ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville City Council is expected to authorize the city manager to enter into a professional services contract with Ardurra Group Inc. for the North Fork Transmission Main No. 3 project, a key initiative aimed at improving the resilience of the city’s water distribution system.

The item is on the council agenda for Tuesday’s 5 p.m. meeting in council chambers at City Hall. Click here to see the full agenda.

The North Fork project, prioritized by Asheville’s Water Resources Department, is designed to reduce the risk of system outages during natural disasters and add redundancy to the city’s water infrastructure. It involves constructing roughly 30,000 feet of new transmission main connecting the North Fork Water Treatment Plant to an interconnection point at Bee Tree Junction, with potential links to other transmission mains along the route.

“The transmission main — or alternate bypass — will wind through Swannanoa. The design phase will determine exactly where. But, for the most part, it will avoid the run of the Swannanoa River,” said Clay Chandler, communications specialist for Asheville’s Water Resources Department. “This project will take several years to complete.”

The 31 million-gallon-per-day North Fork plant, located in the eastern portion of Asheville’s distribution system, is currently connected through two transmission mains that pass through a narrow river gorge. In September 2024, Tropical Storm Helene caused historic flooding that eroded the roadway and washed away about 2,000 feet of the transmission mains, leaving much of the city without water for 14 days until repairs were completed. A similar incident occurred in 2004 during Tropical Storms Francis and Ivan.

City officials said the new transmission main will be routed at a higher elevation, away from the vulnerable river corridor, to reduce the risk of future flooding events. Preliminary design and survey work will begin immediately under a $268,000 encumbrance from the city’s Capital Improvement Project budget. This work will be reimbursed once federal and state grant funding through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is approved, covering 75% of project costs.

Ardurra Group, Inc. was selected as the most qualified firm following a qualifications-based selection process. Four firms responded to the city’s request for qualifications issued in May 2025. The total estimated cost of the contract is $9.74 million, contingent on grant approval.

“This is another resilience piece we’d like for our system to have operational before the next extreme weather event,” Chandler said. “While it doesn’t guarantee water service won’t be disrupted the next time we have a 1,000-year storm, it will give our system a fighting chance of recovering more quickly than it took last fall.”

Council members emphasized the project will enhance the water system’s reliability and help protect Asheville and Buncombe County from prolonged outages caused by severe weather. Officials said the project aligns with the city’s goals of maintaining a clean, safe and healthy environment while ensuring financial resilience.