ASHEVILLE – The city will soon begin storm debris removal operations in the waterways and roads surrounding the North Fork Water Treatment Plant, which is fed by the 5.8 billion-gallon Burnett Reservoir, according to a Sept. 29 news release.

Work will start “within the next few weeks.”

The watershed had severe impacts from Tropical Storm Helene last September, which knocked out Asheville’s water system, leaving its 160,000 customers without potable water for seven weeks.

But even once service returned, city staff cautioned that the system was left more vulnerable to future storms.

Debris removal will help maintain water flow, prevent flooding and protect infrastructure. It will also reduce the risk of wildfire damage, the city release said.

"Storm debris removal will lessen the s

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