Get Involved


March 17th, 2014

What's Next for Asheville's Water?
A forum featuring Esther Manheimer, Katie Hicks and Barry Summers
A public water forum to update citizens on the developments surrounding the legislation to seize the Asheville water system and the ensuing lawsuit filed by the City will be held on Monday, March 17 from 6 to 7:30 pm. The discussion will feature Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, Barry Summers of Save Our Water WNC and Katie Hicks of Clean Water for North Carolina.
The free event will take place at Lord Auditorium, located in the lower level of Pack Library, 67 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville.
“Water is not just a natural resource needed to keep us alive,” said Summers. “It's also an increasingly scarce, valuable commodity. Who controls the flow of water plays a role in development, industry, energy production, and many other aspects of the economy. We believe that this is at the heart of the Asheville water dispute.”
Summers, founder of Save Our Water WNC, will talk about the history of the attempt to seize Asheville's water, which along with other legislative issues, suggests a broad assault on local, public control of this vital resource.
Manheimer will provide an update on the latest developments in the City's lawsuit against the forced transfer of their water system.
Hicks, assistant director of Clean Water for North Carolina, will summarize the impacts on other communities when citizens have lost a direct voice in drinking water decisions. She'll also share a brief update on recent high-profile toxic spills into the Dan River in North Carolina and the Elk River in West Virginia.
"In addition to highlighting the need for stricter regulations to protect our rivers and streams, these disasters can teach us a lesson about the importance of local, democratic, transparent governance of drinking water supplies when it comes to protecting public health," says Hicks.
The event is co-sponsored by Mountain Voices Alliance, Save Our Water WNC, Clean Water for NC, Asheville PARC and WNC Alliance.








April 24th 1 pm. Listen to the NC Senate Finance Committee discussion of H488, "The Regionalization of Public Utilities" here.



The State seizure of Asheville's water: What can you do?

  • Learn about the issue. Background/Summary here - current situation, recent updates here.
  • Sign the petition Opposing the Forced Taking of Municipal Water Systems!  Forward to friends, family & co-workers.
  • Share the radio ad. Embed it in your blog, & link back to this site.
  • Contact your NC State Representative and NC State Senator. Tell them you oppose the State arbitrarily stepping in to strip a City of it's well-run public utility.
  • Contact Governor Pat McCrory.  Remind him that he is a former Mayor, and that he would be violently opposed to having the State seize control of Charlotte's infrastructure, only to be given to an unelected Board dominated by people who have no love for his City.
  • Contact your local City Council. Ask them to adopt the NC League of Municipalities Resolution Opposing the Forced Transfer of Municipal-run Water Systems. Towns that so far have placed the League resolution on the agenda and/or passed it:
    1 Albemarle, City 15,903 01/07/2013
    2 Asheville, City 83,393 12/11/2012
    3 Bald Head Island Village 162 01/18/2013
    4 Banner Elk, Town 1,046 01/14/2013
    5 Bessemer City, City 5,340 01/14/2013
    6 Black Mountain 7,848 01/25/2013
    7 Bladenboro, Town 1,627 01/14/2013
    8 Blowing Rock, Town 1,241 01/08/2013
    9 Boiling Spring Lakes, City 5,506 03/05/2013
    10 Burgaw, Town* 3,898 02/12/2013
    11 Butner, Town 6,344 01/03/2013
    12 Carrboro, Town 19,582 01/15/2013
    13 Carthage, Town 2,269 01/15/2013
    14 Chadbourn, Town 2,117 01/08/2013
    15 Chapel Hill 57,233 02/27/2013
    16 Claremont, City 1,114 01/07/2013
    17 Concord, City 79,066 01/10/2013
    18 Conover, City 8,165 01/07/2013
    19 Elkin, Town 4,211 01/14/2013
    20 Foxfire Village 572 01/08/2013
    21 Franklin, Town 3,882 01/07/2013
    22 Goldsboro, City 36,437 01/07/2013
    23 Greensboro, City 273,425 04/03/2013
    24 Havelock, City 20,735 01/14/2013
    25 Haw River, Town 2,052 01/14/2013
    26 Henderson, City 15,386 01/28/2013
    27 Hendersonville, City 13,137 Tabled on 01/03/2013
    28 High Point, City* 105,753 On 04/15/2013 Agenda
    29 Jacksonville, City 70,145 01/07/2013
    30 Kannapolis, City 44,104 01/15/2013
    31 Kill Devil Hills, Town 6,683 01/14/2013
    32 King, City 6,599 01/07/2013
    33 Kure Beach, Town 2,200 01/15/2013
    34 Lexington, City 18,931 01/14/2013
    35 Maggie Valley 1,152 02/12/2013
    36 Maiden, Town 3,433 01/07/2013
    37 Matthews, Town 28,634 01/28/2013
    38 Montreat, Town 714 Tabled on 01/10/2013
    39 Mooresville, Town 32,711 01/07/2013
    40 Murphy, Town 1,632 01/07/2013
    41 Newton, City 12,968 01/08/2013
    42 North Wilkesboro, Town 4,176 01/08/2013
    43 Ocean Isle, Town 564 01/08/2013
    44 Oxford, City 9,426 01/08/2013
    45 Ramseur, Town 1,702 02/04/2013
    46 Reidsville, City 14,473 03/13/2013
    47 Rutherford College, Town 1,305 01/07/2013
    48 Seven Devils, Town 146 01/08/2013
    49 Smithfield, Town 10,966 01/03/2013
    50 Spindale, Town 3,865 01/21/2013
    51 Statesville, City 24,532 01/14/2013
    52 Tarboro, Town 10,383 01/14/2012
    53 Topsail Beach, Town 374 02/13/2013
    54 Troutman, Town 2,392 01/10/2013
    55 Winston Salem, City 299,617 03/25/2013
    *Pending City Clerk confirmation


  • Contact us at saveourwaterwnc@gmail.com
  • Contribute to cover the cost of more radio and print ads. So far, we are covering all of this out of our own pockets, and there is much more to be done. Mail checks to: PARC, PO Box 8052, Asheville NC, 28814. Write "Saveourwater" in the box at the bottom. Or, see the Paypal button at the top right.
  • Look to Clean Water for North Carolina and Food & Water Watch to learn about the bigger issues surrounding our water, and how you can get involved.

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