WOODFIN, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Nearly two years after Tropical Storm Helene, IPEX Inc., a PVC pipe manufacturing company, has announced a $500,000 commitment to local conservation nonprofit MountainTrue to continue cleaning up debris in the French Broad River.
MountainTrue has removed nearly 6 million pounds of debris from Western North Carolina rivers and streams after Helene, including on the section of the French Broad River near IPEX’s Asheville storage facility. In the aftermath of the storm, hundreds of IPEX PVC pipes were swept into the river, accumulating into piles as tall as 20 feet high.
Though IPEX had assisted with cleanup efforts in the early days of Helene recovery, MountainTrue and concerned community members said they had lapsed in assistance by May 2026. At a community gathering on May 12, 2026, MountainTrue and Woodfin town leaders called on the company to return to the river recovery project.
This company’s $500,000 commitment, announced on Sept. 16, 2026, marks a major reinvestment into the Woodfin community.
“IPEX’s Silver-Line facility has been part of this community for decades, and we intend to be here for decades to come,” said Colleen Pritchett, CEO of IPEX.
Helene brought historic flooding to our facility and surrounding communities, but it also showcased the resilience and perseverance that have long defined western North Carolina. That same spirit continues to inspire our commitment to the region’s recovery. MountainTrue brings deep expertise in river cleanup and restoration, and we’re proud to support their work and help advance the next phase of recovery.”
One of the concerns that MountainTrue outlined with the company was the storage of their pipes, which had been kept before and after the storm in a facility immediately adjacent to the French Broad River.
MountainTrue said that IPEX will strengthen protections around its inventory for future extreme weather following an engineering study of the facility, commissioned in collaboration with the town of Woodfin and MountainTrue.
“Helene changed the way we think about resilience in Woodfin,” said Woodfin Mayor Jim McAllister. “Recovery means addressing the damage left behind, but it also means learning from what happened and making decisions today that leave us better prepared for the future. I’m encouraged to see IPEX and MountainTrue working together to clean up the river, and IPEX continuing to work with the town around emergency preparedness.”
Thanks to IPEX funding and a survey the company commissioned of the French Broad River from Woodfin to Tennessee, MountainTrue has renewed its understanding of what pipe remains in the river.
The funding will assist the conservation group with targeting “remaining storm debris along the river system in Buncombe and Madison Counties in North Carolina and Cocke County, Tenn,” MountainTrue said.
MountainTrue expressed its gratitude to IPEX for its assistance expanding recovery work in the region.,
“The French Broad is the lifeblood of western North Carolina. It’s a place where we paddle, fish, explore and connect with nature, and a vital natural and economic resource for communities throughout the region. That’s why its recovery is worth investing in,” said MountainTrue French Broad Riverkeeper Anna Alsobrook. “We greatly appreciate IPEX stepping up to help us continue that work. These funds will help us keep experienced crews on the river, tackle some of the hardest-to-reach areas and remove more debris from the French Broad.”
For more information about MountainTrue, visit www.mountaintrue.org
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