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How Asheville, N.C., businesses are navigating a weekslong water crisis

Oct 17, 2024
More than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated its water system, the city is still without clean running water.
Heidi Bass, co-owner of Mother in downtown Asheville, with a cistern of water outside the business. The bakery and cafe can’t legally sell food without clean water.
Laura Hackett/Blue Ridge Public Radio

Cash-strapped cities consider turning crumbling utilities over to the private sector

Oct 20, 2022
Infrastructure repairs are usually left up to local governments, but smaller cities can’t always afford these repairs.
Above, a water treatment plant on Aug. 31, in Jackson, Mississippi. In places like Jackson and Duquesne, Pennsylvania, crumbling infrastructure has led to unclean drinking water.
Brad Vest/Getty Images

Infrastructure plan targets lead pipe hazards

May 27, 2022
Experts say efforts to replace the potentially harmful piping grids are not moving fast enough.
Workers in Flint Michigan replace a lead water service line in March 2016.  The federal infrastructure law provides $15 billion to remove lead service lines, but experts say that's still not enough.
Bill Pugliano/Getty Images