Asheville, North Carolina What's Up AVL!, 4 Aug 2022

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: Whats Up AVL! – Episode 13

Description

In this episode of What's Up AVL!, host Sam Parada discusses the topic of Asheville's clean water with Brenna Cook, Compliance Manager with Water Resources. As August is Water Quality Month, tune in to learn how Asheville keeps its water clean and hear some tips on how to keep it cleaner in your homes.

A

It's now time for what's up asheville sponsored by the city of asheville with the host mr sam parrata, and here he is.

B

Good afternoon nashville welcome to what's up asheville wres radio 100.7 fm a radio show discussing projects and initiatives of the city of asheville. I am your host sam ferreira communication and public engagement specialist with the city of asheville, and today my guest is brennan cook, a compliance manager with the water resources department, hi brenda. How are you doing today.

C

I'm doing well thanks for having me on. Oh.

B

It's a pleasure, so why don't you tell me more about yourself and then please tell me about your department. What the goals are, what you do and what you do basically for the city as a whole.

C

Well, I've been with the city water department for about 19 years. I was a laboratory supervisor for several years and just recently moved into the compliance position about a year ago.

C

Our goals are to provide good customer service to our citizens and provide safe, clean water and reliable, reliable service um right now, we're going into our clean water month appreciation and we're actually working on a video for customers to watch, hopefully by the end of the month, to show how we treat the water and provide the water to our customers.

B

Great, so so the work that you do is very scientific. In a way you have to treat the water, you have to make sure that it's up to standards and, as you mentioned, going into water clean water appreciation month. I think it's a really good time to you know get on the topic. So what do you tell me more about how you clean the water, how the process goes and why we in nashville have such clean, tasty water.

C

Well, we're very lucky because, um back in the day when we purchased our reservoirs or our land that our reservoirs are on, so we have a protected watershed and the water is very clean and that helps us in the treatment process, because we don't have any uh contamination to begin with, naturally occurring a bacteria of course, but so we're very lucky to have that and that helps us provide extra clean water for our customers.

C

The other thing we work towards is the two biggest things that in water treatment is to remove turbidity, and that is no yeah. The best way to explain that is that's the cloudiness of the water. So if you see coloration or particles in the water, we work really hard to remove that, because that's where your bacteria is going to be or if there are any contaminants in the water. The more you remove that the better off you'll be asheville for the past.

C

Two years has won the awop award and awop stands for area-wide optimization program, and we received that and basically what they're looking at is making sure that our turbidity is below our well below our uh regulation levels. um We keep it below 0.1 ntu, that's just a turbidity measurement into you, um so we do a really good job of keeping it below 0.1 95 of the time. That's why we were able to get that award.

B

That was great yeah. uh I moved here from florida um a little over a year ago, and I remember the very first thing that I noticed in my new apartment was, while this water tastes so much better than you know, florida water, at least where I was.

C

Yeah everybody has different issues with their source water, so, like I said, we are very lucky to have a good, clean source water at all three of our treatment plants.

B

Absolutely and we have the water department to thank for that. So thank you and we appreciate the clean water you provided to us on clean water appreciation month. So you mentioned um a video. um Why don't you tell me more about the process of the video and what is going to be showing.

C

So we'll start filming that next week we have to have it out in the last two weeks of the month yep. But don't quote me on that dan ferris may kill me, but the basically, what we're going to do is highlight the water treatment plant, the watershed and we'll work from the beginning, like from the source through the process.

C

So we'll show like how our watershed is, how it's protected it's patrolled by watershed technicians to make sure that, even when I work there on site, I was not allowed past a certain point: oh wow, so it's very protected the watershed technicians, like I said patrol it. They also maintain the roads, any uh bridges or culverts that need to be maintained to help make sure the forest stays mature and safe.

C

They work with scientists to if we have any kind of bug infestations they work with them. They.

A

B

C

They work with fish and wildlife services; they go up there and help count the fish population and stuff like that, because.

B

Of this affects the quality of the water, exactly.

