Western North Carolina’s water system is finally back online after Helene

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — More than 100,000 residents in western North Carolina are now allowed to drink and bathe with water from their home faucets. The change on Monday comes nearly two months after Hurricane Helene destroyed much of the local water system. Clay Chandler is a spokesman for Asheville’s Water Resources Department. He said tests of the water “were all clear” and that a boil-water notice was lifted. Asheville restored running water to most of its users by the end of October. But the city instituted a boil-water notice as workers brought the system back online and ran tests.