Please refer to this page for all updates and alerts for the City of Morganton about Hurricane Helene:
October 9th at 4:45 pm - Debris Update
Please remember when piling up your debris to not place the debris near your water meter, fire hydrants, or clean outs for your home. When the equipment comes to remove the debris they are not likely to see these items and could cause damage to yours or the city's water infrastructure during collection.
Bilingüe- October 7th at 11:05 am - Electric Update
If you do not have power, please go outside and visually look at your outside meter base and power connection point. If it is damaged or torn down, you will need to get a North Carolina Licensed Electrician to make the repairs before power can be restored to your home.
The electrician must get an electrical permit from the City of Morganton Building Inspection office. All storm damage permits will be issued free of charge for customers within the City of Morganton jurisdiction.
If you have questions, call the Building Inspection office at 828-438-5266 or the Electric Department at 828-438-5277.
7 de octubre a las 11:05 pm - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE ELECTRICIDAD
Si no tiene energía eléctrica, salga y mire visualmente la base del medidor exterior y el punto de conexión de energía. Si está dañado o derribado, deberá contratar a un electricista autorizado de Carolina del Norte para que realice las reparaciones antes de que se pueda restablecer la energía en su hogar.
El electricista debe obtener un permiso eléctrico de la oficina de inspección de edificios de la ciudad de Morganton. Todos los permisos por daños por tormentas se emitirán sin cargo para los contratistas de la jurisdicción de la ciudad de Morganton.
Si tiene preguntas, llame a la oficina de Inspección de Edificios al 828-438-5266 o al Departamento de Electricidad al 828-438-5277.
Bilingüe- October 5th at 10:15 pm - Electric Update
Crews are scheduled to be working at numerous location across the city. If your power goes out please wait 30 minutes to report the outage because the electric workers may be reconnecting others around you which may require your power to be off temporarily. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
5 de octubre a las 10:15 pm - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE ELECTRICIDAD
Aviso importante: Los equipos eléctricos están programados para trabajar en varios lugares de la ciudad. Si su electricidad se va, espere 30 minutos antes de reportar la falla, ya que los trabajadores eléctricos pueden estar reconectando otras áreas, lo que podría requerir apagar su electricidad temporalmente. Gracias por su paciencia y comprensión mientras seguimos restaurando el servicio tras el huracán Helene.
Bilingüe- October 4th at 9:05 pm - Electric Update
Crews are scheduled to be working at the following locations on October 5th:
• Wesley Drive, Ervin Road, Northwestern Drive, Woodside Street, Evans Street, Morehead Street
• Circle Court, Alexander Avenue
• Lane Street, Forest Street, Bethel Road
• Mount Home Church Road, South Sterling Street, Duckworth Avenue, Enola Road, Ralph Patton Road
Most major areas are back online and we are working to restore all power as quickly as possible. Also, if your power goes out please wait 30 minutes to report the outage because the electric workers may be reconnecting others around which may require your power to be off temporarily. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
4 de octubre a las 9:05 pm - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE ELECTRICIDAD
Aviso importante: Los equipos eléctricos estarán trabajando en los siguientes lugares 5 de octubre:
• Wesley Drive, Ervin Road, Northwestern Drive, Woodside Street, Evans Street, Morehead Street
• Circle Court, Alexander Avenue
• Lane Street, Forest Street, Bethel Road
• Mount Home Church Road, South Sterling Street, Duckworth Avenue, Enola Road, Ralph Patton Road
La mayoría de las áreas ya tienen electricidad, y estamos trabajando para restablecer el servicio a todos lo más rápido posible. Si su electricidad se va, espere 30 minutos antes de reportar la falla, ya que los trabajadores eléctricos pueden estar reconectando otras áreas, lo que podría requerir apagar su electricidad temporalmente. Gracias por su paciencia y comprensión mientras seguimos restaurando el servicio tras el huracán Helene.
Bilingüe- October 4th at 3:45pm - PARKS AND RECREATION UPDATE
Freedom Park will be open starting the evening of October 4th. The new playground set is off limits as well as the Greenway portion connected to Freedom Park. Please remember that bikes, scooters and skateboards are not allowed on the Freedom Park track.