C

And then at the water treatment plants they'll show the treatment process. Basically, the water goes through filters. It's before it goes through filters. It's treated with a a coagulant to make that turbidity bind together, so we can remove as much as possible and then once it goes through the filters. It's disinfected, it's allowed to have some contact time because it, the disinfectant, doesn't kill it and kill the bacteria immediately.

C

So it has to have contact time and then we treat it for corrosion purposes and that will go into what we're going to talk about next on the lead, copper control, yes, corrosion control, so we go use corrosion treatment to make sure that the water's safe even going into the homes so that it doesn't react with the customer's plumbing.

C

And then we also do fluoride in the water.

B

And all of this will be shown in the video, like even the restricted areas.

C

uh Some of them some.

B

C

We'll give an overview, but we want. We can't go certain places due to security.

B

Wow, you definitely make it sound like the era 51 of asheville.

C

It's not it's, not air, it's not area 51, it's just to keep it safe, yeah for everybody to have it because and we try to keep it safe since the regular pop. I know this sounds like area 51.. Regular population can't go in there, so they wouldn't let.

B

The water plant yeah, they wouldn't.

C

Let the water plant employees go any further too just so that it's equal for everyone.

B

And when these released, where can we view it.

C

It will be on the city website and on the youtube channel. Oh.

B

Great great sounds good, um I'm looking forward to watching it. I.

C

B

Dave so um you mentioned lead.

C

B

Please go more in depth than that, because this is very important. Yes,.

C

It is so as compliance manager, one of the main reasons we created. That position is because in 2020, late, 2020 or early 2021 uh epa passed the lead in copper, rule revisions and the biggest thing that we're moving forward toward now with it is to get our service line inventory up to date, because we will have to have a public-facing map that will show all so customers can go on it and look and see what type of service line they have.

C

Okay, unfortunately, we were never required to have the customer side of the meter records um kept. So we have a lot of unknown service lines, um and so we need customer participation to help us get that information.

B

And this is important, just in case someone's home is sitting on top of a lead pipe exactly.

C

So back in before 1986 it was common uh plumbing code, lead service lines were acceptable and also lead solder. If you were using copper piping in your home yeah and even on the service line, and so in 1986, it was banned um so, but we still have a lot of homes that were built before then so.

A

C

Pre-1986 that there could be a potential to have lead service lines, we have looked at several, we don't think we have any, but there is a potential. We can't say definitely that we don't.

B

That's why you're making the inventory.

C

Yes, that's why we're making the inventory to make sure, and it will let customers know, will be required to give out information on how to protect yourself yeah from being exposed um for any line. That we know has a lead service line or galvanized preceded by lead, and I can explain why that in a second or any unknowns, we'll have to send out letters to customers every year and we'll also be testing at schools and day cares to make sure that their the children aren't being exposed to any lead as well.

B

Yeah, um could you you know I'm not trying to make this negative or scary, but I think it's very important for people to know why it's important to avoid lead as much as possible. Do you know some side effects that could come from being in close proximity to lead or having lead in your water systems? Yes,.

C

This and this information will be in the letters, but it can affect your nervous system, um your kidneys for children under age of five, especially like in their growth. It can give them attention deficit disorder and also affect their uh cognitive cogniti. I can't say cognitive cognitive issues can give cognitive issues and also have adhd that kind of thing paying attention staying focused. Yes,.

B

So um you know I didn't find out about this. Until recently, I did go to the water department's city website and I read about it, and my home was definitely my current home has was definitely built before you know in the 60s. So this is something that I'm going to have to take a look at, and please tell us how we can provide that information to help you create the inventory and what happens if I do in fact have a lead pipe.

C

Okay, so, first to help us create the inventory. If you know what your service line is, please go to the city website, um there's a link actually on the main page. It's one of the first things, you'll see if you go to www.ashflc.gov.

C

You can click on it and there's. If you know what it is, you can click on the link and fill out the form.

C

If you don't, we do have a video on what to look for um and then you can once you determine what you have, you can fill out the link or, if you still aren't sure you can call 828-259-5962.

