Samaritan's Purse is establishing emergency water points in the rugged terrain of Buncombe County, North Carolina.
Samaritan’s Purse is once again expanding relief efforts in western North Carolina with the deployment of community water filtration systems to the town of Swannanoa and other hard-hit areas. Designed by a Samaritan’s Purse team of engineers, each water system can provide up to 50,000 liters of clean water daily—enough for 10,000 people.
Many people in western North Carolina, including areas around Asheville, still do not have running water in their homes after Hurricane Helene.
These units will serve as resources to communities including Swannanoa where the water pipeline network was destroyed during Hurricane Helene. They will help fill the gap as Buncombe County works to restore essential services such as water.
“We designed these systems to use overseas—and they work so well—but now the need is in our own backyard,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “We are airlifting supplies, mudding out homes, removing trees, and doing so much more—all in Jesus’ Name—and we’re thankful for everyone who is helping make it possible. We want to remind each person that we help that God loves and cares for them and hasn’t forgotten them.”
In addition to providing clean water, Samaritan’s Purse has flown supplies on 19 helicopter operations—sling loading emergency relief supplies to areas that have been cut off from basic necessities. We have airlifted infant hygiene kits, food, water, and medical supplies to fire departments, nursing homes, and some of the most isolated and hard-hit communities.
Samaritan’s Purse is helping to meet the water and sanitation needs of people in Buncombe County, including Swannanoa.
Samaritan’s Purse is also mobilizing teams of volunteers to help families begin to recover from the storm. Thousands of volunteers have already helped scores of families by clearing debris, mudding out flooded homes, tarping roofs, and chainsawing downed trees.
In addition to the work in western North Carolina, Samaritan’s Purse has also deployed Disaster Relief Units—tractor-trailers stocked with tools and equipment—to Perry and Tampa, Florida, and Valdosta, Georgia, all of which were in Helene’s destructive path.
Please keep those recovering from Hurricane Helene in your prayers. Please pray also for our teams as they help in Jesus’ Name.
