Hurricane Helene has left a devastating mark on the Southeastern United States, with significant impacts felt from Florida to Virginia. The storm, which initially made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast, surged inland, bringing catastrophic flooding that severely damaged vital infrastructure, particularly water systems.
With over 160 lives lost (as of Oct. 2) and millions affected, the region now faces the daunting task of recovery, especially in restoring clean water and essential utilities.
Water supply disruptions
In rural North Carolina, the storm's aftermath has left communities struggling for basic necessities like water. Torrential floodwaters overwhelmed wastewater treatment plants, oil facilities and plastics factories, leading to significant water contamination. In addition, critical water pipelines were destroyed, cutting off supply to approximately 100,000 people. In areas like Black Mountain, residents have gone days without running water, and even when the water begins to flow again, it likely will remain unsafe for some time.
In nearby Asheville, more than 400 miles from where the storm made landfall, the scene is reminiscent of other devastating 21st century storms like hurricanes Katrina and Harvey. News from the city was initially slow to make its way outside, as parts of the city were completely isolated, but as recovery efforts get underway it has become clear that destruction is widespread, as flooding destroyed bridges and streets, and submerged roadways.
On Sept. 29, the state warned residents that all roads in Western North Carolina should be considered closed. The city, unable to wait for external aid, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on private water supplies to meet the immediate needs of the population, according to The Washington Post.
"Every gallon of water is precious right now," says NPR's Laura Hackett in a radio segment about Asheville's diminishing water supplies. "With boil-water advisories across the region and several towns and cities with no running water at all, people are making hard choices about how to use their dwindling water supplies."
Asheville City Manager Ben Woody tells NPR he can't provide a timeline for water restoration, as crews are trying to access infrastructure that is buried under storm debris and floodwaters. FEMA and private contractors in the meantime have been delivering drinking water to the city.
Georgia and Florida
Meanwhile, Augusta, Georgia, one of the state's largest cities, also was left without running water for several days. While efforts are underway to restore water systems, the timeline for full recovery remains uncertain.
Florida, which bore the initial brunt of the storm, is similarly struggling with widespread power outages and water supply issues.
The widespread destruction from Helene also has left more than 1.2 million customers without power across the region, with outages extending from Florida to Virginia. Many areas, especially in North Carolina and Georgia, were also facing prolonged outages of both electricity and cellphone service, further complicating rescue and recovery efforts.
Response and recovery efforts
President Joe Biden, along with Vice President Kamala Harris and other political leaders, is conducting visits to the affected areas to assess the damage and support local efforts. In Buncombe County, North Carolina, local officials are coordinating with state agencies to distribute emergency water supplies, while ongoing rescue missions search for those who are still missing.
While power is slowly being restored in some areas, the path to recovery remains long, particularly for water infrastructure. For communities across the Southeast, the destruction left in Helene's wake highlights the immense challenges in restoring basic services like clean water in the aftermath of such disasters. And for those of us in the water industry, Helene serves as a reminder of how important it is to practice emergency preparedness in the face of increasingly severe storms.
