Bill Hart has been appointed as the City of Asheville Water Resources Director, effective March 16. He has served as Interim Water Resources Director since August 2025, following the departure of David Melton.
Hart has worked in the Water Resources Department for 16 years, holding positions such as Water Plant Operator, North Fork Water Treatment Plant Supervisor, and Water Production Division Manager. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Western Carolina University and has a background in natural resource management, which provided him with knowledge in water treatment and production, project and facilities management, and watershed hydrology.
Hart played a key role in the department’s response to and recovery from Helene. His expertise continues to guide efforts to strengthen the resilience of Asheville’s water system. “It has been an incredible honor to serve as Interim Water Resources Director, and I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me to lead the department permanently,” said Hart. “Asheville is a special community, and I am fully committed to ensuring our residents and businesses enjoy continued access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water. Our water system is especially complex and presents unique challenges. While I am extremely proud of the progress we have made since Helene, everyone at Water Resources understands there remains a lot of work to do to make our system stronger. I look forward to continuing to work alongside our talented team of 181 employees, City leadership and our state and federal partners to accomplish that.”
City Manager DK Wesley said, “We are delighted to have Bill’s extensive knowledge and experience as a tenured employee within Asheville’s Water Resources Department. We are confident his leadership will guide us for years to come in essential infrastructure improvements while enhancing needed system resiliency.”
Asheville’s City Hall at 70 Court Plaza serves as the central administrative hub for municipal operations, according to the official website. The city operates under a council-manager government structure with a mayor and six city council members serving four-year staggered terms who oversee policy according to the official website. The city manager handles daily operations while elected officials set policy according to the official website.
The city coordinates among departments such as Public Works, Water Resources, and Planning for service delivery and community engagement according to the official website. Through its City Plans initiative, Asheville focuses on long-term community engagement for sustainable growth and equitable development according to the official website.
Asheville delivers municipal services within its city limits according to the official website. Hart’s appointment comes at a time when infrastructure improvements remain a priority for local government.
