Frequently Asked Questions

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The Soil and Water Conservation District office does not handle the administration of the county water system. Brunswick County Public Utilities Department is located at 75 Courthouse Drive, Building "I" (JPG), Bolivia. You can contact them at 910-253-2655 or visit the Public Utilities page for more information.

The Brunswick County Engineering Department, located at 75 Courthouse Drive, Building "I", Bolivia, is responsible for coordinating installation of new county water lines. You can contact that office at 910-253-2500 or visit the Brunswick County Engineering Department page for more information.

Soil samples are tested by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, located at 25 Referendum Drive, Building "N", Bolivia, NC. You can contact them at 910-253-2610 or visit their website for more information.

Private well testing is conducted by the Brunswick County Health Department (Environmental Health Division) located at 25 Courthouse Drive, Building "A", Bolivia. You can contact them at 910-253-2250 or visit the Environmental Health page for more information.

Pond water samples are tested by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, located at 25 Referendum Drive, Building "N", Bolivia, NC. You can contact them at 910-253-2610 or visit their website for more information.

Questions about plants can be directed to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, located at 25 Referendum Drive, Building "N", Bolivia, NC. You can contact them at 910-253-2610 or visit their website for more information.

Questions about trees should be directed to the North Carolina Forest Service. You can contact that office at 910-755-7772 or visit their website for more information.

Questions about pond stocking should be directed to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, located at 25 Referendum Drive, Building "N", Bolivia, NC. You can contact them at 910-253-2610 or visit their website for more information.

Questions about fish kills should be directed to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, located at 127 Cardinal Dr, Wilmington, NC 28405. You can contact them at 910-796-7215 or visit their website for more information.

Illegal dumping, or any other solid waste issues, should be reported to the Brunswick County Operation Services Department (Solid Waste Division) located at 179 March 9, 1764 Drive NE, Building "L", Bolivia or your local law enforcement agency. You can contact the Solid Waste Division at 910-253-2520 or visit the Operation Services Department page for more information.

A "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) Order allows the patient, or patient's representative, to refuse CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) attempts when the patient has stopped breathing and/or the patient's heart has stopped beating. The DNR Order, written by the physician on a special form, instructs healthcare providers to withhold CPR.

Patients, or their representatives, may request a DNR Order from the patient's physician.

The DNR Order can be used anywhere in North Carolina - in the hospital, at the patient's place of residence, or anywhere in between.

A DNR Order applies only to CPR. This does not mean that all other care stops. Emergency Medical Services and other health care providers will continue to provide all other appropriate care. If the patient is dying, every effort will be made to make the patient as comfortable as possible, such as measures to stop pain or ease breathing. If the patient requires transportation or treatment other than CPR, Emergency Medical Services will provide such services.

The patient has the right to control his or her medical care, including whether or not to have a DNR Order. If the patient is not able to make health care decisions, the patient's representative may make health care decisions on behalf of the patient. The patient, or the patient's representative, has the right to ask questions and receive answers about DNR Orders from the patient's physician and to discuss the patient's wishes regarding a DNR Order with family, friends, ministers, a lawyer, etc. The patient, or the patient's representative, may revoke (cancel) a DNR Order at any time. The patient, or the patient's representative, and the physician will decide the date on which the DNR takes effect and the date it will expire. A DNR Order must be re-authorized at least once a year.

Both the physician and the patient, or the patient's representative, must agree that a DNR Order is appropriate before the physician will write a DNR Order. A DNR Order must be signed by a physician.

No. Advance directives such as a Living Will or Health Care Power Of Attorney are directions written by an individual about his or her health care wishes. A DNR Order is an order written by the patient's physician. A DNR Order may be based on an advanced directive, if the patient has a written one. But a patient who has not written an advanced directive may still have a DNR Order.

Sometimes the patient, family, or friends may want to call EMS because the patient's condition has worsened or because transportation or other emergency care is desired. When the patient's condition has worsened, it may be very hard for family and friends not to call EMS, even when they know the patient does not want CPR. If the patient and family discuss this situation in advance with the patient's providers and a plan is agreed upon, everyone may feel better when the situation arises. If transportation is needed, EMS should be called even though there is a DNR order. If possible, tell EMS of the DNR Order when a call is made. In all cases, present EMS with the original DNR Order upon their arrival.

Contact Brunswick County EMS at 910-253-5383 or your private physician.

No. The County Attorney cannot provide legal services to private citizens. However, the following organizations may be helpful to citizens in seeking legal representation and/or answers to general legal questions:

Legal Aid: 910-763-6207

You can contact the following organizations:

• Attorney General Consumer Affairs: 919-716-6000
• Better Business Bureau: 800-951-3569

View the county ordinances, or you can contact the Clerk’s Office to receive a copy.

The County Manager is Steve Stone.

You may contact the County Manager's office by mail (P.O. Box 249, Bolivia, NC 28422), by telephone (910-253-2000 or 800-442-7033), by fax (910-253-2022), or by emailing the County Manager's Office.

The County Manager's office is located on the third floor of the David R. Sandifer Administration Building at the Brunswick County Government Center in Bolivia. The physical address is 30 Government Center Drive NE, Bolivia, NC 28422.

Our normal office hours are 8:30 am to 5 pm, except for holidays.

Brunswick County observes New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving (two days) and Christmas (three days). View this year’s holiday calendar.

Our job openings are viewable online. You can also sign up to receive email notifications when new jobs are posted.

The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners’ current meeting schedule is available online. Anyone can speak during the public comment period of an agenda with questions or concerns about county business. If you would like to place an item on the agenda, it should be sent to the Clerk’s Office in advance. View more information about speaking during a meeting.

You can call the Clerk to the Board at 910-253-2017, or you can contact the County.

Brunswick County has many county boards and committees, that help with conducting county business. If you are interested in serving on a board or committee, you can complete an application for appointment.

You can view a list of all county departments and offices, with links to their website pages, including location and contact information. If you are not sure which department or office you need, you can look under “Visitors,” “Residents” or “Business” in the menu at the top to find information arranged by category. Administration also serves as a referral source for citizens, businesses, organizations, and other governmental agencies. Office personnel can direct individuals to the proper department or agency; call 910-253-2000 or 1-800-442-7033.

The County Manager's office responds to complaints regarding services provided by county departments and will assist in the resolution of problems by working with the appropriate department. You may email the County Manager's Office or call 910-253-2016. You may also submit a request for information or assistance, or suggest an improvement to county facilities, procedures and policies, using the electronic form.

Copies of county ordinances are available for inspection in the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners office.

You can view tax rates for Brunswick County and its municipalities.

Population estimates for Brunswick County, North Carolina can be found on the U.S. Census Bureau's website and the NC Office of State Budget and Management's State Data Center, LINC.

Additional demographic data can be found on our website at brunswickcountync.gov/401/Demographic-Data-Information.

NOTE: Brunswick County Court is separate from Brunswick County Government, though the Courthouse is located at the county government center. For court-related matters, contact the Courthouse and Clerk of Court's Office at 910.253.3900 or via email.

Brunswick County is part of District Court District 15, Prosecutorial District 15, and Superior Court District 15B. View the following links for more information.

• Learn about the Court system in Brunswick County
• Court Calendars
• Court Dates
• Court Payment Information
• Court Rules and Forms
• District Attorney’s Office
• Jury Duty
• For probation, call 910.253.7803

Court Records

Brunswick County Government cannot provide court-related records. You can obtain information regarding divorce records, traffic violations, criminal background checks, estate filings, wills, or other court-related records (such as criminal and civil disputes) by contacting the Brunswick County Clerk of Superior Court or through the online Judicial Branch Public Records Request Form.

