It’s hard to miss the Asheville coal-fired power plant as you drive into Lake Julian Park in Arden, N.C. The smokestacks and discolored water surrounding the plant scream of environmental abuse and disfigurement. Our mission was the hidden abuses this plant perpetrates on nearby residents that brought us together specifically to discuss the threat of toxic coal ash.

Thursday, March 22, was more than just a warm welcome to spring, it marked the nineteenth annual World Water Day, a day to focus international attention on the impacts of rapid urban development, industrial consumption and climate change threatening our precious resources.

The “Clean Water Not Coal Ash” rally, hosted by Appalachian Voices, the Western North Carolina Alliance along with several organizations, called attention to the threat posed by coal ash to drinking water and the nation’s rivers. The rally brought out more than 200 residents of all ages from Asheville and surrounding areas demanding something be done about the threat of toxic coal ash to North Carolina’s waterways.

Our message was simple: Keep our precious water clean for current and future generations.