Catawba Meadows Park, the Morganton Greenway and Drexel Heritage Park are still closed until further notice.
4 de octubre a las 4pm - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE PARQUES Y RECREACIÓN
Freedom Park estará abierto a partir de la tarde del 4 de octubre. El nuevo área de juegos está prohibido, al igual que la parte de la Greenway conectada a Freedom Park. Recuerden que no se permiten bicicletas, scooters ni patinetas en la pista de Freedom Park.
Catawba Meadows Park, Morganton Greenway y Drexel Heritage Park permanecen cerrados hasta nuevo aviso.
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Bilingüe- October 4th at 11:30am - PARKS AND RECREATION UPDATE
The following parks will be open this afternoon (October 4th)
• Carbon City Park
• Martha's Park
• Martin Luther King Jr. Park
• Skate Park
All other city parks will be closed until further notice as Parks and Rec staff are assessing damage.
4 de octubre a las 11:30am - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE PARQUES Y RECREACIÓN
Los siguientes parques estarán abiertos esta tarde (4 de octubre):
• Parque de Carbon City
• Martha’s Park
• Parque Martin Luther King Jr.
• Parque de patinaje
Todos los demás parques de la ciudad permanecerán cerrados hasta nuevo aviso mientras el personal de Parques y Recreación evalúa los daños.
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October 4th at 9am – ELECTRIC UPDATE
Crews will be working on the following locations:
• Avery Avenue, to Sanford Drive along the streets of Cascade Street, Evans Street, Morehead Street
• Alexander Avenue
• Tate Street
• Vine Arden Road
• South Sterling Street, Sloan Avenue and Berry Street
• Davis Drive, Pearson Drive, North Anderson Street
• North Terrace Place
Most major areas are back online and we will make sure to restore all power as quickly as possible. Also, if your power goes out please wait 30 minutes to report the outage because the electric workers may be reconnecting others around which may require your power to be off temporarily. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to restore in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
4 de octubre a las 9 am – ACTUALIZACIÓN DE ELECTRICIDAD
Los equipos eléctricos estarán trabajando en las siguientes áreas:
• Avery Avenue hasta Sanford Drive, por las calles Cascade Street, Evans Street, Morehead Street
• Alexander Avenue
• Tate Street
• Vine Arden Road
• South Sterling Street, Sloan Avenue y Berry Street
• Davis Drive, Pearson Drive, North Anderson Street
• North Terrace Place
La mayoría de las áreas principales ya tienen electricidad, y nos aseguraremos de restablecer el servicio eléctrico en todas partes lo más rápido posible. Además, si se le va la luz, espere 30 minutos antes de reportarlo, ya que los trabajadores eléctricos pueden estar reconectando a otros, lo que podría hacer que su luz se apague temporalmente. Gracias por su paciencia y comprensión mientras seguimos restaurando el servicio tras el huracán Helene.
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October 3rd at 3:20pm - Development and Design Department
Inspectors with the City of Morganton Development and Design Department have been inspecting buildings around the city. The buildings with a yellow tag means that the structure is not open to the public. Buildings with a red tag mean the structure is UNSAFE to enter. The future plans for these structures are up to the owners.
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October 3rd at 10:40am - UTILITY PAYMENT UPDATE (Bilingüe)
The City of Morganton has suspended late fees and disconnection of utility services for nonpayment of bills generated before October 1, 2024.
The City of Morganton is now working with citizens to make payment plans for utility bills to lessen the economic burden on our customers bearing the brunt of the effects from Hurricane Helene.
The payment plans will allow customers to pay parts of their past due utility bills over a longer period of time, up to 90 days, along with payment of current bills dated after October 1, 2024.
By NC Law, debts and outstanding charges are not being forgiven, so it is important that customers pay as much as they can afford.
To set up a payment plan, contact the City’s business office at 828-438-5245.
Thank you!