Brunswick County Courthouse & Clerk of Court's Office 
310 Government Center Drive NE
Unit 1
Bolivia, NC 28422
Phone: 910.253.3900
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In North Carolina, the County Attorneys provide legal advice and assistance to the Board of Commissioners and County staff. They do not serve as public defenders or provide legal advice or assistance to members of the public. If you are seeking an attorney, you may contact Legal Services of the Lower Cape Fear at 910-763-6207 or 1-800-672-9304.

To report a green road sign in a non-municipal area that needs to be repaired or replaced, please contact Joel Willis, Sign Shop Technician, at 910-253-2528 or online. For the repair or replacement or state road signs, contact the North Carolina Department of Transportation at 910-754-6527.

Roads in Brunswick County are classified as either state roads, municipal roads or private roads. There are no county roads. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) paves and maintains all state roads. Contact the NCDOT at 910-754-6527 for more information related to state-maintained roads. Private roads are the responsibility of the owner/developer or property owners.

Private roads are the responsibility of the owner/developer or property owners. To petition the NCDOT to take over the maintenance or pave a private road, the property owners along the road would have to petition the NDCOT to add it to the state’s system. To obtain a petition and instructions for submission, contact the North Carolina Department of Transportation at 910-754-6527.

Brunswick County does not require a business license to operate in the unincorporated areas of the county. However, the state of North Carolina and individual municipalities may require some type of license or permit, and you must check with them to find out any regulations or requirements they may have.

Questions about Section 8 Housing should be directed to the Public Housing Office at 910-253-2222.

You can view hours and locations for the Solid Waste Convenience Sites, Recycling Centers, and the C&D Landfill.

To find out your pickup day, call GFL Environmental Inc. at 910-253-4177.

To set up residential garbage collection, fill out the Garbage Can Request Form on Brunswick County's Solid Waste and Recycling Division webpage or call 910-253-2520 or 888-445-2502.

To sign up for residential recycling collection, visit GFL Environmental Inc.'s website or contact GFL at 910-253-4177.

You can obtain a voter registration form online or at many county-wide locations, or by contacting the Board of Elections office at 910-253-2620 or 1-800-822-5986.

Visit the Central Permitting Data website or call the Building Inspections office at 910-253-2050.

Marriage licenses are issued by the Register of Deeds Office. For more information, call 910-253-2690 or 1-877-625-9310.

You can obtain a certified or uncertified copy of a vital record filed in Brunswick County in person or by mail at the Register of Deeds Office. There is a fee for the copies.

To obtain a vital record of a person of another county, or to order a copy of a North Carolina birth (1913 to the present), marriage (1962 to the present) or death (1930 to the present) record on file, contact the North Carolina Vital Records Section.

Passport applications are accepted in the Register of Deeds Office. For more information, call 910-253-2690 or 1-877-625-9310.

The county does not have a bidder's list. All advertisements for bids are listed on our website or advertised in the local newspapers (Brunswick Beacon, State Port Pilot or Wilmington Star News). You can also sign up to receive email notifications when new bid advertisements are listed on the county website.

No. The closest Social Security Administration office is located at 1528 South 16th Street in Wilmington, NC. You may contact that office by calling 1-866-964-6227 or 1-910-815-4733.

At the time of application for a building permit. All non-residential water and sewer capital recovery fees are calculated in Brunswick County Engineering and provided to the applicant and the County Utilities Consumer Service Department.

Contact Engineering to speak with a staff member to discuss your particular area and to obtain details about current County programs for the extension of water and/or sewer service.

No. All streets and roads are either privately owned and maintained, municipal streets, or are public rights-of-way maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). See more information.

Yes. A county stormwater permit is required for non-residential development. Residential development that meets certain criteria may require a county permit as well. See more information.

Refer to County Technical Specification TS010.01: Asbuilt Drawings.

There were three substantial changes in the 2017 legislation:

• The potential upper limit for fire fees charged to each property owner doubled. Brunswick County is not doubling fire fees, but this change allows the County to make future adjustments, if needed, without having to request permission from the State.
• The County now has the ability to charge 75% of the fire fee amount to properties that are more than six miles from a fire station. This change reflects the fact that fire departments will respond to fire whether it is in the district or not, as well as the increasing response by fire departments to vehicular accidents.
• The County now has the ability to use customary methods to collect delinquent fire fees.

Fire fees for improved properties (with buildings) are calculated based on the heated square footage of a building. Fire fees for vacant land are calculated based on the acreage of the property. Fees are not based on the tax value.

Brunswick County requested the legislation to meet immediate funding needs. In the years since 1999, when fire fees were originally enacted in Brunswick County, many factors affecting fire departments have changed, including a reduction in the number of volunteers and an increase in the number of paid staff needed. Many departments currently have, or will soon have, capital needs, such as necessary building repairs or fire trucks that need to be replaced.

You will receive an email from Eventbrite granting access to your course. The link to the “online training module” will be at the bottom of your confirmation email.

You will receive an email from Eventbrite granting access to your course. Just click the link to the “online training module” at the bottom of your confirmation email to begin your course. Or you can go directly to go.ncsu.edu/countonme and follow the instructions there.

These training modules cover information and best practices for the owners, management and staff of restaurants, hotels, attractions and shops.

No. This is a voluntary training specific to COVID-19 protocols and does not replace other training required by the State of North Carolina.

There are several training modules available. Pick the one that most closely aligns with your job. Currently, restaurant modules are available for Owner/Manager, Front of House, and Back of House. Additional modules for Cleaning Staff and Other Businesses will be added soon.

The training takes approximately 30 minutes all the way through, but you can start and stop at any point.

Yes, the training is available on desktop, tablet and most mobile devices.

Yes, you can restart the training where you left off.

You provide your name, email address, and company name to access the training.

Congratulations! Now it’s time to spread the word about your commitment to Count On Me NC. Start by signing your business’s name to personalize your certificate, then display it in a location (like a window or near the register) where guests and visitors will be able to see it. Don’t forget, you also have access to the Count On Me NC toolkit, which includes additional printable and digital assets you can use to show you’re a participating Count On Me NC business.

If you are an owner or a manager who has successfully completed training, you will be sent Count on Me NC window decals to display in your business or establishment. In addition, the NCRLA has partnered with Durham signage company, Signs Unlimited, to bring you Count On Me NC social-distancing floor decals. A link to order these floor decals can be found in the Count On Me NC tool kit. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has also provided general safety signage.

Upon successful completion of the training, participants will be directed to a form where they will be asked for their contact information in order to receive the marketing toolkit which includes logos, badges and suggested social media posts.

The marketing toolkit includes a variety of shapes, sizes and colors so you can choose what works best for you. Brand guidelines are included and give you specific instructions for use.

Yes, you can download as many copies of your certificate as you would like.

The certificate does not expire, and you do not have to take the training again unless you change jobs, e.g. moving from Front of House to Back of House.

A business will be listed on countonmenc.org when an owner or manager successfully completes the training course. Owners and managers should encourage all employees to take the appropriate course, e.g. Front of House, Back of House, etc.

Please see Payment Instructions

Pushcart and Mobile Food Unit

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not manage or enforce air quality issues.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Air Quality (DAQ), oversees all matters related to air quality.

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not manage or enforce water quality issues. However, Environmental Health does test household drinking water from private wells.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Water Resources, oversees all matters related to water quality.

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not manage stray animals, wild animals, or household pests.

Stray Animals

Brunswick County Sheriff's Office Animal Protective Services (APS) picks up stray or unwanted domestic animals and livestock, and investigates animal cruelty and animal bite reports.

Wild Animals

• For assistance with wild animals
• For assistance with injured wildlife

Household Pests

• View information about mosquitoes

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not regulate the use of wetlands.

