Brunswick County is asking residents and visitors to “diligently use water wisely” after declaring a stage 1 water conservation alert.
The alert, which was announced Tuesday afternoon, places water use restrictions on all Brunswick County Public Utilities customers, including those in unincorporated portions of the county, Boiling Spring Lakes, Bolivia, Calabash, Carolina Shores, Caswell Beach, Navassa, Northwest, Sandy Creek, Shallotte, Southport, St. James, Sunset Beach, and Varnamtown.
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Utilities customers of Bald Head Island, Holden Beach, Oak Island, and Ocean Isle Beach are also under the water restrictions since those utilities get their water from Brunswick County Public Utilities.
“Demand for water has exceeded 80% of the available production and distribution capacity,” according to a county release. “As Independence Day approaches, water demands are expected to increase.
Under a stage 1 alert, water customers are asked to voluntarily adjust their water usage habits to help significantly reduce peak demands.
The biggest way customers can cut back on their water usage is by limiting irrigation, which is the bulk of non-essential water use.
Ways in which customers can specifically reduce water use in and around their homes include:
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- Avoid watering lawns between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. and on Mondays. Residents with odd address numbers may irrigate Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Those with even address numbers may irrigate Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
- Irrigate lawns between midnight and 4 a.m.
- Avoid overwatering lawns.
- Follow the 1-inch rule for grass (one inch of water per week).
- Use drought-tolerant plants.
- Do not water pavement.
- Regularly maintain landscapes by replacing mulch around shrubs and garden plants to help them retain moisture, removing weeds and thatch, and aerating soil.
- Limit the use of clothes washers and dishwashers, operating them only when fully loaded, and before 5 a.m. and after 11 a.m.
- Scrape food from dirty dishes into the trash before placing dishes in the sink or dishwasher.
- Do not leave faucets running while shaving, brushing teeth, rinsing or preparing food.
- Keep drinking water in a container in the refrigerator to avoid running water from a faucet until it is cool.
- Replace showerheads, toilets, faucets and appliances with water-efficient models.
- Bathe in a shower rather than in a bath and limit shower time to no more than five minutes.
- Clean showerheads and faucets regularly to remove mineral buildup and debris.
- Test toilets for leaks and replace old or worn-out toilet flappers.
“A unified application of voluntary water reductions by all water system users in Brunswick County can help to avoid mandatory water restrictions,” the release states.
The water conservation alert does not apply to Brunswick Regional – H2Go customers. Residents on private groundwater wells or those using highly treated reclaimed wastewater, including St. James, Winding River, Sea Trail and Sandpiper Bay golf courses, are also not included in the water conservation alert.
Residents will be notified of any necessary conservation measures and when conditions dictate that restrictions are no longer required.
Questions should be directed to water service providers or Brunswick County Public Utilities at 910.253.2657 or utilityadmin@brunswickcountync.gov.
