The Asheville-Buncombe County League of Women Voters announced today that it will hold a public forum in February to discuss the future of Asheville’s water system. The forum will be held Monday, Feb. 13 from 7-9 p.m. at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church at 789 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville; parking is available in the church parking lot on Gracelyn Road. From 6:30 to 7 p.m., those attending will have an opportunity to view informational materials and meet individually with some of the panelists and resource persons.

The purpose of the forum is to provide the public with reliable, factual information about the water system, its history, its future options, and the overall legislative process that is guiding its status. The North Carolina legislature has appointed a study committee that is considering future options for the system, chaired by Rep. Tim Moffitt, who represents part of southern Buncombe County.

Panelists will include Vice Mayor Esther Manheimer, the Asheville City Council liaison to the legislative study committee; Rep. Chuck McGrady of Henderson County, a member of the legislative study committee and former Henderson County commissioner and member of the Regional Water Authority board; Dr. Gene Rainey, former chair of the Buncombe County Commission when the Regional Water Authority was established in 1994; and Steve Aceto, board chair of the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County. The director of the Asheville Water Resources Department, Steve Shoaf, and the general manager of the Metropolitan Sewerage District, Thomas Hartje, will on hand technical resource persons. Both will be available from 6:30 to 7 p.m., and during the question and answer period following the panel discussion.

Like all League forums, the Feb. 13 forum will be nonpartisan, free, and open to the public. The forum is cosponsored by the weekly Mountain Xpress and the monthly Urban News newspapers. For more information please contact the League at 828-252-8569.