Brunswick County Planning and Community Enforcement and the NC DEQ Wilmington Regional Office enforce local policies and regulations about land disturbance, which includes the draining and use of wetlands. Greater protection and enforcement is conducted by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Coastal Management.

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not monitor or test recreational water and shellfish.

Monitoring is done by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Marine Fisheries.

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not manage or enforce solid waste issues.

The Brunswick County Solid Waste and Recycling division manages solid waste (landfills, garbage collection, and recycling) for the county. Additional information about solid waste management can be found under the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Waste Management (DWM).

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not manage or enforce hazardous waste issues.

The Brunswick County Solid Waste and Recycling division manages some household hazardous waste for the county. The majority of hazardous waste issues are handled through state (N.C. DEQ, Division of Waste Management) and federal (Environmental Protection Agency) legislation.

Brunswick County Environmental Health does not oversee certain municipal and package wastewater treatment plants.

For complaints or concerns, please contact the NC. DEQ Wilmington Regional Office.

A public swimming pool is defined as any structure, chamber, or tank containing an artificial body of water used by the public for swimming, diving, wading, recreation, or therapy, together with buildings, appurtenances, and equipment used in connection with the body of water, regardless of whether a fee is charged for its use. The term includes municipal, school, hotel, motel, apartment, boarding house, athletic club, or other membership facility pools and spas, and artificial swimming lagoons.

Public swimming pools do not include private pools serving a single family dwelling and used only by the residents of the dwelling and their guests, therapeutic pools used in physical therapy programs operated by medical facilities licensed by the Department or operated by a licensed physical therapist, or therapeutic chambers drained, cleaned, and refilled after each individual use.

The requirements for pool operator training are contained in 15A NCAC 18A Section.2537(c). This regulation states:

"The owner of a public swimming pool shall provide for the operation of the pool by a person or persons who shall be responsible to the owner for operation, maintenance, pool safety and recordkeeping. The pool owner shall maintain documentation that the person responsible for operating the pool has been trained on pool equipment operation, disease and injury prevention, pool water chemistry and regulatory requirements for public swimming pools. A pool and spa operator certificate issued by the National Swimming Pool Foundation or other organization which provides training on those subjects shall be accepted as meeting this requirement."

An artificial swimming lagoon means any body of water used for recreational purposes with more than 20,000 square feet of surface area, an artificial liner, and a method of disinfectant that results in a disinfectant residual in the swimming zone that is protective of the public health.

Yes.  An annual tattooing permit is required to perform these procedures.

 Yes.  Licensed physicians, as well as physician assistants and nurse practitioners working under the supervision of a licensed physician, who perform tattooing within the normal course of their professional practice are exempt from permitting requirements.

N.C. General Statute 14-400 requires a person to be at least 18 years of age.  Patrons are required to record or verify their name, address, phone number, date of birth, and provide their signature.  Retrievable records for each patron must kept by the tattoo artist for a minimum of two years.

Yes.  No person with visible jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin) may be tattooed.  No tattooing may be done on a skin surface that has a rash, pimples, boils, infections, or manifests any evidence of being reddened or inflamed.

The state of North Carolina does not require a permit for body piercing.  A law does exist on age requirements for piercing and it is enforced by local law enforcement agencies (N.C. General Statute 14-400).

The state of North Carolina does not require a permit for body piercing.  A law does exist on age requirements for piercing and it is enforced by local law enforcement agencies (N.C. General Statute 14-400).

Rip currents are channelized currents of water flowing away from shore at surf beaches. They typically form at breaks in sandbars, and also near structures such as jetties and piers. These currents are commonly found on all surf beaches, including Great Lakes beaches. Learn more about rip currents.

Rip currents pull people away from shore. Their speed can vary from moment to moment and can quickly increase to become dangerous to anyone entering the surf. They can sweep the strongest swimmer away from shore.

You can identify a rip current if you see:

• A narrow gap of darker, seemingly calmer water between areas of breaking waves and whitewater.
• A channel of churning, choppy water.
• A difference in watercolor.
• A line of foam, seaweed, or debris moving seaward.

1. Relax, rip currents don't pull you under.
2. Don't swim against the current.
3. Follow the shoreline. You may be able to escape by swimming out of the current in a direction following the shoreline, or toward breaking waves, then at an angle toward the beach.

You may be able to escape by floating or treading water if the current circulates back toward shore. If you feel you will be unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself. If you need help, yell and wave for assistance.

Don't become a victim while trying to help someone else! Many people have died trying to rescue rip current victims.

• Get help from a lifeguard.
• If a lifeguard is not present, call 911, then try to direct the victim to swim following the shoreline to escape.
• If possible, throw the victim something that floats.
• Never enter the water without a flotation device.

Before you leave for the beach, check the latest National Weather Service forecast for local beach conditions. When you arrive at the beach, ask lifeguards (if available) about rip currents and other hazards. More information about rip currents can be found at the following websites:

• National Weather Service (NWS)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Break the Grip of the Rip Brochure (PDF)
• Are You Wave Safe? (PDF)

View street names. (If you are trying to locate a street on a map, go to GIS Data Viewer)

A Review Officer, designated by County Commissioners, is someone who reviews most surveys before recordation. The Review Officer shall review expeditiously each map or plat required to be submitted to the Officer before the map or plat is presented to the Register of Deeds for recording. The Review Officer shall certify the map or plat if it complies with all statutory requirements for recording. If the surveyor certifies that the plat is of an existing parcel or is in an unregulated area then the plat may be recorded without Review Officer acknowledgement.

Yes, we do have our aerial photography online. We have several flight years available. You may view this photography at GIS Online. We also have these images available for sale in our office.

Tax maps, aerial photography, and topography are available in some areas. We also have other maps available including but not limited to, zoning, fire insurance districts, fire fee districts and city limits. Please contact our office for a complete list and prices.

As of January 2006, the county no longer requires any instrument to have a parcel number affixed to the face of that instrument before it can be recorded.

If your property is located within the jurisdiction of a town, you need to contact the town hall. Otherwise, you need to contact the Brunswick County Planning Department.

A recorded survey is a map drawn by a professional surveyor and recorded in the Register of Deeds office and assigned a book and page number. A tax map is a compilation of recorded deeds and surveys drawn as a representation for tax and other county purposes.

This information may be found in recorded deeds or surveys. The tax maps may show calculated or estimated dimensions and acreage. You may also use our GIS Online for dimensions on properties less than 5 acres.

View the survey online. Enter the parcel number, address, owner name, or legal description and the tax information should come up. (If you have trouble retrieving this information, contact the Tax Department.) If a survey has been recorded for this property you will obtain the survey reference in the legal description.

Next, go to the Register of Deeds Online Records Search. If you have not used this website before you will need to fill out the online application form. Once you have received your log-in information you can proceed into the program. After you have entered the login information, a list of search categories will appear. Since you already have the map book and page of the survey you wish to see, select "book page direct." At this screen, scroll down to "map" and then enter your book and page. The image should appear through Acrobat Reader. (If you have trouble retrieving this information, contact the Register of Deeds).

Depending on the situation, this may be possible. Please contact our office and we will be happy to assist you.

Please contact the Brunswick County Tax Department for this information.

No, telephone numbers are considered private information.

No, Brunswick County roads are either public or private. Public roads are owned and maintained by either a municipality or the North Carolina Department of Transportation. (State roads have been assigned a state road number, such as NC Highway 179 or SR 1300.) Private roads are owned and maintained by property owners, developers, or property owner's associations. If you have questions concerning the maintenance of public roads, please contact NCDOT at 754-4540, 429 Mulberry Road, Shallotte.

Public roads are owned by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (or, in some cases, a municipality) and no one can block passage. For questions on private roads, please consult an attorney.