C

Once again, that's 259-5962 and schedule an appointment and we will usually get back to you within 24 hours, um but we'll try to call you back as soon as possible.

B

So that's in case that I don't know what I'm looking for or if I can find it myself, yeah. Yes,.

C

Some people have crawl spaces and that's where their water line comes in I've crawled under several houses lately to uh get that information for them and we're happy to do that because.

A

C

What we're looking at is where the water line comes into the house. That's going to be able to tell us what you potentially have coming from the meter into the home. I.

B

Might have you to come over my house because I'm not 100 sure where mine is but again yeah just yeah the.

C

Video will help, but.

B

C

A lot of people- if this is not your forte, um it's easier just to ask somebody to come to it yeah. I.

B

Still call my dad about car issues, so I'm not one of those people gotcha um but yeah. If you have any concerns- and please help us- um you know- create this inventory- we're doing this for everyone's safety and to make sure that asheville's water stays clean and up to date, and just you know, reaching all the standards for your safety and.

C

I just feel like the more you know about what you have in your home, the safer. You can keep yourself.

B

Yes, absolutely and.

C

What you have in your.

B

Sense so uh yeah what happens if I do have a let pipeline yeah only.

C

That's that so, if you do have a lead pipeline, there's ways to reduce your exposure if your water is set for more than four to six hours or especially, if you've been going on vacation, you don't have to waste your water, but you need to run it. So you could like take a shower.

C

You can wash a load of clothes if you've been on vacation. I'm sure you have laundry as soon as you walk in the door, but for normal day to day like if you've not overnight. If you've not used your water run your water for about 30 seconds or till you feel the temperature change go from warm to cool. um That will, let you know, because basically, lead is going to get in the water when it's setting in the pipe, not when it's flowing. Okay.

C

Another thing you can do is clean out the aerators, which are those screens that are on the end of your faucet, okay, unscrew yeah,.

B

C

You have one of those fancy sprayer nozzles that are on a lot of kitchen faucets. Now I heavily suggest taking. Those apart are not easy. You can refer to your manufacturer's instructions, but you try to keep those cleaned out as well like once a quarter. Okay, um clean those out your bathroom faucets as well. If you brush your teeth or drink the water from.

B

There brush your teeth.

C

I mean like, if you you know when you brush your teeth. Thank you. Sorry, uh when you brush your teeth through that that can be exposed, especially for your kids, if they swallow the toothpaste right, that kind of thing so clean those out. um Another thing is: don't drink hot water so like if you use tap water, to make your baby formula use cold water bullet. If you have to don't use hot water, because that leads going to get into your water, faster, yeah and boiling water does not reduce lead. Okay, interesting.

B

C

Would actually condense it.

B

C

It more concentrated.

B

This is why I love bringing all these people from different departments and because I learned so much about this important things going on. I had no idea- and I probably have consumed a little bit of lead here and there I.

C

Think everybody has.

B

But now I can make some changes and you know be on the lookout, because you know this is something that's very very important. Like you know, I want lead, poisoning or all the negatives that come with it.

C

And that's easy: those are easy things. You can get a point of use filter like a um any type of filter that attaches to the end of your faucet or like a pitcher filter.

C

But just you want to make sure it's a filter that will remove lead, okay and it will say it on the packaging if it does or not. If it doesn't say that, then it probably doesn't remove lead.

B

And is there a way to remove those pipes or clean them.

C

You can see, the downside is, is the customer side is customer owned portion so yeah.

B

C

If it's in your home plumbing this is where most of the lead is coming from, if there is any lead in the house, because your solder, if you have copper pipes, there's going to be possibly if your house is built between before 1986, yes,.

B

C

Most likely have lead solder, um it's up to the customer if they want.

B

A

That, on the city side, we.

C

Are working to do like a service line as we build our inventory and we know we're it's more cost efficient to focus on one area instead of moving from one spot on one street to another street.

B

C

So once we get that, that's why we want that service line inventory information. We can start moving forward and be more proactive instead of reactive and save money in the long run. If we can do one neighborhood as we move forward instead of just doing spots.

