WHO WE ARE:

U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
(EPA) Mobile Lab

&EPA

A EPA Region 4 owns and maintains two mobile laboratories to receive and analyze drinking water
samples during emergency responses.

Following Hurricane Helene, the EPA is working closely with the North Carolina Department of
Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to understand water system status.

At the state's request, EPA has deployed a mobile lab to Asheville, N.C., to test drinking water samples
from public water systems and from private wells owners in coordination with NCDEQ and local health
departments.

WHAT WE DO:

Flooding following a severe weather event may
contaminate public water systems and private
wells. Each laboratory can analyze up to 100
samples per day for total coliform and E. coli,
which are indicators of fecal contamination. Their
presence in water suggests that other disease-
causing microorganisms may also be present and
the water is not safe to drink.

WHAT BUNCOMBE COUNTY
PRIVATE WELL OWNERS CAN DO:

If your well was completely flooded or damaged
during the storm and you want to know if the
water is safe to drink, have it tested.

Please contact the Buncombe County Public
Health Department (828-250-5016) to request a
test kit. They will provide you with an empty bottle,
along with instructions to collect a drinking water
sample and where to drop it off for analysis.

Follow the QR code
for more information
on sample kit
collections.

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