Brunswick County issues Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert

Residents who have questions should contact their water service provider directly or Brunswick County Public Utilities at 910.253.2657 or utilityadmin@brunswickcountync.gov.

PUBLIC NOTICE

BOLIVIA, N.C. – To ensure adequate water is available for essential needs, Brunswick County has declared a Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert effective immediately.

This water conservation alert affects all customers of the following public water systems:

• Brunswick County Public Utilities Customers (see paragraph below for more details)
• Bald Head Island Utilities Customers
• Holden Beach Utilities Customers
• Oak Island Utilities Customers
• Ocean Isle Beach Utilities Customers

Brunswick County Public Utilities provides water service in unincorporated portions of Brunswick County as well as the following communities: Boiling Spring Lakes, Bolivia, Calabash, Carolina Shores, Caswell Beach, Navassa, Northwest, Sandy Creek, Shallotte, Southport, St. James, Sunset Beach, and Varnamtown.

Brunswick County asks these customers to diligently use water wisely. Demand for water has exceeded 80% of the available production and distribution capacity. As Independence Day approaches, water demands are expected to increase.

Utilities customers of Bald Head Island, Holden Beach, Oak Island, and Ocean Isle Beach are under the same restrictions since these utilities receive their water from Brunswick County Public Utilities.

This Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert does not apply to customers of Brunswick Regional – H2GO. Check Brunswick Regional – H2Go’s website for information about any water conservation or best practices they may have issued for their customers: h2gonc.gov 

This Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert does not affect the use of private groundwater wells or those using highly treated reclaimed wastewater. (St. James, Winding River, Sea Trail, and Sandpiper Bay golf courses use reclaimed water. Other golf courses use wells and ponds for irrigation.)

Under a Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert, water system customers are requested to make voluntary adjustments to their water usage habits to appreciably reduce peak demands. (A peak demand of under 80% of system production and distribution capacity is targeted).

Irrigation demands represent the bulk of non-essential water use, so a primary way that customers can reduce water usage is to limit irrigation. A unified application of voluntary water reductions by all water system users in Brunswick County can help to avoid mandatory water restrictions.

Here are specific ways you can reduce your water use in and around your home.

1. Adjust your irrigation schedule.Avoid watering your lawn between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. and follow our recommended irrigation schedule: 
   • Odd address numbers: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
   • Even address numbers: Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
   • All address numbers: No irrigation on Mondays

2. Move irrigation to nighttime. Water your lawn between 12 a.m. (midnight) and 4 a.m. In North Carolina’s Zone 8/Coastal Plain, lawns stay damp overnight regardless of irrigation, so watering overnight will not affect your risk of fungal growth.

3. Do not overwater your lawn. Overwatering your lawn is a waste of water and fertilizer, both of which is a waste of your money. It can also cause your plants unnecessary stress.

4. Follow the 1-inch rule for grass. One inch of water per week in the summer will keep most types of grass healthy.

5. Use drought-tolerant plants. Plant drought-tolerant grasses, trees, and plants. Visit the N.C. Cooperative Extension – Brunswick County Center website for more information on plants that thrive in Brunswick County.

6. Do not water pavement. Do not water or wash pavement and impervious surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, patios, etc.

7. Regularly maintain your landscape. Replace mulch around shrubs and garden plants to help them retain moisture. Remove weeds and thatch as necessary so they don’t compete with your desired plants for water. Aerate your soil and keep your soil healthy.

8. Limit the use of wash machines. Limit the use of clothes washers and dishwashers. When used, operate fully loaded. Avoid using washers between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m.

9. Keep food out of dishwater and washers. Scrape items from your dirty dishes into the trash before putting your dishes in the sink or dishwasher.

10. Do not leave water running. Do not leave faucets running while shaving, brushing teeth, rinsing, or preparing food.

11. Cool water using refrigerator. Keep drinking water in a container in the refrigerator instead of running water from a faucet until it is cool.

12. Make water-efficient replacements. Replace your showerheads, toilets, faucets, and appliances with water-efficient models.

13. Use a shower instead of a bath. Use a shower for bathing rather than a bath. To save even more water, limit your shower to no more than five minutes.

14. Clean showerheads and faucets regularly. Clean your showerhead, faucets, and faucet accessories (such as aerators) regularly to remove mineral buildup and debris. Repair or replace damaged devices.

15. Repair leaking toilets. Test for leaks and replace old or worn-out toilet flappers.

This is not a water quality advisory, only a water conservation alert. There is no need to boil water for potable use unless you receive a low-pressure advisory notice for your specific area due to other conditions in the water distribution system.

Residents will be notified if any other conservation measures are needed and when conditions dictate that restrictions are no longer required.

Residents who have questions should contact their water service provider directly or Brunswick County Public Utilities at 910.253.2657 or utilityadmin@brunswickcountync.gov.

Information and any updates can be found at brunswickcountync.gov/waterwise.