To name a road you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• The road services 3 or more homes or businesses
• The home or business must be 600 feet or more from a named road

The applicant must have 3 to 5 name choices since no name may be duplicated within the county. All property owners must sign a Street Naming Form giving approval of said name and return it to the Brunswick County GIS Department. A street sign will be installed shortly after all paperwork has been processed by the GIS Department. All street names must be approved by the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners.

In February of 1993, the Board of Commissioners adopted a policy instituting a non-refundable filing fee of $50 for road name change petitions, plus a $30 per sign fee. If the petition is denied the sign fee is refunded. The majority of the property owners affected by this change must sign the petition. The new street name cannot duplicate or sound like any other street name within the county. Applicants should have more than one choice available and call before selecting a name for the petition. Download the petition (PDF).

House numbers are assigned every 20 feet to 25 feet to allow for growth. Even though subdivisions may be controlled by covenants and restrictions, these numbering rules were applied county-wide.

No, you must contact the town in which the property is located for an address.

Please contact the Brunswick County Planning Department for this information.

View the map showing soil data with septic tank suitability. Additionally, one of the layers of our GIS data is soil information. This data was designed to overlay with the parcel layer; the information can be viewed at GIS Online and, depending on the size of the area, can be printed with your printer.

Yes, if you are within the county's zoning jurisdiction. This information can be viewed in the zoning map and is maintained on the tax maps as well as a layer to our GIS data. Our GIS data also contains the zoning for the nineteen municipalities located within Brunswick County. All information should be verified by the applicable governing body, whether it be the Brunswick County Planning Department or one of the municipalities.

Yes! You may use our Central Permitting program to not only retrieve ownership information but to also see assigned addresses and permits issued. You may also use GIS Online for ownership information.

To schedule a construction related inspection of a building or fire protection system, visit the Permit Portal Login website. Then, enter your Brunswick County project number and select the desired fire permit that you would like to schedule the fire inspection.

To schedule a foster care inspection, submit an inspection request using the Online Contact Form.

The North Carolina Division of Social Services DSS-1515 Foster Home Fire Inspection Form (PDF) is utilized for the inspection.

The most common violations found during a foster care inspection include but are not limited to:

• Not having an ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of 1A
• Exit doors having double key deadbolts
• Not having operating smoke detectors
• Not having carbon monoxide detectors where the home is equipped with fuel gas cooking or heating appliances
• Doors and windows located within sleeping rooms failing to open properly with little effort

A commercial online application can be submitted by viewing the Permit Applications webpage. If your business or project is located within a municipality that receives fire inspection services by the County, please provide a statement within the project description box on the online application that this application is for fire only and include the name of the municipality.

If you have additional construction documents or revisions for your project, submit them via the Brunswick County Contractor’s Portal. Be sure to include the project number and/or physical address of the project to assist with processing the information.

View the Online Application Training Video.

View the Brunswick County Fire Inspection Fee Schedule webpage.

Fire inspection invoices are issued in the field at the time of the fire inspection to the owner, operator, or tenant of the commercial or multi-family property. Fire inspectors do not collect any payments in the field.

Fire inspection invoice payments along with either a copy the invoice or a reference to the invoice number can be mailed to:

Brunswick County Code Administration
Fire Inspection Payments
P.O. Box 249
Bolivia, North Carolina 28422

The intent of Brunswick County's false fire alarm prevention ordinance is to encourage alarm users and alarm companies to maintain the operational reliability of alarm systems and to properly use alarm systems in order to reduce or eliminate false/accidental alarm dispatches of fire apparatus within the unincorporated areas of Brunswick County and within municipalities where the county fire marshal has jurisdiction (Belville, Bolivia, Carolina Shores, Caswell Beach, Navassa, Northwest, Sandy Creek, Shallotte, St. James, and Varnamtown).

If you are located within a municipality (an incorporated city, town, or village), contact your local municipal official to inquire about false fire alarm ordinances.

View Brunswick County’s Fire Alarm Ordinance for more information.

Products can be purchased through an online application on the Knox Company’s website. The order notification and approval is sent to the Brunswick County Fire Marshal's Office for quick electronic review and approval to verify the correct fire department prior to the order being processed and shipped. 

Products can also be ordered locally through an Authorized Local Knox Trusted Partner:

Knox Coordinator Gary L. Diley at VSC Fire & Security, Inc.
609 Seaboard Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Email Gary Diley
Office: 843.443.3260
Cell: 843.254.3963
Fax: 843.443.3261

Attendees for the trainings can include families, friends, caregivers, clergy, law enforcement, first responders, healthcare providers, employers, educators, community-based service providers, and anyone else interested in learning how to respond to substance use/co-occurring disorders.

Like CPR, the course is designed to help you build the skills to support and respond to someone who needs help. The training will equip participants to learn:

• How to identify the signs and symptoms of addiction
• How to help an individual in need of support
• The effects of stigma on individuals and families
• How to set healthy boundaries and principles of self-care

Participation is free of any financial cost thanks to:

• The generosity of clinically trained presenters who volunteer their experience and expertise
• A grant from the North Carolina Opioid Settlement made to Brunswick County
• The generosity of hosting groups who provide a meeting place, lunch, and refreshments

If you can't attend this training date but want to get a jump start on enCompass, you can enroll in a free, brief course with some of the same faculty as enCompass. This online resource is "Addiction 101" at Addiction Policy Forum Addiction 101.

We hope and expect that you will sign up for a future enCompass Workshop and bring someone with you. Email us for questions and/or to be on the email list for upcoming workshops.

You can partner by hosting a workshop at your organization or find groups that would like to host an enCompass workshop.

Sponsoring groups could provide a space for the workshop, lunch, and refreshments. Contact us today to become a partner, host, or sponsor, or call 910-253-2350.

Brunswick County will only cut off water to a community if the mayor of that community declares a mandatory evacuation. Even then, Brunswick County Public Utilities will not completely turn off water until such time as it is unsafe for staff to remain at these locations. If a less intense storm is anticipated, it may only be necessary to limit the flow to beach communities while still maintaining a minimum pressure. Any such decision is made jointly with officials in that town, based on storm decisions as they occur. Our goal is to maintain water availability throughout the storm, only shutting off water service to vulnerable beach communities well after a mandatory evacuation is declared in order to protect the integrity of the system in an effort to maintain both fire protection and potable (drinkable) water supplies.

Shutting off water to individual houses, especially those on the oceanfront, may provide some level of protection if plumbing pipes are damaged during the storm.  However, care should be taken when this is done.  Some household appliances, such as water heaters, require water to operate properly and may be damaged if left powered on without a water supply.  Therefore, homeowners should consider powering off (shutting off appropriate breakers) if they choose to turn off the water at their house.  The homeowner should use their home’s private shut-off valve to the plumbing system to turn the water off; County equipment and valves in the meter box should not be tampered with.  There is electronic equipment in the meter box that may easily be damaged by unauthorized personnel.  It is worth noting that if a storm dictates that a Mandatory Evacuation be proclaimed for a community, Brunswick County will either limit the pressure or shut off the water to the community immediately prior to the storm impact.

This is very unlikely.  A typical Grinder tank installed by Brunswick County has over 360 gallons of capacity above the point that the alarm comes on.  Most single-family residential houses use much less water than that during a typical day when showers, washers, dishwashers, etc  are being used.  During a storm event where power is lost, water usage is reduced considerably.  Usually, showers, washers, dishwashers, etc  are not used when the power is out thus extending the time it takes to fill the grinder tank.

During previous storm events, some areas of Brunswick County were without power for several days.  The grinder tanks had enough capacity for this time period without overflows occurring.  However, in the event of an extended time period without power, Brunswick County has the ability to use vacuum excavation trucks to empty the grinder tank.  In the case of a significant storm event requiring mandatory evacuation, it is expected that water usage will be minimal.

