Will there be any help for businesses hurt by Asheville water outage?

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — “Help Wanted” signs posted at businesses mean the bosses are hiring. Inside some South Asheville shops and restaurants, the words are a rallying cry for financial help after Asheville’s recent water outage. Business owners also want clear answers about how the outage happened and a backup plan so it doesn't happen again.

Thousands of taps ran dry when Asheville's Mills River Water Treatment Plant went offline on Dec. 24. That, coupled with two dozen water main breaks that drained millions of gallons of water from the system, left about 38,500 customers dry until Jan. 4, 11 days after the ordeal began.

One business that was impacted was Amiliana’s Hair Studio on Sweeten Creek Road.

“You got to wash your client’s hair. We got to wash our hands. We got to keep our utensils clean and sanitized. That’s impossible without water,” owner Leondra Hoke said.

Between Christmas and the new year, those were not options.

“Practically our entire business is based off of water,” Hoke said.

She is fortunate there was a second location not impacted by the outage. However, business was slow at a time it is usually busy.

“Saturdays are the busiest. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are usually clockwork non-stop,” Hoke said.

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Doctors and nurses need water to keep patients alive. Mission Health’s CarePartners facility on Sweeten Creek Road was also impacted by the outage. That included the inpatient rehabilitation center and hospice. Parent company HCA Healthcare confirmed it rented water tanks from a private vendor.

Davita Kidney Care in Arden also brought in a water tanker, so patients could still get dialysis, officials said.

The curtain also closed on a portion of the area’s food and drink scene. That meant no grub or booze for a New Year’s toast. Thirsty Monk owner Barry Bialik watched the money stop like the water in South Asheville’s Biltmore Park.

“We sent the staff home and shut down,” Bialik said.

That meant no money from beer and food, which meant a lower paycheck for workers.

“It’s a big week for us. It’s what helps carry us through the slow months of January and February,” Bialik said.

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Some businesses that tried to operate without running water were shut down by the Buncombe County Health Department. State law bans businesses from operating without water service.

So, businesses had to wait. Some even dealt with losing water pressure as the system went back online.

“We were left with our own problem-solving skills,” Hoke said.

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The big question now is -- what is being done for business owners who didn’t get to cash in on a crucial week?

City of Asheville Media Relations Representative Kim Miller sent this statement via email:

The city is in the process of reviewing the water outage through both an internal after-action analysis, as well as through the recently formed independent review committee. Any claims submitted to the city resulting from the water outage will be evaluated based upon the results of these reviews. Claims may be submitted to the city’s Risk Management Division.”

City officials said they cannot make any recommendations for homeowners who may have been impacted. For instance, the changing water pressure may have damaged some water heaters.

It’s still unclear how long it’ll take to review claims. So, to replenish pocketbooks sooner than later, some owners are leaning on their business insurance. There is hesitation, though.

“We have not filed. I don’t know if I’m going to file. I don’t know if it’s worth it. I don’t know how much it’ll help, really, the employees,” Bialik said.

Frederick Fisher, who owns Fisher Consulting in California, is an expert when it comes to business insurance. He was asked whether business owners should be concerned about increased rates if they file.

“That can be a valid concern, but it depends on the nature of the coverage,” Fisher said.

Fisher admitted it’s a hard field for busy business owners to understand because of so many policies.

“If it’s a first party loss, where you’re not responsible, so to speak, for your own claim, hopefully, your rates will not go up,” Fisher said.

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Fisher said insurance costs can go up for many reasons, simply based on the market. He said if business owners have a claim, they should make it. But, he warned, many policies have a window.

Lastly, what about special low-interest loans? News 13 Investigates received information from the U.S. Small Business Administration and North Carolina’s Risk Management Division. If five or more businesses show a substantial economic loss, the state could approve a governor’s certification disaster declaration. That would open the door to special low-interest loans for payroll and bills from the U.S. Small Business Administration. So far, there is no record of a declaration. But the state has 120 days from the incident to do so.

As for Hoke, she is still combing over her financial losses, but she hopes the city can iron out a backup plan.

“Now that we have gone through it, maybe putting together a plan just in case something like that happens again. You know, ease people’s minds,” Hoke said.