3 de octubre a las 10:40 a.m. - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE PAGO DE SERVICIOS PÚBLICOS
La ciudad de Morganton ha suspendido los cargos por demora y la desconexión de los servicios públicos por falta de pago de las facturas generadas antes del 1 de octubre de 2024.
La ciudad de Morganton ahora está trabajando con los ciudadanos para hacer planes de pago de las facturas de servicios públicos para reducir la carga económica sobre nuestros clientes que soportan la peor parte de los efectos del huracán Helene.
Los planes de pago permitirán a los clientes pagar partes de sus facturas de servicios públicos vencidas durante un período de tiempo más largo, hasta 90 días, junto con el pago de las facturas actuales con fecha posterior al 1 de octubre de 2024.
Según la ley de Carolina del Norte, las deudas y los cargos pendientes no se están perdonando, por lo que es importante que los clientes paguen todo lo que puedan pagar.
Para establecer un plan de pago, comuníquese con la oficina comercial de la ciudad al 828-438-5245.
¡Gracias!
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October 3rd at 9:15am - HUMAN RESOURCES UPDATE
Please share with anyone you may know who has had their employment interrupted or lost as a result of Hurricane Helen.
There is a special unemployment program for workers whose employment has been lost or interrupted by the disaster.
The Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is a federal program that provides temporary payment for people who, as a direct result of a disaster, meet one of the following conditions:
- No longer have the job that provided the primary source of income
- Are unable to reach their place of employment
- Cannot work because of an injury caused by the storm
- Were unable to begin employment or self-employment due to the storm
- Have become the major supplier of household income due to a storm-related death of the previous major supplier of household income
The program is administered by the NC Division of Employment Security. For more details, information on eligibility, and how to apply, visit:
Disaster Unemployment Assistance | DES
Please share with anyone in WNC that you think may benefit from this program.
Actualización de Recursos Humanos - 3 de octubre a las 9:15am
Por favor, comparta esta información con cualquier persona que conozca que haya perdido su empleo o sufrido interrupciones en su trabajo debido al Huracán Helen. Existe un programa especial de desempleo para los trabajadores que han perdido o tenido interrupciones en su empleo a causa del desastre.
La Asistencia de Desempleo por Desastre (DUA- Disaster Unemployment Assistance) es un programa federal que ofrece pagos temporales a las personas que, como resultado directo de un desastre, cumplen con una de las siguientes condiciones:
• Ya no tienen el trabajo que era su principal fuente de ingresos
• No pueden llegar a su lugar de trabajo
• No pueden trabajar debido a una lesión causada por la tormenta
• No pudieron comenzar un empleo o trabajo independiente debido a la tormenta
• Se han convertido en el principal proveedor de ingresos del hogar debido a la muerte, relacionada con la tormenta, del anterior proveedor principal El programa es administrado por la División de Seguridad de Empleo de Carolina del Norte. Para más detalles, información sobre elegibilidad y cómo aplicar, visite: **Asistencia de Desempleo por Desastre | DES** (https://www.des.nc.gov/dua) Por favor, comparta esta información con cualquier persona en el Oeste de Carolina del Norte que usted crea que pueda beneficiarse de este programa.
__________________________________________ October 3rd at 8:50am - ELECTRIC UPDATE (Bilingüe) Electric crews are working at the following locations on Thursday, October 3rd. - Forest Hill - Asheville Street- Riverside Drive- Raintree Lane off of Jamestown Road- Carbon City Road area There are service trucks starting to deploy to individual houses hooking the houses to power. There are currently 2,200 still without power from the original outage number of 8,800. We ask that you continue to have patience as our crews are still working to restore power to parts of Morganton. We will update on new locations as they become available. Actualización Eléctrica - 3 de octubre a las 8:50am Los equipos eléctricos están trabajando en los siguientes lugares el jueves, 3 de octubre - Forest Hill St- Asheville St- Riverside Drive- Raintree Lane, cerca de Jamestown Road- Área de Carbon City Road
Hay camiones de servicio siendo despachados a las casas individuales para restablecer la electricidad. Actualmente, 2,200 hogares siguen sin electricidad, de un total original de 8,800 afectados. Les pedimos que continúen teniendo paciencia, ya que nuestras equipos siguen trabajando para restablecer el servicio en partes de Morganton. Daremos más información sobre nuevas ubicaciones cuando estén disponibles.
