How Hendersonville’s New French Broad Intake Secures Our Water Future
If you’re already living in Hendersonville NC or thinking about making the move to our corner of the Blue Ridge, here’s some very good news: our water future just got a major upgrade. City leaders, utility staff, and community partners recently raised a symbolic glass at a “First Sip” ceremony to celebrate the completion of the new French Broad River Intake and Water Treatment Facility Filter Expansion – a project that quietly changes the game for Hendersonville and Henderson County.
A Toast to Resilient Mountain Living
Picture this: members of Hendersonville City Council, utility crews, and local stakeholders gathered on a cool February day, lifting cups of crystal-clear water drawn from the French Broad River. That “First Sip” wasn’t just about turning on a tap; it was a celebration of resilience, foresight, and the kind of long-term planning that makes families and businesses feel confident about putting down roots here.
For years, our water came from intakes in Pisgah National Forest and along the Mills River. Those are pristine sources, but like much of western North Carolina, we’ve felt the squeeze during drought years. The new French Broad River Intake gives us a powerful, redundant fourth source of water – a safety net for more than 80,000 people who count on Hendersonville’s utility every day.
If you’ve been wondering what’s it like living in Hendersonville as the region grows, this project is a perfect example: small-town feel, big-league infrastructure.
Why This Matters If You’re Moving to Hendersonville NC
People who move to Hendersonville are often drawn by the mountain views, vibrant downtown, and easy access to outdoor adventure. But behind the scenes, essentials like water, roads, and schools are what really shape quality of life. The French Broad River Intake project checks several big boxes for anyone planning to relocate to Hendersonville:
- Drought protection: Past dry spells in 2007–2008, 2016, and 2023 pushed our old system close to its limits and led to usage restrictions. The new intake dramatically boosts drought resiliency.
- Room to grow: The Water Treatment Facility’s permitted capacity has climbed from 12 million gallons per day to 15 million gallons per day – extra headroom for new homes, neighborhoods, and employers.
- Economic strength: A reliable water supply is a magnet for businesses, helping sustain jobs and local investment.
- Everyday peace of mind: Turn the tap, fill your glass, brew your coffee – without worrying what last month’s rainfall totals look like.
In other words, this project supports the kind of steady, thoughtful growth that makes living in Hendersonville feel both comfortable today and secure for tomorrow.
Built to Withstand a Thousand-Year Storm
One of the most impressive parts of this story is how the new intake weathered Tropical Storm Helene. If you visit the site, you can actually see on the building how high the water came during that thousand-year storm event – and it’s jaw-dropping. Yet the structure held up with only minor damage, a testament to smart engineering and serious preparation.
Here’s how the design stacks up against Mother Nature:
- Elevated operating floor: The main operating level, where pump motors, emergency generators, and control gear live, was built roughly 15 feet above the surrounding ground – higher than the 500-year flood elevation.
- Submersible lower levels: Everything below that height was intentionally designed to tolerate being underwater, from the concrete structure to mechanical components.
- Real-world testing: During Helene, floodwater rose more than 16 feet above grade and overtopped the operating floor. While some electrical equipment had to be replaced, the core structure and systems performed as expected.
- Upgrades after the storm: Additional flood gate systems have been installed in the electrical room to further harden the facility against future extreme events.
For families and retirees considering things to do in Hendersonville – from strolling Main Street to hiking nearby trails – this kind of resilience might not make the brochures, but it absolutely shapes day-to-day confidence in calling this place home.
A Decade in the Making, Funded Close to Home
Projects like this don’t happen overnight. Planning, permitting, engineering, and construction spanned roughly ten years, beginning in 2016 and culminating with commissioning in December 2025. Throughout that time, Hendersonville’s Utilities Department kept its eyes on a simple but powerful goal: make sure water flows, clean and dependable, for generations.
The funding model is another part of the story:
- Locally funded: The entire project was paid for by Hendersonville’s water customers through their monthly utility bills.
- Smart financing: The city used a low-interest loan from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Revolving Fund, a tool designed to help communities upgrade essential water infrastructure affordably.
- Community investment: As Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Hensley noted, this is a capital investment that will support residents, industry, and the local economy for “hundreds of years in the future.”
French Broad Riverkeeper Anna Alsobrook summed it up well: clean water doesn’t just happen; it takes dedication, collaboration, and investment. That’s exactly what you’re seeing here.
What This Means for Daily Life in Hendersonville
So how does a new water intake translate into everyday life? For current residents, it means fewer worries about restrictions when the summer gets long and dry, and more confidence that taps, sprinklers, breweries, restaurants, and manufacturers all have the water they need.
For anyone weighing a move to Hendersonville, it adds to the list of quiet advantages that don’t always show up in glossy relocation guides. Reliable utilities, forward-thinking infrastructure, and a community willing to invest in itself all signal a city that’s planning for the long haul.
If you’re curious about how this fits into the broader picture of growth, housing, and lifestyle in our area, I dig into those topics regularly on the Henderson County Homes Learning Center. Strong infrastructure like this water project pairs beautifully with our charming downtown, thriving arts scene, and trail-rich surroundings.
Clean Water as a Cornerstone of Mountain Living
The French Broad River has long been a defining feature of our region – a place to paddle, fish, and unwind. Now, with this new intake and filter expansion, it also plays a starring role in supplying safe, high-quality drinking water to our homes and businesses.
For those who love to explore, the river and its surroundings offer endless outdoor recreation options, from the Blue Ridge Parkway vistas to nearby national forest trails. Knowing that the same river is part of a thoughtfully managed, resilient water system adds another layer of appreciation.
At the end of the day, this “First Sip” ceremony is about more than engineering diagrams and flow rates. It’s about raising a glass to a community that plans ahead, takes care of its people, and understands that the foundation of a great mountain town starts with the essentials: clean water, a healthy environment, and a shared vision for the future.
If you’re thinking about moving to Hendersonville or just exploring what life here could look like, you can take comfort in knowing that while you’re out enjoying all the things to do in Hendersonville – from apple orchards to waterfall hikes – a carefully crafted system is working behind the scenes to keep that next refreshing sip ready whenever you are.