses a free, portable laundry unit at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Old Fort, N.C.
Piper Parker, of Old Fort, N.C., without power in her home since Hurricane Helene hit on September 27, uses a free, portable laundry unit at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 in Old Fort, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
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