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October 2nd at 8:30 am - ELECTRIC UPDATE (Bilingual)
Electric crews are working at the following locations on Wednesday, October 2nd. Bilingüe)
- Asheville street
- East Union and Meeting Street
- Downtown area
- Carbon City Road
- There will be service trucks around fixing low hanging power lines
Depending if the crews get done at those locations they could possibly start work at Riverside Drive, VInearden Road and Kirksey Drive.
We have eight public power cities helping us including - Greenville NC, Washington NC, Albemarle NC, Gastonia, Maiden, Newton, Granite Falls, and Wilson NC. You are appreciated more than you realize.
Mensaje urgente - 2 de octubre a las 8:30 am - ACTUALIZACIÓN ELÉCTRICA (Bilingüe)
Las equipos eléctricos estarán trabajando en las siguientes ubicaciones el miércoles 2 de octubre:
- Asheville Street
- East Union y Meeting Street
- Área del centro
- Carbon City Road
Habrá camiones de servicio arreglando cables eléctricos bajos.
Dependiendo de si el equipo termina en esos lugares, es posible que comiencen a trabajar en Riverside Drive, Vinearden Road y Kirksey Drive.
Contamos con la ayuda de ocho ciudades con energía pública, incluyendo: Greenville NC, Washington NC, Albemarle NC, Gastonia, Maiden, Newton, Granite Falls y Wilson NC. Se les agradece más de lo que se imagina.
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October 2nd at 8:30 am - WATER UPDATE
The boil water advisory has been LIFTED FOR ALL City of Morganton water customers! The map showing all green! If you have water from Brentwood, Town of Drexel, Burke County and Lake James Communities you are also no longer under the boil water advisory! Thank you so much to our Water Treatment Crews! Thank you for all you have done! 2 de octubre a las 8:30 am - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE AGUA ¡La recomendación de hervir el agua ha sido LEVANTADA PARA TODOS los clientes de agua de la Ciudad de Morganton! ¡El mapa muestra todo en verde!Si usted recibe agua de Brentwood, Drexel, el condado de Burke y las comunidades de Lake James, ya no está bajo la recomendación de hervir el agua.¡Muchísimas gracias a nuestros equipos de tratamiento de agua! ¡Gracias por todo lo que han hecho! ______________________ October 1st at 12:30pm - WATER OUTAGE UPDATE The boil water advisory has been lifted for the areas served by the Kathy Road, Piney Road and Glen Alpine tanks. Water tests have confirmed that the water is safe in those areas. We will be announcing other areas of our customer base that can proceed with normal water consumption once test results are received. In the previous update: Valdese Avenue, Dale Circle, Astro Drive and the Salem water tanks have all been confirmed that the water is safe to consume. A map attached showing where the boil advisory has been lifted and where it is still in affect. If you are near a boundary and are unsure which zone you are in, continue to boil your water. The areas in white are not served by the City of Morganton water system. Actualización sobre la interrupción del agua - 1 de octubre a las 12:20pm El aviso de hervir el agua ha sido levantado para las áreas servidas por los tanques de agua de Kathy Road, Piney Road y Glen Alpine. Las pruebas de agua han confirmado que el agua es segura en esas áreas. Anunciaremos otras áreas de nuestros clientes que podrán continuar con el consumo normal de agua una vez que se reciban los resultados de las pruebas. En la actualización anterior: ya se ha confirmado que el agua es segura para consumir en Valdese Avenue, Dale Circle, Astro Drive y los tanques de agua de Salem.
Se adjunta un mapa que muestra dónde se ha levantado el aviso de hervir el agua y dónde sigue vigente. Si usted está cerca de un límite y no está seguro en qué zona se encuentra, siga hirviendo su agua. Las áreas en blanco no son servidas por el sistema de agua de la Ciudad de Morganton.
