BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC — Most of Brunswick County remains locked in an Exceptional Drought (D4), the most severe category on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale. The designation, in place since July 9, continues to drive strict conservation measures across the county as officials work to manage limited water resources.
The county is still operating under a Stage 3 Water Shortage Warning, but leaders have slightly expanded the rules to allow automated irrigation twice a week. The adjustment comes after several weeks of improved water‑use trends, which officials attribute to strong public cooperation with the mandatory restrictions.
Under the updated schedule, automated irrigation systems may run between 8:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. on assigned days, applying less than one inch of water per week. Odd‑numbered addresses may irrigate during the Tuesday overnight and Saturday overnight windows, while even‑numbered addresses may irrigate during the Wednesday overnight and Friday overnight periods. The rules apply to residential and commercial landscaping, athletic fields, and golf courses that do not rely on private wells or reclaimed water. Penalties remain in place for non‑compliance.
Hand‑watering is still permitted for small personal food gardens and minimal maintenance of existing landscape plantings, provided it occurs between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. Full details on Stage 3 allowances and restrictions are available at BrunswickCountyNC.gov/WaterWise.
County officials continue to monitor daily water usage, rainfall, weather forecasts, and drought indicators to determine whether further adjustments are possible. Residents are encouraged to consider upcoming weather before irrigating; most grasses require only one inch of water per week during the summer.
Brunswick County is operating a temporary call center to assist with questions related to the Stage 3 Warning. Staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 910.253.2657. Callers should select 0 for questions about mandatory restrictions, 1 for maintenance issues, and 2 for utility billing. Commercial businesses affected by the Stage 3 Alert may request a variance by emailing utilityadmin@brunswickcountync.gov
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