Update on utility outages across Brunswick County

BOLIVIA, NC (Press Release) — In the last week, Brunswick County experienced multiple water main breaks due to Hurricane Florence and the subsequent flooding from the storm. Crews have worked around the clock to make repairs and to acquire the needed parts.

There have been multiple utility outages in the barrier island communities, Boiling Springs Lakes, Southport, St. James, Caswell Beach, and Oak Island and many main breaks, several on large diameter 24-inch water mains. Repairing these mains and restoring service to customers and critical facilities such as the Brunswick Nuclear Plant and the hospital is, and has been, Brunswick County’s primary focus since lack of water presents the greatest health and safety concern. Water service to Brunswick Nuclear Plant, Dosher Hospital, and the majority of customers in several towns has been restored by the diligent work of Brunswick County utilities staff in repairing several major 24-inch transmission water mains and many additional, smaller water mains.

We know that our customers want reassurance that their water is safe and would like a recision of the low pressure advisories. However, during this period of repair, the system is subject to pressure losses that could require low pressure advisories to be re-issued in areas shortly after recision. Brunswick County is also routing water through other systems, and it would be confusing to rescind an advisory for water in one location when that water flows through another community’s water system where the advisories have not been lifted.

There are numerous water main repair locations that will require engineering work, materials acquisition, and construction agreements with contractors. Brunswick County Public Utilities has agreements in place for emergency engineering work and is actively engaged in this effort. Brunswick County is also lining up contractors to perform work and has a prioritization list. Since some of the most pressing repair projects have been completed, Brunswick County will begin to assess the viability of rescinding some low pressure advisories and will be performing required laboratory testing in a systematic approach to discontinue low pressure advisories where feasible.

It is important to note that at no time was it necessary for Brunswick County to send water to its customers that was not properly disinfected.  All system advisories are the result of low pressure from water main breaks that can have the potential to introduce contaminants into the system.