Frequently Asked Questions

Drinking water meeting national primary drinking water standards is safe to drink, although people with severely compromised immune systems and children may have special needs. Public water systems (PWSs) obtain their water from a variety of sources and treat the water using a variety of available treatment technologies. Because of the different sources of water and the different ways in which water is treated, the quality of drinking water varies from place to place. Over 90 percent of water systems meet EPA’s health-based standards for tap water quality. Community water systems are required to send their customers an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) also known as a Water Quality Report. This report tell consumers what contaminants have been detected in their drinking water and how these detection levels compare to drinking water standards. The report must clearly identify any data indicating violations of health-based standards. The indication of a violation must include language about the potential health effects from consuming water with contaminants at levels above the national standards. The CCR you receive from the BuncombePWD will also contain information related to the Carbondale Water District as they are Buncombe’s primary water source.

The EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead at zero because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. Lead is persistent, and it can bio-accumulate in the body over time. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends intervention when the level of lead in a child’s blood is 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or greater. It is important to recognize all the ways a child can be exposed to lead. Children are exposed to lead in paint, dust, soil, air, and food, as well as drinking water. Therefore, the amount of lead a child can be exposed to in drinking water before exceeding the recommended blood level depends upon the amount of lead coming from these other sources. Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. A dose of lead that would have little effect on an adult can have a significant effect on a child. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells.

The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is an annual water quality report that a community water system is required to provide to its customers. The CCR helps people make informed choices about the water they drink. They let people know what contaminants if any, are in their drinking water, and how these contaminants may affect their health. CCRs also give the system a chance to tell customers what it takes to deliver safe drinking water. The Current CCR is available to download below.

BuncombePWD provides customer notifications of a Boil Water Order (BWO) via local radio and television stations, the newspaper, and posted notices and signage throughout the District. Information related to BWOs is also available when calling the District Office or going online to the District Website, BuncombePWD.com. If you wish to receive BWOs and other District information directly to your e-mail and/or text message, please sign up {HERE}.  Note: in order to send out text message notifications, the District Office will need to know who your cell phone provider is.

BuncombePWD purchases water from the City of Carbondale. The City of Carbondale water is supplied by two sources. The main and primary source is Cedar Creek Lake located approximately seven (7) miles southwest of Carbondale. The second source is a back-up water supply, the City Reservoir. Both are surface water supplies. There is no other water source available to the City of Carbondale.

Water to be used for DRINKING and COOKING purposes should be brought to a rolling boil for five (5) to seven (7) minutes before use.

1 Minute Loss = 6 ounces

1 Hour Loss = 360 Gallons

1 Day Loss = 2,880 Gallons

1 Week Loss = 5,760 Gallons

1 Month Loss = 8,640 Gallons

If you are not going to be occupying your home during the winter months, it would be in your best interest to winterize your home. First, homeowners will need to shut off the water where the water comes inside of the home. If you do not have a shut off where water comes into the home, it would be best to install one. After shutting off the water at the point where it comes into the home, drain the water that is in the service line via faucets, so the lines are empty. This will keep your water lines from freezing, expanding, and breaking while you are away. BPWD will also shut off the meter while you are out, if you are concerned about it breaking between the meter and the house for a $75.00 disconnect fee.

BPWD requires a 60-day settling period before spreading seed and staw over the area of repair. BPWD requires the 60 days due to the risk of rebreaking the repaired area under the weight of flattened dirt, especially if much of the dirt is saturated from the leak. It is up to the customer discretion to relevel their property after the 60-day settling period.