October 1st at 11:30am - ELECTRIC UPDATE ELECTRIC - Electric crews are working on the following locations today: OLD NC 18, Mount Home Church Road, Dale Circle off of Enola Road, Willowbrook Drive and Alexander Avenue working their way into downtown Morganton. We will try to keep you updated with new locations when we are told. We understand that your neighbor may have power, but due to the nature of the circuits you may still be without power. Please be patient as we continue to make repairs.
Actualización de electricidad - 1 de octubre a las 12pm
ELECTRICIDAD - Hoy, los equipos eléctricos están trabajando en las siguientes ubicaciones: OLD NC 18, Mount Home Church Road, Dale Circle cerca de Enola Road, Willowbrook Drive y Alexander Avenue, avanzando hacia el centro de Morganton. Trataremos de mantenerlos informados sobre nuevas ubicaciones cuando nos lo indiquen.
Entendemos que su vecino puede tener electricidad, pero debido a la naturaleza de los circuitos, usted puede seguir sin servicio. Por favor, tenga paciencia mientras continuamos haciendo las reparaciones.
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October 1st at 1:15am - WATER OUTAGE UPDATE WATER -
The City of Morganton water system continues to stabilize. Please see the water outage map (PDF) linked here. The ability to support customer demand and usage is greatly improving. Most water line breaks that have been identified so far are minor. Crews have been working hard to make repairs and to restore service.
The boil water advisory has been lifted for the areas served by the Valdese Avenue, Dale Circle, Astro Drive and the Salem water tanks. Water tests have confirmed that the water is safe in those areas. We will be announcing other areas of our customer base that can proceed with normal water consumption once test results are received.
A map linked above is showing where the boil advisory has been lifted and where it is still in affect. If you are near a boundary and are unsure which zone you are in, continue to boil your water. The areas in white are not served by the City of Morganton water system.
Actualización sobre la interrupción del agua - 1 de octubre a las 10am
AGUA - El sistema de agua de la Ciudad de Morganton sigue estabilizándose. La capacidad para satisfacer la demanda y el uso de los clientes está mejorando considerablemente. La mayoría de las roturas de las tuberías de agua identificadas hasta ahora son menores. Los equipos han estado trabajando duro para hacer reparaciones y restaurar el servicio. El aviso de hervir el agua ha sido levantado solamente para las áreas servidas por los tanques de agua de Valdese Avenue, Dale Circle, Astro Drive y Salem. Las pruebas de agua han confirmado que el agua es segura en esas áreas. Anunciaremos otras áreas de nuestra base de clientes que podrán continuar con el consumo normal de agua una vez que se reciban los resultados de las pruebas.
Se adjunta un mapa que muestra dónde se ha levantado el aviso de hervir el agua y dónde sigue vigente. Si usted está cerca de un límite y no estás seguro en qué zona se encuentra, continúe hirviendo su agua. Las áreas en blanco no son servidas por el sistema de agua de la Ciudad de Morganton.
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October 1st at 10am - COMPAS CABLE UPDATE
COMPAS CABLE - Currently we are working to restore all services as quickly and safely as possible. We do not have any estimated times for repair at this time. As power is restored, we then are able to start our repairs and will do so as quickly as possible. If power has been restored and you still do not have service it could be equipment between your house and our head-end facility, which still does not have power. If you have questions you can reach our office at 828-438-5353 and press 0 to speak with someone. We appreciate your patience as we work diligently to restore your services.
1 de octubre a las 10 a. m. - ACTUALIZACIÓN DEL CABLE COMPAS
Actualmente estamos trabajando para restaurar todos los servicios de la manera más rápida y segura posible. No tenemos tiempos estimados para la reparación en este momento. A medida que se restablezca la energía, podremos comenzar nuestras reparaciones y lo haremos lo más rápido posible. Si se ha restablecido la energía y todavía no tiene servicio, podría ser un equipo entre su casa y nuestra instalación de cabecera, que todavía no tiene energía. Si tiene preguntas, puede comunicarse con nuestra oficina al 828-438-5353 y presionar 0 para hablar con alguien. Agradecemos su paciencia mientras trabajamos diligentemente para restaurar sus servicios.
