**Asheville Water Department Continues Efforts to Combat Turbidity in Reservoir**

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Efforts to address the water turbidity issue in the North Fork Reservoir have entered a second phase of chemical treatment, almost a month after Tropical Storm Helene caused severe flooding in the area.

During an update at the Oct. 28 Buncombe County briefing, Clay Chandler, spokesperson for the Asheville Water Department, reported that the turbidity level currently stands at 23.3 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs), indicating a slight improvement from last week's level of 26 NTUs.

Chandler highlighted that the goal is to reduce turbidity to between 1.5 and 2 NTUs, a prerequisite for resuming normal water treatment and filtration processes necessary to restore potable water supply.

A key development in the treatment efforts is the arrival and installation of specialized curtains designed to aid in water treatment. "Once the curtains are installed, we will create a secondary application zone that is 70 feet wide," Chandler explained. He added that this zone will use a full tote of alum and almost a full tote of caustic, with each tote holding 300 gallons.

Chandler expressed optimism that these measures would accelerate the reduction in turbidity. However, he could not provide a specific timeline for when potable water would be back in circulation.

The Asheville Water Department continues to work diligently to address the water quality issues and restore clean, safe water to the community.