B

C

But we do have plans if we have we've not found any like. I said: we've not found any lead service lines yet, but we do know we have galvanized services, so we will remove those as we find them on regular.

C

You know, maintenance that we do and we've been doing that for several years and we're documenting it that way, but we're starting a major project where we can maybe see where we can find some more and then we can focus on hitting certain areas.

B

Could you go super quick or what is galvanized sorry. I have.

C

Not colored that yet so galvanize is the reason we're concerned about. It is back in the day when they installed galvanized services, that's an iron pipe and it's hard to bend, um and so, when you do a tap on a distribution main that serves your street, it's not done at the top or the bottom. It's done on the side of the pipe, and so would they would use what was called a leg, pig tail or leg goose, neck yeah and the lead was easy to bend.

C

So they would bend the pipe use that little to attach to the service line so that they wouldn't have to do a bunch of elbow joints and then continue on to the meter and what we found over the years water utilities have is that lead. Pigtail could start leaching and then coat the inside of the galvanized pipe.

B

C

Basically, create a lead pipe inside of the galvanized pipe.

B

C

We do like, I said, treat the water, so it is less corrosive any time I've tested in the past. We rarely have a detect, and most of the reason is because this is why I tell you how to clean out your aerators is when we have a high detector, because lead is flaked off and it's caught in that aerator right.

B

And they just want to keep keep in mind. You know all this talk about lead piping is scary, but do keep in mind. Nashville water is one of the cleanest in the states and.

C

We do what we're supposed to to treat the water.

B

Yeah, exactly these are just precautions, and especially it, and it is important to you know, make sure that the water that's going into your home is not. You know, potentially coming from a lead pipe, um but outside of that, you know, the water department has been working extremely hard uh to keep the water as clean as possible and.

C

But we also offer free lead testing for customers who do want their water tested, and you.

B

Can find that by calling the same number? Yes, sir,.

C

um 828-259-5962.

B

There you go. Thank you.

C

It does uh we don't have equipment in our laboratory to test it, so we have a contract laboratory. Do that, so it takes about four to six weeks once you collect the sample to get it back and.

B

How long does it take to collect.

C

Collect it to collect a sample, what we usually do is drop the bottles off at the customer's house, we'll just put them on the front porch their doors. They don't have to deal with anybody and then um once they collect it, but there's instructions on how to do that. That are provided, but you basically have to let the water set for six to eight hours undisturbed in your pipes, and you want to collect the cold water. You can see because the hot water heater is.

A

C

That's not our animal, so you just collect the cold water and then once you fill the bottles up, you put them back on the front porch. You have to text us or call us and let us know and then we'll come pick them up sounds.

B

Good that sounds easy.

C

All right, we try to make it easy.

B

Yeah, no, you you have. uh I know the we have a lot of customer service people working all the time about. You know the water. um I get messages now and then that maybe don't affect my area, but it's good to know that things are happening and to keep an eye out on the water of the city. Yes,.

C

Yeah, we do have a customer service division um for any questions that you have about your water.

C

We also have lab techs that actually go out and answer any they'll test the water for any type of concerns um for the most part or provide we can't test for everything like if you just say I want my water tested. We have to know specifically what you're concerned.

B

C

Because there's so much, we could spend beaucoups of money testing for certain things, because.

B

C

Is not cheap, um so there may be some things we can't test for if it's like a specific contaminant that you're worried about, but we can provide you results of where we've checked our water as it's leaving the plant and our source water to let you know, help allay customer concerns, but there are several parameters we can test for to. Let you know that the water quality is good and everything's. Okay, if you do experience issues, you can call that customer service number at 828-251-1122.

C

Once again, that's 828-251-1122.

C

And they can connect you to the lab staff that can come out and check your water.

B

You can also reach out to not just the weather department, but a lot of city departments using the avl alerts, app twitter and facebook. We are working on rebranding, our social media to be more engaging with the community. um So absolutely please reach out and just drop by and say hello you're doing a good job. Maybe you know if you're having issues please also reach out to us. Yes,.