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October 1 at 7:30am - GARBAGE COLLECTION UPDATE.
Garbage pick up will resume on a normal schedule on Tuesday, October 1st and will be on a normal schedule for the rest of the week. Please bring your trash to the street that would help our crews out. We understand that some streets are still blocked. We will get to those houses as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation!
1 de octubre a las 7:30 a.m. - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE LA RECOGIDA DE BASURA.
La recogida de basura se va reiniciar en un horario normal el martes 1 de octubre y estará en un horario normal durante el resto de la semana. Por favor, lleva tu basura a la calle para ayudaría a nuestros equipos. Entendemos que algunas calles todavía están bloqueadas. Los llegaremos a esas casas lo antes posible. ¡Gracias por su cooperación!
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September 30th at 5 pm - CITY HALL / PARKS AND RECREATION UPDATE CIty Hall will be closed on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 to the general public. We will open back up to the public on Wednesday, October 2, to the public. City of Morganton Recreation Centers will open from 9am - 8pm. City parks will remain closed until further notice. Please see the following link to access all press releases from Burke County Government.
30 de septiembre a las 5 pm - ACTUALIZACIÓN DE LA ALCALDÍA y DEPARTAMENTO DE PARQUES Y RECREACIÓN
La Alcaldía estará cerrada al público el martes, 1 de octubre de 2024. Abriremos de nuevo al público el miércoles, 2 de octubre.
Los centros de recreación de la Ciudad de Morganton estarán abiertos de 9 am a 8 pm. Los parques de la ciudad estarán cerrados hasta nuevo aviso.
Por favor, use el siguiente enlace para ver todos los comunicados de prensa sobre el huracán Helene, incluyendo lugares para donar, oportunidades de voluntariado y recolección de escombros.
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September 30th at 11:30 am - WATER OUTAGE UPDATE
We have been informed that the Oakhill Water Tank, Grandview Water Tank and Lake James Water Tank are without water due to the pumps losing power. A generator is enroute to get them working again. It is estimated that water will be restored to those tanks by the end of the day. Thank you as always for your patience and understanding.
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September 30th at 9:50am - DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN UPDATE
All permit fees for all storm damage related issues (electric, building, mechanical) have been WAIVED, but contractors will still have to get a permit through the Development and Design office. Phones are being answered in that department for contractors in need of permits. If they do not get a permit they will not get on the reconnect list.
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September 30th at 9:45am - GARBAGE COLECTION UPDATE
The City of Morganton sanitation crew will be going out today, Monday, September 30th, for garbage collection. We will be going on our normal route for a Monday and will try to get to as many houses as we can. Please bring your trash to the street that would help our crews out. We understand that some streets are still blocked. We will get to those houses as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation!
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September 30 at 8am - WATER OUTAGE UPDATE Our water system is recovering. Overnight we were able to fill almost all of our elevated storage tanks and begin pumping into the Salem, Glen Alpine and Burke/Caldwell zones. It will be extremely critical for customers to continue water conservation measures as their water service returns. Also, our system remains under a boil water advisory until further notice. Therefore, when water service is restored consumers are advised to BOIL all water used for human consumption (including drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation) or use bottled water. You CAN take a shower in the water. The boil water advisory is just for human consumption.
Vigorous boiling for one (1) minute should kill any disease-causing organisms that may be present in the water.
Water customers are strongly urged to conserve water whenever possible. This advisory remains in effect until further written notification is issued.
Water testing will begin today to ensure the water is safe and we are able to remove the boil water advisory. We will be in contact and working with our industral customers to bring them back into full production over the next few days. Thank you for yoour patience and support! Brad BorisWater Resources Director.
September 30th at 6am - ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE
Morganton Public Safety has compiled a list of the following streets that are still closed as of Monday, September 30th at 6am.
- 300 block of Walton Road is closed with a tree.
- East Union near Meeting Street is closed.
- East Union near Kirksey Drive is closed.
- Amherst Road is completely closed with multiple trees and poles blocking the road.
