Restoration of Clean Water in Western North Carolina
Families in Western North Carolina are regaining access to clean drinking water, nearly two years after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the region. The September 2024 storm left many residents in Buncombe and Mitchell counties without safe water sources, particularly affecting those dependent on private wells and spring-fed systems.
Jacqueline Gibson, head of the Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) department at North Carolina State University, co-led a 2025 research initiative that identified unsafe levels of contamination in local households. Although the research highlighted significant water quality issues, the team lacked the resources to implement solutions.
Research Findings and Challenges
“We’ve been working in Western North Carolina since a few months after the hurricane,” Gibson stated. The study revealed numerous homes with private wells and springs contaminated with unsafe levels of bacteria and lead. This alarming discovery underscored the urgent need for intervention in the affected communities.
In response to the crisis, a research grant and collaboration with the nonprofit organization Wine to Water and Mayland Community College enabled Gibson and her team to take action. They successfully installed water filtration systems in several homes impacted by the contamination.
Community Collaboration for Solutions
Alham Al-Shurafat, a Ph.D. student in CCEE, expressed his surprise at the ongoing struggles for clean water access in the U.S. He emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to tackle such critical issues facing communities. “This kind of collaboration is what we need to address different problems that our communities are facing,” Al-Shurafat remarked.
This initiative was made possible through the Community Collaborative Research Grant, which is supported by the NC Water Resources Research Institute, North Carolina Sea Grant, and the William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science.
Documentary Highlighting the Project
A mini-documentary titled “Flowing Forward,” produced by Wine to Water, showcases the efforts made to restore clean water access in the region. This project reflects the ongoing commitment to improving water quality for families affected by Hurricane Helene.
Source: NC State University
