Stage 3 Water Shortage Alert: Addressing Water Usage Questions & Expressing Our Thanks

PUBLIC NOTICE

Brunswick County appreciates the cooperation and commitment of our water customers who have taken diligent steps to follow the Stage 3 Water Shortage Warning MANDATORY Restrictions and the local burn ban while Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions are affecting our county. Exceptional Drought (D4) is the highest tier of drought possible on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.

Your efforts to limit irrigation and other non-essential uses of water in and around your property are making a significant impact on protecting our water resources and public safety during this Exceptional Drought period. Thank you for helping spread out the demands on our public water system.

Addressing Questions About Water Usage Under Stage 3 Restrictions

Brunswick County has received some questions about allowed water usage under Stage 3 Water Shortage restrictions that we wish to clarify for customers. Thank you for your questions and patience as we work together to help conserve water during this Exceptional Drought period.

Can I fill my pool under Stage 3 Water Shortage restrictions?

The filling of family, public, or private swimming pools, including wading pools, hot tubs, spas, and whirlpool tubs, is prohibited, except for:

• Health and rehabilitative purposes as prescribed by a medical doctor or administered by a medical facility (documentation of fill dates to be provided upon request);
• The minimal amount of make-up water necessary to maintain a pool's structural integrity and filtration system (documentation to be provided upon request); and
• The minimal amount of water required to initially fill a pool to meet the manufacturer’s or designer’s requirements for structural integrity. The filling of the pool must be scheduled with Brunswick County Utilities during a minimal demand time. Contact Brunswick County Public Utilities to schedule via email at utilityadmin@brunswickcountync.gov.

Can irrigation companies and licensed inspectors test irrigation systems under Stage 3 Water Shortage restrictions?

Yes, irrigation companies and licensed inspectors performing home irrigation inspections can run irrigation systems for up to five (5) minutes for testing. Please provide an invoice or other documentation (inclusive of the inspection date) to the property owner in the event their account is flagged for non-compliant irrigating.

Can I irrigate recently installed sod under Stage 3 Water Shortage restrictions?

Automated outdoor irrigation can be used for maintaining newly installed landscapes, lawns, and erosion control projects that are under a written warranty and that were initiated prior to the issuance of the Extreme Drought Advisory on June 26, 2026, not to exceed the minimum rate necessary on the day of installation and for 28 days following installation, by means designed and operated to maximize water use efficiency and to prevent run-off and excessive watering. Documentation verifying the installation date (inclusive of digitally date-stamped photos, the warranty, receipts with installation address, name, and phone number, etc.) must be provided via email to Brunswick County at utilityadmin@brunswickcountync.gov, and an approval email from Brunswick County must be received and kept in possession prior to irrigating.

Who is affected by these Stage 3 MANDATORY Water Restrictions?

This Stage 3 MANDATORY 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.

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.

Who is NOT affected by these Stage 3 MANDATORY Water Restrictions?

This Stage 3 MANDATORY Alert does NOT apply to properties that use water sources outside of the County’s public water system.

• Brunswick County Public Utilities does NOT have the authority to restrict, meter, or penalize water usage from private water sources such as:
  • Private groundwater wells
  • Retention ponds
  • Brunswick Regional – H2GO’s water system. Customers of Brunswick Regional – H2GO should check their website for information about any water conservation or best practices they may have issued for their customers: h2gonc.gov
• Note: Many new developments, businesses, and golf courses irrigate using highly treated reclaimed water and other water sources outside of the County’s public water system. (St. James, Winding River, Sea Trail, and Sandpiper Bay golf courses use reclaimed water. Other golf courses use wells and ponds for irrigation.)

Why is Brunswick County Public Utilities under more strict restrictions than other utility systems?

Every utility system has their own Water Shortage Response Plan that they follow to determine when to issue voluntary or mandatory water alerts. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor map released on July 9, 2026, Brunswick County is currently under Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions, which is the highest tier possible on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.

When Brunswick County issued a Stage 2 Mandatory Water Conservation Alert on June 26, 2026, a majority of Brunswick County was under Extreme Drought (D3) conditions. Nearly a third of Brunswick County is now under Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions, which is contributing significantly to the increase in irrigation demands and may impact the availability of source water from the Cape Fear River.

You can view North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council’s (NCMDAC) Current Drought Explainer at ncdrought.org.

Where can I find more information about Stage 3 Water Shortage restrictions?

A full list of MANDATORY water usage adjustments and any exceptions can be found online at BrunswickCountyNC.gov/WaterWise.

Community members and property owners who have questions should contact their water service provider directly or Brunswick County Public Utilities at utilityadmin@brunswickcountync.gov or through our temporary call center. Call center information can be found at BrunswickCountyNC.gov/WaterWise.

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