The following roads have now opened - Golf Course Road is now open.
September 29th at 4:30pm - ELECTRIC AND WATER UPDATE Electric - There are more crews from Public Power sister communities either already here or enroute to Morganton to help restore power including the the City of Maiden, City of Wilson, City of Granite Falls, City of Greenville NC. Thank you for all help. We would not be able to do this alone. Receiving help from other public power communities is essential. We still have, as of 4pm on Sunday September 30th, 4,500 people in the city without power. Make sure your main breaker is off when connecting your generator in order to prevent back feed and possibly electrocuting a lineman. It is asked of citizens to please use caution and slow down when approaching crews working in the roadway. Please have patience as we continue to work. Water - As a reminder we are still under the boil water advisory and citizens are asked to still conserve water while we are continuing filling the system. Therefore, when water service is restored consumers are advised to BOIL all water used for human consumption (including drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation) or use bottled water.
Vigorous boiling for one (1) minute should kill any disease-causing organisms that may be present in the water.
Water customers are strongly urged to conserve water whenever possible. This advisory remains in effect until further written notification is issued.
September 29th, 1:30pm - PARKS AND RECREATION UPDATE
Please see the following message from our Parks and Rec department. All City of Morganton Parks and Recreations facilities will be closed until further notice. Even if a park looks clear, please avoid them until we can evaluate for safety. This is a difficult time for all of us and we will get through this. Be strong and stay safe.
September 29th, 1pm - CITY HALL UPDATE
Morganton City Hall will be closed to the public on Monday, September 30th.
September 29th, 9am - WATER OUTAGE UPDATE
Last night (September 28th) we installed temporary pumps to feed water into the plant for treatment. Currently we are slowly filling the distribution system. It is important for the system to be completely full before normal service can be restored. Therefore, patience in requested during the process. Once the the direction is giving to begin gradual usage, customers are reminded that our system remains under a boil water advisory. Further updates will be added as the day progresses.
September 28th, 4pm - POWER AND WATER UPDATE
Please be aware that water, sewer and power are still days away from restoration. We have had assistance from Greenville Electric to help with the clean up and restoration of power. There are multiple public works departments working to clean the streets and trees off of power lines. Please do not attempt to cut a tree yourself if it is laying on a power line. Please continue to conserve water, due to the water plant not being in operation. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available.
September 28th, 10 am - POWER OUTAGE UPDATE
The City has been informed by Duke Energy that its primary power feeds to the City of Morganton substations are underwater. They estimate that power will remain off for another 3-5 days. Duke Energy transmits our power to us from the nuclear plant in South Carolina. As conditions change we will keep you updated. Please know that this is an unprecedented time and we are working as hard as we can to restore power. We will keep you updated as soon as new information becomes available.
September 28th, 7:15am - WATER OUTAGE ALERT
The City of Morganton Water Plant is not in operation. This is due to the raw water pump station being underwater. Any water in the system will soon be depleted. We ask that our customers please understand and be patient while repairs and replacement of equipment can be initiated. In order for this to happen, the flood waters must recede so that crews can mobilize at the site. This will be a process that take time and personal safety must be a priority so water service is restored. This includes these cities fed by the City of Morganton Water system including Burke County, Brentwood Water, Town of Drexel and the Lake James Communities. We will be making updates as they become available.
We are working closely with Emergency Management during this crisis. An order has been placed at the state level for bottled water for our community and surrounding areas. We will update as soon as this relief can be deployed.
Thank you,
Brad Boris, Water Resources Director
September 27th at 3:40pm - BOIL WATER ADVISORY
The water consumers of the City of Morganton water system (I.D - 0112015), in Burke County are experiencing periods of low pressure and outages in the distribution system due to effects of Hurricane Helene. Periods of low or no pressure in the distribution system increases the potential for back siphonage and introduction of bacteria into the water system.
Therefore, when water service is restored consumers are advised to boil all water used for human consumption (including drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation) or use bottled water.
Vigorous boiling for one (1) minute should kill any disease-causing organisms that may be present in the water.
