BOLIVIA, N.C. – Brunswick County and partners throughout North America today are kicking off Drinking Water Week celebrations May 1-7 by showcasing the different ways tap water is There When You Need It.

During Drinking Water Week, Brunswick County is recognizing the vital role tap water plays in daily life, the infrastructure that is required to carry it to and from homes and businesses, and the critical work that water professionals accomplish around the clock to ensure the delivery of quality tap water.

The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners unanimously resolved to recognize May 1-7, 2022, as Drinking Water Week during the Board of Commissioners meeting on April 18.

“Tap water plays an integral role in meeting our daily health, hygiene and hydration needs,” American Water Works Association CEO David LaFrance said. “Water sector professionals, the infrastructure they work to design, create and maintain and the treatment process all work in harmony to ensure safe tap water is ‘There When You Need It.’”

Brunswick County currently operates two water treatments plants—the Northwest Water Treatment Plant and the NC 211 Water Treatment Plant—to provide water to more than 46,400 retail/county water customer accounts, plus the thousands of combined customers served by our wholesale customer accounts. The combined number of people, both wholesale and retail*, served by Brunswick County Utilities is over 300,000 during peak season.

With around 94 water system team members, two treatment plants, 1,044 miles of water mains, and multiple ground and elevated storage tanks countywide, Brunswick County’s Public Utilities system can provide a combined capacity of around 30 million gallons per day to our customers—with more capacity on the way.

Brunswick County is currently constructing a project at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant to increase capacity to support ongoing growth in the county and install a low-pressure reverse osmosis treatment system, the most protective and advanced system to remove most PFAS contaminates. The low-pressure reverse osmosis system is anticipated to go online in Summer 2023 with an anticipated total project completion date in early 2024.

“Brunswick County is dedicated to protecting the health of our county’s residents and environment,” Public Utilities Director John Nichols said. “By installing an advanced low-pressure reverse osmosis water treatment system at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant, we can better treat and remove both regulated and unregulated materials from drinking water.”

In addition to the Northwest Water Treatment Plant project, Brunswick County has embarked on several capital water improvement projects to continue to ensure customers have reliable access to water when they turn on the tap, including:

Water is Important Art Contest Now Under Way

As part of its Drinking Water Week activities, Brunswick County Public Utilities is launching the 2022 Water Is Important Because art contest. Public Utilities will be inviting middle school age children across the county to create artwork in hopes to encourage consumers to learn more about the importance of water services and water infrastructure. Any student in grades 6 through 8 or those home schooled between the ages 10-14 may enter. Art must be hand-drawn or hand-painted on a paper/canvas surface. Addition of paper collage, fabric, yarn, etc. may be used as well. Students may submit more than one entry, but only one award will be given to any single entrant. Multiple winners will be awarded prizes in each category.

Submissions for the competition will be accepted through May 20, 2022. Entries will be reviewed and judged within 3 separate grade level categories – grade 6, grade 7, and grade 8. Three winners will be awarded prizes in each category (1st, 2nd, 3rd places). The contest winners for each grade will receive art supplies and a gift card. Winners will be announced June 6, 2022. For more information on the Water is Important Because art contest, click here.

For several decades, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week, a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together in recognizing the vital role water plays in daily lives. Additional information about Drinking Water Week is available on the Drinking Water Week webpage.

*Retail customer accounts include Boiling Spring Lakes, Bolivia, Calabash, Carolina Shores, Caswell Beach, Navassa, Northwest, St. James, Sunset Beach, Varnamtown, and Sandy Creek. Wholesale customer accounts include Bald Head Island, Holden Beach, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Shallotte, Southport and Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer.

For media inquiries, contact the Communications Director at 910.253.2995 or email meagan.kascsak@brunswickcountync.gov

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