If you use a generator capable of running high water usage appliances, it is recommended that you also power the breaker(s) to your grinder pump stations.  If the generator is capable and wired to energize the entire house, than the grinder pump will work as normal.

This is very unlikely.  Typically, Brunswick County grinder pumps are part of a low pressure system designed to have other similar sized grinder pumps connected to the system.  It is rare that a pump is not capable of pumping due to high pressure in a low pressure collection system.  However, if this occurs, as pumps turn off in the system upon emptying their basins, any pumps that are “dead heading” will eventually begin to pump down.

A revaluation (also known as a reappraisal) is a routine update to property tax values to bring them back in line with the current sale price of properties.

Revaluations are required by North Carolina Law. North Carolina General Statute § 105-286 requires each county to conduct a revaluation (reappraisal) at least once every eight years to reflect current market value. Many counties including Brunswick County conduct their revaluations every four years. The last revaluation was effective January 1, 2019.

The 2023 revaluation went into effect Jan. 1, 2023. You received your revaluation (reappraisal) notice in the first quarter of 2023. The new values were reflected on the tax bills received in July 2023.

People who buy and sell real estate in the open market establish market values. Our North Carolina State-certified in-house appraisers diligently and carefully research and analyze those sales in our local market to determine an estimate of market value for all properties, as we are required to do by law.

Depending upon the data available and the type of property being appraised, there are several methods an appraiser may use to determine value:

• Sales Comparison Approach - This is the method most commonly used and it compares your property with a similar one, plus or minus any adjustments.
• Cost Approach - This method determines how much it would cost to replace your property with a similar one, less any depreciation.
• Income Approach - This method determines the value of income-producing properties, such as apartments, based upon the amount of income the property generates.

North Carolina General Statutes does not allow anyone to opt out. However, some property owners may qualify for the following property tax relief programs. Learn more about these programs.

• Elderly or Disabled Homestead Exclusion
• Disabled Veteran Homestead Exclusion
• Homestead Circuit Breaker
• Present Use Classification - Agricultural, Horticultural, and Forestland

For further information on additional qualifications, please email the Tax Office or call 910-253-2811 anytime Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm.

Property values will not change uniformly throughout the county. Depending on market conditions and recent sales in your neighborhood, your assessed value may increase, decrease, or remain the same. 

The effects of the revaluation on your tax bill cannot be determined until operating budgets are adopted and the county and municipal governing bodies have set tax rates for the fiscal year for which the revaluation takes place. Budgets are adopted and tax rates are set prior to July 1 each year.

There are three factors that determine how much tax each property owner must pay:

• The assessed value of the property
• The cost of local government-provided services that the residents of the county require
• The tax rate set by the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners and your municipality (if you live in an incorporated town, city, or village) to meet the cost of government-provided services

Revaluations do not reflect what a property owner's tax bill will be. The assessed value of your property is only one factor that impacts your property tax bill.

Tax rates are set by the Board of Commissioners and municipalities' elected officials annually as part of their fiscal year budget cycles.

You can review recent arm’s length sales of properties similar to yours in your neighborhood. You can find comparable information by using the sales search page.

Your parcel’s prior value can be found online. You can search by parcel ID, address, or owner name. You can also search by using the Map function. To use this function, select the Map button, select the Info button, and then zoom in and select the property you are looking for.

You may be able to find the answer to your question by reviewing your tax record. Visit our Tax Site to locate your property record. If you still have questions, you may call us at 910-253-2829, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm and we will be happy to assist you.

Learn more about how to request an appeal and see answers to frequently asked questions on our Request Appeal webpage.

There were three substantial changes in the 2017 legislation:

• The potential upper limit for fire fees charged to each property owner doubled. Brunswick County is not doubling fire fees, but this change allows the County to make future adjustments, if needed, without having to request permission from the State.
• The County now has the ability to charge 75% of the fire fee amount to properties that are more than six miles from a fire station. This change reflects the fact that fire departments will respond to a fire whether it is in the district or not, as well as the increasing response by fire departments to vehicular accidents.
• The County now has the ability to use customary methods to collect delinquent fire fees.

Fire fees for improved properties (with buildings) are calculated based on the heated square footage of a building. Fire fees for vacant land are calculated based on the acreage of the property. Fees are not based on the tax value.

Brunswick County requested the legislation to meet immediate funding needs. In the years since 1999, when fire fees were originally enacted in Brunswick County, many factors affecting fire departments have changed, including a reduction in the number of volunteers and an increase in the number of paid staff needed. Many departments currently have, or will soon have, capital needs, such as necessary building repairs or fire trucks that need to be replaced.

Your vehicle tax will be due at the same time you renew your registration. North Carolina law now requires that your vehicle property tax be paid in order to renew the vehicle registration. The due date will be printed on the new combined notice that you receive in the mail.

No. You cannot renew your vehicle’s registration, whether it is leased or owned, unless the total taxes and registration fees on the vehicle are paid in full.

Taxes due on the notice are for the coming year and cover the same period as the vehicle registration.

No. Vehicle property taxes on leased motor vehicles must be paid in full at the time of renewal. A copy of the combined tag and tax notice will now be sent to the vehicle lessee rather than the leasing company.

Yes. State law requires that interest be charged on late vehicle property tax payments and on late registration renewals.

Your property tax amount will be included on the new combined notice along with your county and municipal tax rates.

Vehicle property taxes paid to the NC DMV at the time of registration are not available on the county’s website. To obtain a statement of the property taxes paid for your vehicle, call the NC DMV at 919-814-1779 or email your request to their service center.

No. If you have paid your vehicle property tax for the year and then transfer the license plate to another vehicle, you will not be eligible for a refund of the taxes paid. The registered motor vehicle to which the plates are transferred will not be taxed until its current registration is renewed.

An owner can apply for a refund of taxes paid when a motor vehicle is sold or registered out of state. The refund will be calculated on any full calendar months remaining in the registration period after the license plate is surrendered to the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. Any municipal vehicle tax assessed in accordance with NC General Statute 20-97 is not subject to proration or refund. Within one year of surrendering the license plates, the owner must present the following to the county tax office: (1) Proof of plate surrender to NCDMV (DMV Form FS20); and (2) Copy of the Bill of Sale or the new state’s registration.

Active duty non-resident military personnel may be exempt from North Carolina motor vehicle property tax. To qualify for an exemption, you must present a copy of your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) to the county tax office. The statement should be for the month and year in which you register the vehicle and must include your Estimated Time of Separation (ETS) date and a home of record other than North Carolina. Military spouses may also qualify for exemption if their home of record is the same as the service member's. In addition to providing a copy of the LES as described above, spouses must provide a copy of their military I.D. card and a copy of their out-of-state driver's license, voter registration card or most current state tax return.

All property owners have the right to appeal their values. The property owner is responsible for supplying information which supports his or her opinion of market value for the property in question. Such information may include a recent appraisal, perk tests, or recent sale price (typically 12 to 18 months prior of the January 1 2023 effective date) of comparable properties.

If you wish to prove that your value is different from the amount stated on the notice, you can submit an appeal to our Tax Department. You may do this online, by mail, or in-person. Call 910-253-2829 for more details.

Valid Reasons to Appeal Your Value:

• Property value is significantly higher or lower than its actual fair market value as of January 1, 2023.
• Property value is inconsistent with the values of similar properties.

Invalid Reasons to Appeal Your Value:

• Percentage increase or decrease from the previous assessed value.
• Percentage increase or decrease as compared to any area's average increase or decrease (county, region, area, neighborhood, etc.)
• Your financial ability to pay any anticipated tax. (Note: An increase or decrease in value does not mean you will pay more or less taxes.)

