Brunswick County in State of Emergency due to water situation; repair work planned for this weekend

BOLIVIA — Brunswick County is under a State of Emergency and water conservation measures are imperative for all public water users after attempts at a temporary fix to a broken water main did not work.

Crews worked until 1 a.m. this morning, but the attempted band sleeve, which would have been a temporary repair to the broken water main, was not successful. The County’s water situation is no better than before.

The site of the break is still flooded, and two of the options for a permanent repair have now been eliminated. Brunswick County Public Utility officials are meeting with officials from Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority, Pender County and the contractor today to initiate the permanent repair.

It appears the County’s risk of running out of water has increased substantially. County water levels did go down some during the attempted repair, though crews will try to restore them today. Crews are expected to begin repairs to the line on Friday evening, with work continuing throughout the weekend, as demand is lower and the schools will not be impacted at this time.

At this time, all utility customers must adhere to the mandatory water restrictions. Outdoor use of public water is prohibited. This includes irrigation and car washing, but does not include commercial car washing at this time (ADDENDUM: commercial car washes’ operations will likely be restricted prior to repairs commencing).

The raw water main owned by the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority that carries raw water from the Kings Bluff Raw Water Pump Station to the County-owned Northwest Water Treatment Plant and others broke Thursday. Since this water main break affects one of Brunswick County Public Utilities’ sources of water, it affects not only Brunswick County Public Utilities customers but also the customers of utility providers that purchase wholesale water from Brunswick County.

The Village of Bald Head Island has utilized other water resources, and is not using wholesale water from Brunswick County Public Utilities; as such, restrictions on the use of public water do not apply to Bald Head Island customers. Thank you to the Village of Bald Head Island for being a good partner and taking these steps to reduce water usage.

The Water Emergency Ordinance is viewable at https://www.municode.com/library/nc/brunswick_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTICOOR_CH1-13WAWASU_ARTVWAEMOR. Those who have questions should contact 910-253-5383.