On Wednesday afternoon, Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2GO issued a stage 4 water shortage alert, banning all non-essential water use indefinitely.
In a customer alert sent out yesterday afternoon, H2GO pointed to increased sprinkler usage as the reason for the shortage, stating its customers had overextended the water system.
"Excessive customer irrigation has continued to increase over the past several weeks putting the water system at capacity and threatening the integrity of water supply wells," the utility authority stated.
H2GO defines a stage 4 water shortage as an "exceptional water shortage emergency." In these circumstances, customers are not allowed to use sprinklers on their lawns or to fill fish ponds. Outdoor water use of any kind is prohibited except for fire emergencies. Restaurants on H2GO water must use disposable utensils and plates.
If customers break these restrictions, they can face civil penalties and termination of service. Fines start at $250.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, eastern North Carolina as a whole is facing drier conditions. That includes much of Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender counties – which as of Thursday morning were all considered "abnormally dry."
As of Thursday afternoon, no other public water service in the Cape Fear has announced a shortage. Households and businesses on well service or in other sanitary districts are not subject to H2GO's restrictions.
Customers can find out more about mandatory water restrictions in H2GO's Water Shortage Response Plan or at H2GOonline.com.