There are three levels of the Appeals Process:

1. Informal Review: This is an informal appeal with the Tax Office. This provides for a discussion about your property's characteristics. If you are not satisfied with the results of this meeting or phone call, you may appeal to the Board of Equalization and Review.
2. Formal Appeal: This is a hearing, made by appointment only, before the Brunswick County Board of Equalization and Review. If you are not satisfied with the results, you may then appeal to the North Carolina Property Tax Commission in Raleigh.
3. PTC Appeal: This is a hearing made by appointment only before the North Carolina Property Tax Commission in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Please note a change in value can only be considered if the real property owner can provide the appropriate documentation/evidence that the appraised value is substantially over or under market value.

Acceptable documentation should be:

• Recent appraisals, market analysis, or sales contracts.
• Copies of surveys or land perk tests
• Photographs of any major structural damage or needed repairs
• Data on recent sales of comparable properties in the same area sold prior to January 1 2023

Unacceptable documentation:

• Generic economic data, indices, or media stories
• Information that is not specific to your property or neighborhood
• Information from after January 1, 2023

In order to process appeals most efficiently, the appeals will be completed in the order that the signed appeal form is received. Unscheduled appointments and phone calls create delays in the processing of appeals, therefore it is advised and encouraged to sign and submit the appeal form to ensure the opportunity to appeal is not missed and that it is correctly documented.

The final date to request an appeal for Real Property values will be when the Board of Equalization and Review adjourns, which varies from year to year but can be in very early April.

However, individuals are encouraged to contact the Tax Office as soon as possible for any questions related to an appeal and you may file an Informal Appeal directly with the Tax Assessor as early as January. Call 910-253-2829 for more details.

The Community Health Needs Assessment is conducted to examine the health and quality of life of Brunswick County citizens. The process includes gathering information from community residents (primary data), and comparing this data to available health statistics (secondary data) to identify the most pressing concerns. The information gathered is used by county leadership and stakeholders to strategically plan the best use of resources to address top community concerns while tracking progress to reach the overall goal of improving health and quality of life in Brunswick County.

The Public Health Accreditation Board defines community health assessment (CHA), also known as community health needs assessment (CHNA), as a systematic examination of the health status indicators for a given population that is used to identify key problems and assets in a community. The ultimate goal of a community health assessment is to develop strategies to address the community's health needs and identified issues.

CDC defines a community health improvement plan (or CHIP) as a long-term, systematic effort to address public health problems based on the results of community health needs assessment activities and the community health improvement process. A plan is typically updated every three to five years.

The Public Health Accreditation Board (PDF) defines a community health improvement plan as a long-term, systematic effort to address public health problems on the basis of the results of community health assessment activities and the community health improvement process. This plan is used by health and other governmental education and human service agencies, in collaboration with community partners, to set priorities and coordinate and target resources. A community health improvement plan is critical for developing policies and defining actions to target efforts that promote health. It should define the vision for the health of the community through a collaborative process and should address the gamut of strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities that exist in the community to improve the health status of that community.

A community health assessment gives organizations comprehensive information about the community's current health status, needs, and issues. This information can help develop a community health improvement plan by justifying how and where resources should be allocated to best meet community needs.

Benefits include

• Improved organizational and community coordination and collaboration
• Increased knowledge about public health and the interconnectedness of activities
• Strengthened partnerships within state and local public health systems
• Identified strengths and weaknesses to address in quality improvement efforts
• Baselines on performance to use in preparing for accreditation
• Benchmarks for public health practice improvements

Residents will be asked no more than 50 questions in the community health opinion survey. Questions will fall under six main categories:

• Household Demographics
• COVID-19 Impacts
• Community Health
• Physical Health/Accessing Care
• Social Determinants of Health
• Behavioral Health

All of your individual responses are confidential. We will use results of the surveys to improve our understanding of health needs in the community.

There are five phases the CHNA must go through before it is complete.

• Phase 1: Project Launch
• Phase 2: Secondary Research
• Phase 3: Primary Research (This is the most labor-intensive phase in the project.)
• Phase 4: Data Analysis
• Phase 5: Final Report

The role of the CHNA Steering Committee is to provide guidance through the completion of the Community Health Needs Assessment to ensure that it addresses the needs of residents in Brunswick County.

Residents can attend the meetings either in-person or virtually. If you are interested in participating on the CHNA Steering Committee or attending a meeting, RSVP by contacting Brunswick County Health Educator Rachel Crowder at 910-253-2312.

Health information is collected from Brunswick County residents in three ways: key informant interviews, community health opinion surveys, and focus groups.

Key Informant Interviews

• Strategic Planning Committee
• Community-Based Organizations
• Community Leaders

Community Health Opinion Surveys

• Brunswick County residents
• Surveys in English and Spanish
• Training provided on survey collection for Health Department staff and volunteers

Focus Groups

• 2 in-person focus groups
• 15 participants per group for a total of 30 participants
• 1 in English, 1 in Spanish

Key informant interviews and focus groups provide insight into community health concerns. Involvement of providers, particularly community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and education institutions/civic leaders will occur through the key informant interviews and via input from representatives on the Steering Committee.

We ensure involvement with the hard-to-reach or most marginalized communities in Brunswick County by meeting them where they are at. After engaging with these communities, we develop a high-level action plan with recommendations prioritized through input and the direction of the Steering Committee.

This office is a county government office, which is made available to serve Brunswick County veterans and their eligible dependents and survivors, by the Brunswick County government.

Our office is here to provide VA-related information and assistance with filing claims for benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the State of NC, for Brunswick County residents.

We are located in building "F" in the Brunswick County Government Center in Bolivia, NC. (When you come into the main entrance and are at the stop sign, turn left onto Government Center Drive NE. Continue on this road, passing the Social Services building "B" on your right. After you pass building "B" the road curves and you will see a parking lot entrance on your right-hand side; this road/parking lot area is called Referendum Drive NE. Turn right into this parking lot area and follow the parking lot around until it brings you directly in front of building "F". When you come into the main double-glass door entrance, our office is the second door on the right.)

We are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm; certain holidays are the exception.

We prefer to schedule appointments when filing claims and completing paperwork as these procedures can sometimes be quite lengthy. Scheduling an appointment helps to ensure that you will be prepared with the information we need to complete the VA's detailed paperwork.

Appointments may be made by calling 910-253-2233.

The basic definition of a veteran is anyone who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released there from under conditions other than dishonorable.

For Reservists and National Guard, you must have been called to active duty other than for training. The exception to this rule is for any period of active duty for training during which the individual concerned was disabled or died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty; and any period of inactive duty training during which the individual concerned was disabled or died from an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty or from an acute myocardial infarction, a cardiac arrest, or a cerebrovascular accident which occurred during such training.

