June 26, 2026 at 2:42 p.m.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC — Just hours after urging residents to follow expanded voluntary conservation measures, Brunswick County has now escalated to a Stage 2 Mandatory Water Conservation Alert as drought conditions worsen ahead of the Independence Day holiday.
The North Carolina Drought Management Council has upgraded most of Brunswick County to Extreme Drought (D3) — the second‑highest level on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale. State law requires significant conservation actions under D3 conditions, and county officials say irrigation demand is placing heavy strain on both system capacity and available source water from the Cape Fear River.
Mandatory irrigation schedule now in effect
Under Stage 2, all customers of Brunswick County Public Utilities and participating municipal systems must follow the restricted irrigation schedule, which is enforceable through warnings, fees, and potential service interruption:
- No irrigation on Mondays
- Odd‑numbered addresses: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (8 p.m.–4 a.m. only)
- Even‑numbered addresses: Wednesday, Friday, Sunday (8 p.m.–4 a.m. only)
- Non‑addressed facilities: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (8 p.m.–4 a.m. only)
These requirements apply to irrigation of residential lawns, landscaping, athletic fields, and golf courses that do not use private groundwater wells or reclaimed water.
County officials emphasized that non‑compliance may result in significant fees and, if necessary, temporary discontinuation of water service. Brunswick County Public Utilities will monitor irrigation use throughout the duration of the alert.
Notifications and enforcement
Properties believed to be out of compliance will be contacted through the ReadyBrunswick notification system or via the contact information on the property’s utility account. Automated ReadyBrunswick calls and messages will originate from 910.253.1799, which cannot receive incoming calls.
The Stage 2 Mandatory Alert applies to customers of:
- Brunswick County Public Utilities – including all unincorporated areas and the communities of Boiling Spring Lakes, Bolivia, Calabash, Carolina Shores, Caswell Beach, Navassa, Northwest, Sandy Creek, Shallotte, Southport, St. James, Sunset Beach, and Varnamtown.
- Bald Head Island Utilities
- Holden Beach Utilities
- Oak Island Utilities
- Ocean Isle Beach Utilities
This alert does not apply to customers of Brunswick Regional H2GO
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County officials will continue monitoring drought conditions and system demand. If conditions worsen, Brunswick County may move to a Stage 3 Water Shortage Warning, which would prohibit all use of automatic sprinkler systems for residential and commercial irrigation.
Residents with questions should contact their water provider or Brunswick County Public Utilities at 910.253.2657
Updates are available at brunswickcountync.gov/waterwise
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