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One year after Tropical Storm Helene left Asheville without potable water for nearly two months, the city’s water system remains defenseless against the disruptive powers of a much lesser storm.
Since Helene, the city has taken numerous steps to secure the system, including rebuilding and burying a key auxiliary line deeper than its previous depth and hard-packing earth around it to armor it. It also partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to hire a contractor to provide a filtration system at North Fork Reservoir that can handle high-turbidity water, with an initial price tag of $39 million for six months…