The full definition of who is considered a veteran is found in Title 38 of the United States Code Service for Federal Regulations and Veterans Benefits, and it is as follows:

• The term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released there from under conditions other than dishonorable. (38 USCS § 101 (2))
• The term "veteran of any war" means any veteran who served in the active military, naval, or air service during a period of war. (38 USCS § 101 (12))
• The term "active duty" means - (38 USCS § 101 (21))
  1. full-time duty in the Armed Forces, other than active duty for training.
  2. full-time duty (other than for training purposes) as a commissioned officer of the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service (i) on or after July 29, 1945, or (ii) before that date under circumstances affording entitlement to "full military benefits" or (iii) at any time, for the purposes of chapter 13 of this title [38 USCS §§ 1301 et seq.];
  3. full-time duty as a commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or its predecessor organization the Coast and Geodetic Survey (i) on or after July 29, 1945, or (ii) before that date (I) while on transfer to one of the Armed Forces, or (II) while, in time of war or national emergency declared by the President, assigned to duty on a project for one of the Armed Forces in an area determined by the Secretary of Defense to be of immediate military hazard, or (III) in the Philippine Islands on December 7, 1941, and continuously in such islands thereafter, or (iii) at any time, for the purposes of chapter 13 of this title [38 USCS §§ 1301 et seq.];
  4. service as a cadet at the United States Military, Air Force, or Coast Guard Academy, or as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy; and
  5. authorized travel to or from such duty or service.
• The term "active duty for training" means - (38 USCS § 101 (22)
  1. full-time duty in the Armed Forces performed by Reserves for training purposes;
  2. full-time duty for training purposes performed as a commissioned officer of the Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service (i) on or after July 29, 1945, or (ii) before that date under circumstances affording entitlement to "full military benefits", or (iii) at any time, for the purposes of chapter 13 of this title [38 USCS §§ 1301 et seq.].
  3. in the case of members of the National Guard or Air National Guard of any State, full-time duty under section 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 of title 32 [32 USCS § 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505], or the prior corresponding provisions of law; and
  4. duty performed by a member of a Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program when ordered to such duty for the purposes of training or a practice cruise under chapter 103 of title 10 [10 USCS §§ 2101 et seq.] for a period of not less than four weeks and which must be completed by the member before the member is commissioned; and
  5. authorized travel to or from such duty. 
     The term does not include duty performed as a temporary member of the Coast Guard Reserve.
• The term "inactive duty for training" means - (38 USCS § 101 (23))
  1. duty (other than full-time duty) prescribed for Reserves (including commissioned officer of the Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service) by the Secretary concerned under section 206 of title 37 [37 USCS § 206] or any other provision of law;
  2. special additional duties authorized for Reserves (including commissioned officers of the Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service) by an authority designated by the Secretary concerned and performed by them on a voluntary basis in connection with the prescribed training or maintenance activities of the units to which they are assigned; and
  3. training (other than active duty for training) by a member of, or applicant for membership (as defined in section 8140(g) of title 5 [5 USCS § 8140(g)]) in, the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps prescribed under chapter 103 of title 10 [10 USCS §§ 2101 et seq.].
     In case of a member of the National Guard or Air National Guard of any State, such term means duty (other than full-time duty) under sections 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 of title 32 [32 USCS §§ 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505], or the prior corresponding provisions of law. Such term does not include (i) work or study performed in connection with correspondence courses, (ii) attendance at an educational institution in an inactive status, or (iii) duty performed as a temporary member of the Coast Guard Reserve.
• The term "active military, naval, or air service" includes - (38 USCS § 101 (24))
  1. active duty;
  2. any period of active duty for training during which the individual concerned was disabled or died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty; and
  3. any period of inactive duty training during which the individual concerned was disabled or died -
     1. from an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty; or
     2. from an acute myocardial infarction, a cardiac arrest, or a cerebrovascular accident occurring during such training.

The Commissioners hold their Regular Meetings on the first Monday of every month, starting at 3 pm, and the third Monday of every month, starting at 6 pm; if either of those Mondays are a holiday, the Commissioners will meet the Tuesday immediately following. Regular Meetings begin with the Invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, public discussion and administrative items (Closed session is held at the end of the meetings). Meetings are held in the Commissioners' Meeting Room in the David R. Sandifer Administration Building.

Occasionally, the Commissioners will call a special meeting, to discuss matters that cannot wait until the next meeting. Notice of these meetings will be sent to the media, sent to residents on the Sunshine list, and posted on the county's website. These meetings will be held at the time stated in the notice.

All of the Commissioners’ meetings are open to the public. The Commissioners may move to a conference room for a private, or Closed, Session to discuss certain confidential matters (including discussing certain personnel matters or discussing pending legal matters with the County Attorney). However, all action (voting) is taken in open session. You are welcome to attend any meeting, and to wait until the completion of Closed Session discussions.

Each Regular Meeting has a public comment period, during which anyone can address the Commissioners with questions or concerns about county business. We ask that you sign in before you speak (there's a sheet next to the agendas, near the entrance to the meeting room) so the Clerk can make sure she has the correct spelling of your name. You can view the Public Comment Policy online before the meeting. Additionally, some meetings have public hearings for specific issues. The public hearings are similar to a public comment period, but pertain to one topic. If you wish to provide a handout, please bring at least 8 copies, so we can share them with the Commissioners and county staff. If you would like to present an agenda item, there are additional requirements.

Paper agendas for the meetings are always available near the entrance to the Commissioners' Meeting Room on the night of the meeting. Agendas may also be viewed online. Agendas are typically available online the Friday before the meeting.

If you would like to know what happened during a previous meeting, you may view the minutes from that meeting. Please note that minutes must be approved by the Commissioners, so they are typically not available for at least a month after the meeting. 

No, disposable wipes, rags, clothing articles, and paper towels should not be flushed because these combine with fats, oils, greases, and other debris to cause major clogs within the wastewater collection system and treatment facilities.  The fibers contained within most “flush-able” wipes are not biodegradable.  Also, if your house has a low-pressure grinder pump, the pump may become damaged and the property owner could be responsible for the costs of repair. Please see the Grinder Pump Informational Brochure (PDF) which discusses the use and maintenance of grinder pump systems.

A briefing regarding legislation in the District of Columbia regarding flushable wipes provides additional insights into the issue.

It may take three to six weeks depending on the type of grinder system installation. If a sewer tap needs to be made for connection to the low-pressure sewer system within an NC DOT area, an encroachment application must be submitted by Brunswick County to the State, which can extend wait time to up to three months. Prior to the contractor/homeowner applying for pressure sewer service, siding must be installed, underground power must be installed to the structure, and final land grade must be established. If any of the above steps are not completed prior to service request, the timeline for installation will be regenerated. After the basin is set, an additional request by contractor/homeowner is required at completion of customer-side electrical and plumbing installation. This is referred to as start-up, allowing County staff to inspect customer-side connections with the pump being tested, ensuring the system operates as intended.

All Brunswick Counties locates can be requested through the NC 811 ULOCO system. You can call 811 and request that all utilities located at the service address be located by the appropriate utility owner. A standard locate may take up to 3 business days, and emergency locates will be taken care of as soon as possible. Please note that any water or sewer connections beyond the water meter box, gravity sewer clean out, or County owned grinder station are owned and maintained by the property owner and will not be located or maintained by Brunswick County Utility Staff.

Sewer overflows on a grinder system are typically caused by a pump failure. When your alarm goes off, please call one of our emergency numbers and refrain from heavy water usage, i.e. washing machine, dishwasher, showers, and baths. Another thing that will ensure your pump operates properly is by not putting prohibited items into the sewage system, i.e. wet wipes, grease, and feminine hygiene products. These items shorten the lifespan of your pump and may cause a sewer overflow. It is not suggested to shut down the breaker. Silencing the alarm is all that is necessary until staff arrives for repair.

We ask the homeowner to silence the alarm if they can, it is not necessary or recommended to turn off the breaker to the grinder pump. Please call into our maintenance line at 910-253-2657. On the grinder pump control panel, there is an information sticker with our after-hours phone numbers as well.

View the Grinder Pump Informational Brochure (PDF)

Smoke testing is the process of injecting artificially produced smoke into a blocked off pipeline segment to see where the smoke emerges. If the line is in good condition, the smoke will emerge from manhole lids along the line. If there are any cracks or defects within the line, the smoke will come from those. It is not unusual to see some smoke come up through cracks in the pavement or in residential yards during testing. It is also not unusual for smoke to come out of the plumbing vent pipe above your roof.

To ensure the sanitary sewer system is in good working order, it is important to locate and repair any breaks in the lines to prevent larger problems in the future. Smoke testing is one of the best, cost-effective ways to locate defects in main sewer lines and service laterals that connect to residences.

To prevent the possibility of smoke entering your home, ensure water has been run in your sinks and showers/tubs to put water in your P-traps. This acts as a blockage to keep smoke from coming out of the drains in your home.

