When Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina last September, it left safe water sources severely compromised. Half a year later, the City of Asheville is still pumping chlorine into its system, and some homeowners with private wells may need to access testing to confirm the safety and drinkability of their water. With support from the REALTOR® Party’s Rural Outreach Grant program, the Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS® has been able to provide guidance and water test kits to its members.
Matthew Allen, LOTSAR’s director of professional development and government affairs, learned about the grant at NAR NXT: The REALTOR® Experience shortly after the disaster. “Rural properties in our region were hit especially hard by flooding and landslides,” he says. “We applied [for the funding] right away and were able to hold a forum on post-hurricane water safety issues within about a month. The grant also enabled us to buy water-testing kits that we distributed to the roughly 40 members who attended; the rest we offered to our membership while supplies lasted.”
At the forum, local experts shared guidance on post-hurricane safety issues and legal topics such as changed property lines and easements, and material fact disclosures. “The inspector and plumber did a great job of sharing their knowledge about turbidity levels, which, at the time, were testing higher than acceptable by World Health Organization standards,” Allen says. “In addition to concerns about E. coli, they covered the issue of high lead levels, as there were concerns that lead-based paint had been dredged up by the storm.”
In addition to the consumer-grade water test kits, LOTSAR received a grant from the North Carolina Association of REALTORS® that enabled them to offer professional testing to at least 15 attendees.
LOTSAR plans to offer a similar program again this year, bringing in additional experts.