Brunswick commissioners approve increased cost for Shallotte water main project

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A project to expand water services in Brunswick County is going to cost more money due to supply shortages.

County commissioners approved the original project for $5.4 million in November to provide additional capacity and redundancy to the Shallotte area.

That cost covered enough PVC pipe for the project, which at the time was more cost-effective than iron pipe.

However, due to supply chain issues, PVC prices have now increased by more than 60 percent which would mean the project would increase by more than $700,000.

“Many of the suppliers have declared force majeure events due to a fire at one of the resin plants and also due to flooding, some of the plants have been shut down,” said Brunswick County Public Utilities Director John Nichols. “So we just cannot obtain the 24-inch PVC pipe, and the costs have gone up.”

County commissioners voted Tuesday to use ductile iron pipes instead, approving $325,046 and 56 additional days for the Shallotte Transmission Water Main contract with Ralph Hodge Construction Company.

Nichols says iron is more durable than PVC and currently more cost effective.