C

We like to hear any good feedback as well. Another thing, speaking of avo alert that we're working on is to reach out to customers about the service line inventory.

C

Now, when a customer is a new water customer, we do have them sign up for it and we usually have them sign up for email or text, because we do let people know like if we have a water break or anything.

A

C

And that could happen at two o'clock in the morning. So that's why we stress the email and the text so that you're not awakened by a call at two o'clock in the morning. I wouldn't be happy if I got woke up, but we also plan to use that to reach out to customers so that it will let them know like where you can go. It'll have the link in the email to. If you know what your service line is. Yes, that kind of thing they can go directly to that.

C

We hope to go out to a bunch of community events and hand out flyers and maybe have like a little display. So we can explain more in depth customers, so they understand what we're asking about, but we do hope with able alert to reach only customers that have not participated.

C

I'm working with our I.t department with our database that we currently have we're taking out any customers that we do know so that you won't get called 900 times once you've uh exactly.

B

C

You've graciously filled.

B

Out the survey or called me.

C

But the um other thing is, we don't want to reach out to customers too much and wear them down. So we're only hoping to do this, like once, every three months, once a quarter yeah.

B

uh That's a that's a really good tactic. I'd say I don't want to call it a tactic because we're not trying to do something bad here, but we're.

C

Just trying to make sure people are aware of this that they know. Well, it's helping us be a federal regulation, yes, that we do have to meet and we have to have it met by 2016., okay,.

B

I mean excuse me october 16 2024 we're a little late on that sorry.

C

But um I'm at the 16th of october 2024, 2024, okay, um yeah.

B

Well, I was going to say um you know a lot of times I signed up for something and then I regret it immediately, and this is an incentive for you to sign up, get the information you need, because you know it's for your own safety, your own health. We want to help you and then you don't have to worry about it ever again. Yeah.

C

Well, we won't bug you after that. There may be another regulation, we'll be bugging you about, but not not about the lead and copper rule again.

B

So um speaking of you know, hints and tips um is you know before we think we end the show. Are there any like winter tips or things like that that we can find on the website? Or um do we just give you a call, or you know how? How else can we be up to date with what the water department is doing and things that you can recommend us to do? Well,.

C

You can always visit the city website um and then go under the departments and water department. We do put out a water quality report every year and it's published online, but it should come out with your water bill. So if you receive it paper bill, it should be an insert, but if you get it electronically, which I know a lot of people are moving toward, it should be a link in the water bill or like a different uh attachment in the email that you get.

C

um Another thing is just in the winter months. uh If your pipes tend to freeze, maybe leave it dripping.

B

That's what I do at night.

C

um Or just make sure like you're, if you have a basement or a crawl space, make sure all your any openings are covered so that your pipes, don't freeze and just any other, a good tip is, if you're concerned about any type of water quality. Most of the um issues you have is from water sitting in your home plumbing.

C

It's not just leading copper, so just run that water for about 15 to 30 seconds before you fill up your water so and always use cold water, not hot water, and that should reduce any a lot of exposure. Well,.

B

Thank you so much brenda. It was a. It was so much fun having you here and learn about all the different things you're doing for us and what we can do for ourselves as well.

C

I appreciate you having me online.

B

Well, um as bruno said, uh please keep up with us with our city website at www.ashevillenc.gov the avl alert app social media. Just you know, call customer service. If you have any questions and please don't forget to sign up for your voice, your choice, it's on our city website under the engagement tab on top- and we just want to hear from you and make sure that we're being held accountable by you and yeah. That's all the time we have for today for what's up asheville.

B

Thank you so much for listening and please don't forget to participate in the different projects that we have at the city and stay informed about our latest news visit our website at asheville and c.gov to learn more about our different departments and what we can do for you and stay tuned and we'll be back to talk about another cd project in the near future. Right here on wres 100.7 fm. Thank you. Asheville.

A

You've been listening to what's up ashfield sponsored by the city of asheville, in collaboration with wres 1.7 fm. This program will re-air every monday, wednesday and friday at 12 30.. Thank you for listening.