Water customers are strongly urged to conserve water whenever possible. This advisory remains in effect until further written notification is issued.
September 27th - POWER UPDATE
City of Morganton electric crews are out assessing damage now. There is still no estimate for power restoration. Crews are working as quickly as they can. We ask that you please have patience and please stay at home and off the roadways if possible.
September 27th at 11:20am - POWER UPDATE
We do not at this time have any estimate for power restoration. Once it is safe to do so, our electric crews will begin to assess the widespread damage in the city. Please be patient as we navigate this storm and the damage it has caused. We will continue to update with the newest information on this page and on the City of Morganton Facebook page as soon as we can.
September 27th at 10:30am - WATER NOTICE
Please see the following message from our Water Resources Department:
It is recommended that citizens conserve water due to the Water Treatment Plant losing power to their distribution lines that push water out to the water tanks in the city. There are some pump stations that are without power as well.We will continue to update you with the latest information.
September 27th at 9:30am - City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium
Electric Avenue 80’s MTV Experience happening tonight at Comma Performing Arts Center has been CANCELLED due to the severe weather. We are working to get a new date scheduled and will update you as soon as possible. The safety of our citizens is priority. Please be safe out there.
September 27th at 9am - ROAD CLOSURES: The following roads have been closed due to barricades or trees or power lines down.
- North College St.,
- Brookstone and HWY 126,
- Golf Course Rd.,
- West Union St. at Walton and Silver Creek, - Sterling Street at Huffman,
- Asheville Street,
- Lost Corners Road,
- Believers Way,
- Bouchelle and Patterson,
- South Green Street near the Green Street Grill going into town,
- Sanford Drove in between Lenoir Street and Tate Street,
- Tennessee Street where it intersects with East Union.
September 27th at 7:45am - West Union Street has a large tree across it between Walton and Silver Creek. The road is impassable at the moment. We will keep you updated as to when it opens.
POWER OUTAGE ALERT: Power significant power outages have been reported at Falls Street, Forest Hill Street, Oak Street, Butler, Wedgewood, Linville, Hilltop, White Street and surrounding areas. Thousands are without power. Crews and their bucket trucks are not able to get out until wind dies down. Please be patient as we all ride out this storm. We will update customers on a restoration time as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Update Sept. 26 at 11 pm -
Morganton Public Safety is closing a section of East Parker Road between Hoyle Street and Jupiter Street due to water touching the bottom of the bridge. Please use an alternate route if going in this direction.
Update from Morganton Public Safety: September 26 at approximately 8pm.
As we prepare for what is a potentially historic flooding event we want you all to be safe.
Our area in Morganton experienced a historic flood in September 2004 cutting off essentially the western part of the city accessible only by the interstate. Our agency has been planning for this scenario all day for this by staging resources and personnel in that area.
If you live in areas near the Catawba river hunting Creek or Silver Creek, those areas are prone to flood as you well know. Although evacuation at this point is not mandatory, Burke County has issued a voluntary evacuation for those areas prone to flooding.
Our officers and firefighters will be out all night, monitoring creek levels and flooded roads as well as any trees that may come down. Monitor your local weather and emergency alerts. Heed all warnings as they may be issued. 
Tonight is going to be a long night and even a longer day tomorrow. We pray for everyone’s safety during this historic weather event. 
Sept 26th at 3pm -
Here is some key information to remember as Hurricane Helene makes its way to Morganton.
Please do not drive if it is not necessary. If a road is flooded, do not drive through the water. Remember the saying “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”.
Please avoid downed power lines, trees and debris in the road.
All city parks and recreation facilities are closed to the public now until further notice.
We would like to remind everyone to call the appropriate power company that is servicing your household if your power goes out. Do not call 911 for a power outage. Please see the numbers below for the different power companies.
City of Morganton - 1-828-438-5277
Duke Energy - 1-800-POWERON (1-800-769-3766)
Rutherford Electric - 1-800-228-9756
Town of Drexel - 1-828-430-1794
Blue Ridge Energy - 1-800-448-2383
Mountain Electric - 1-828-733-0159