Brunswick County homeowners with automatic irrigation systems are being asked to change their watering schedules after public water demand climbed above 80% of available production and distribution capacity.
The county issued a Stage 1 Water Conservation Alert on June 9 as drought, heat, and summer use pushed demand higher across the system. The alert is not a boil-water notice or a water-quality advisory.
WWAY reported that temperatures were expected to reach the mid- and upper 90s while drought conditions continued across the Cape Fear region. County officials pointed to lawn irrigation as one of the biggest places customers can reduce use.
The main request is simple: avoid watering lawns between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m., when demand is already highest.
Drought and Heat Pushed Demand Above 80%
The Stage 1 alert applies to Brunswick County Public Utilities customers and to customers in Bald Head Island, Holden Beach, Oak Island, and Ocean Isle Beach because those systems receive water from Brunswick County Public Utilities.
Brunswick County Public Utilities serves unincorporated parts of the county and communities including Boiling Spring Lakes, Bolivia, Calabash, Carolina Shores, Caswell Beach, Navassa, Northwest, Sandy Creek, Shallotte, Southport, St. James, Sunset Beach, and Varnamtown.
Drought.gov lists all of Brunswick County’s population as affected by drought and shows January through May 2026 as the county’s third-driest year-to-date period in 132 years of records.
Morning Lawn Watering Is the Main Target
Brunswick County is asking customers to avoid irrigating lawns from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. WWAY reported that peak demand has been showing up on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during those morning hours.
The county’s recommended irrigation schedule is based on street address. Odd-numbered addresses should irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Even-numbered addresses should irrigate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. No addresses should irrigate on Mondays.
The preferred watering window is midnight to 4 a.m. Moving irrigation to that window reduces pressure during the morning demand surge and avoids some of the evaporation that comes with hotter daytime watering.
Homeowners should also keep the county’s 1-inch rule in mind. Brunswick County says most lawns need about one inch of water per week during the summer, so irrigation timers should not keep running on old settings after rain, cooler weather, or reduced lawn growth.
H2GO, Wells, and Reclaimed Water Are Different
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The county says the Stage 1 alert does not apply to Brunswick Regional–H2GO customers. Those customers should check H2GO directly for any separate conservation guidance or best practices.
The alert also does not affect private groundwater wells or the use of highly treated reclaimed wastewater. Not every lawn, golf course, or irrigation system in the county draws from Brunswick County’s public supply.
Customers who are unsure which system serves their home should contact their water provider or Brunswick County Public Utilities before assuming the alert does or does not apply.
Reset Timers, Sprinklers, and Indoor Use
Automatic sprinkler systems should be reset if they still run between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m., on Mondays, or on the wrong odd/even day. Homeowners should also check sprinkler heads, broken nozzles, overspray, and irrigation zones that hit driveways, sidewalks, streets, patios, curbs, or other hard surfaces.
Brunswick County’s conservation guidance also encourages drought-tolerant grasses, trees, and plants, along with mulch around shrubs and garden beds to help hold moisture. Raising the mower blade during hot, dry stretches can leave grass taller, shade the soil, and reduce stress on the lawn.
The alert covers indoor use too. The county is asking customers to run clothes washers and dishwashers only with full loads and to avoid using them during the 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. peak-demand period.
Other suggested steps include limiting vehicle washing, using commercial car washes that recycle water, taking showers instead of baths, and keeping showers to five minutes when possible.
Until the alert changes, homeowners covered by the notice should move lawn watering outside the morning peak, follow the odd/even schedule, skip Monday irrigation, stop watering pavement, and adjust timers instead of letting old summer settings run automatically.