Very unlikely; however, if there is a P-trap that is not holding water, or if additional lines within the home are un-trapped or defective, it may. In this case, you may want to contact a plumber to investigate.

Remember: If smoke can enter your home through your plumbing connection, potentially harmful sewer gases may also.

Homeowners do not need to be home and at no time will our field crew members enter a home.

Brunswick County's two drinking water treatment plants are designed to filter and kill all kinds of viruses including COVID-19 the Coronavirus. The EPA mandated through the Safe Drinking Water Act that all drinking water treatment facilities designed and built in the United States be able to inactivate viruses and bacteria. The disinfection process of using chlorine is very effective at inactivating (killing) viruses. The World Health Organization has recently published a technical document describing the Coronavirus as having a "fragile outer membrane" that is generally less stable and more susceptible to oxidants such as chlorine (page 2 of document).

See more information regarding COVID-19 and drinking water.

This can be caused by many factors within the home plumbing system and/or public distribution system. This discoloration is not a health risk. Run your tap for fifteen to twenty minutes, and if the problem persists, please call us at 910-253-2657.

The possible causes are:

• Flushing: Piping in the distribution system leading to your home may be rusty or have loose sediment, creating rusty-brown/murky water when disturbed. When valves in the public system are operated (opened or closed) rust and sediment can be dislodged. The operation of fire hydrants, flushing or routine maintenance in your area, and rust can also cause discoloration in the water.
• Water heaters and galvanized or iron plumbing: If you are having trouble and your neighbors are not, then your home plumbing or water heater may be the issue. Some common characteristics of a corrosion problem in your home plumbing include:
  • The discoloration is only in the hot water
  • The water is discolored every morning or when first used after several hours of disuse
  • The water clears after it has run for a few minutes
  • The discoloration is only at one or several faucets in your home, not all of them

Brunswick County is responsible for the service line from the water main at the street to the back side of the meter box, the tie-in point where the plumber/homeowner makes the connection. Please note that if the homeowner requests a service call for a leak and it is found to be on the customer's side, the County is not responsible for the repair. Furthermore, a fee for the site visit will be issued to the party responsible for the account. If the problem IS found on the County side, the repair will be made at no charge to the customer.

Your local health department should assist in explaining any tests that you need for various contaminants. If your local health department is unable to help, you can contact a state-certified laboratory to perform the test. To find a state-certified laboratory in your area call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

View these documents for more information:

• Important Facts About Your Water Meter (PDF)
• Lead In Drinking Water (PDF)

With a population nearing 160,000 residents and growing, Brunswick County is expanding its water treatment capacity and infrastructure to provide an adequate and reliable supply of water to support all of Brunswick County's residential, commercial, and industrial needs both now and in the future. More than 300,000 people are served by Brunswick County Public Utilities during the peak season (summer), including both county and wholesale customer service areas.

Brunswick County has several capital projects planned or being constructed to expand water capacity at our water treatment plants to accommodate or anticipate growth, including the expansion and reverse osmosis upgrades to the Northwest Water Treatment Plant (NWTP). The NWTP project will expand the conventional treatment facility from 24 million gallons per day (MGD) to 45 MGD and will provide a low-pressure reverse osmosis treatment capacity of 36 MGD. You can find more information about the project and its progress on our Northwest Water Treatment Plant page.

Brunswick County has also dedicated significant time and resources to updating its 20-Year Wastewater (Sewer) and Water Master Plans to continue to plan for future anticipated growth and strengthen our utilities systems. These plans, along with the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan, which is updated annually as part of the budget process, help identify our utilities systems’ needs in relation to population growth.

Brunswick County has actively sought a solution to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water after the discovery of PFAS substances in the Cape Fear River in June 2017. Following review of multiple treatment options, the County selected low-pressure reverse osmosis and initiated a pilot scale system at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant to confirm water quality and PFAS removal. In April 2018, CDM Smith's reported that the pilot low-pressure reverse osmosis system reduced most PFAs to undetectable levels including PFOA, PFOS, and GenX. The project to install the new treatment system is currently under construction. You can find more information about the project and its progress on our Northwest Water Treatment Plant page.

NC government agencies are also working on all fronts to continue to reduce exposure to GenX and other PFAS. This includes continuing efforts to reduce emissions and discharges from the Chemours plant and efforts to reduce GenX and other PFAS as much as possible in drinking water. The NC Department of Environmental Quality's PFAS Roadmap details NCDEQ's priorities and planned actions to reduce PFAS in our state. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Key EPA Actions to Address PFAS webpage details actions taken by EPA since January 2021.

On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the final PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The EPA’s NPDWR established legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), including individual MCLs for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA, and a PFAS mixtures MCL containing at least two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS.

• Final MCL for PFOA = 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt)
• Final MCL for PFOS = 4.0 ppt
• Final MCL for PFNA = 10 ppt
• Final MCL for PFHxS = 10 ppt
• Final MCL for HFPO-DA (GenX chemicals) = 10 ppt
• Hazard Index (HI) for mixture of two or more of PFNA, PFHxS, HFPO-DA, and PFBS = 1 HI

On June 15, 2022, the EPA published final drinking water health advisories (HAs) for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid and its potassium salt (together referred to as PFBS) and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) and its ammonium salt (together referred to as GenX Chemicals).

• Final Health Advisory for GenX chemicals (HFPO-DA) = 10 ppt
• Final Health Advisory for PFBS = 2,000 ppt

Brunswick County Public Utilities conducts routine water tests of our raw and treated water from the Northwest Water Treatment Plant for several PFAS compounds, including the six with NPDWRs and the two with HAs. All water test results are published on the County's website.

Based on the NPDWRs implemented in April 2024, water systems must take action to reduce the levels of these PFAS in drinking water if the levels exceed MCLs. Public water systems have 5 years to meet this new requirement.

In 2017, Brunswick County joined other utilities in the region to sue DuPont and Chemours. The County is seeking monetary damages from Chemours to hold it responsible for the millions of dollars it is spending to install a new treatment system necessary to remove PFAS contaminants. The lawsuit remains active and ongoing. Any proceeds received will be used for the benefit of all customer classes. How any proceeds from litigation would be used has not been analyzed nor determined at this time.

Brunswick County is absorbing some of the costs for the Northwest Water Treatment Plant infrastructure enhancements—therefore, all the project costs are not directly passed on through water rates. However, the County had to start making anticipated debt service repayments in 2022 for the installation of the reverse osmosis treatment system to remove unregulated PFAS contaminants like GenX chemicals from our water and to construct a new raw water line to increase capacity to the plant.

Yes. Developers pay System Development Fees (SDF), which are one-time fees for new permitted developments joining either or both of the County’s utilities systems. These fees help cover the costs associated with increasing Brunswick County’s treatment and transmission system capacity to accommodate the projected growth and additional demands on the system. Additionally, developers are responsible for installing the water distribution piping and sewer collections systems to serve their development projects.

The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners recently approved an increase to the County’s water and wastewater system development fees as part of the current Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The Board approved an increase to 90% of the maximum impact for these fees incrementally by July 2025 as identified in the most recent SDF analysis report. These fee changes will support the systems’ needs attributed to population growth as outlined and supported in the 20-year Water and Wastewater Master Plans and the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan.

The average retail county water customer with a 3/4-inch meter uses 4,500 gallons of water per month. Under the current rate structure, the estimated bill is $34.68 for someone using 4,500 gallons (or $36.75 for 5,000 gallons). This does not include irrigation. This is well below the average bill of other North Carolina coastal communities of $41.04 (4,500 gallons) and the NC state median of $38.45 (5,000 gallons).

View the County's latest water and sewer rate schedule.

Community members can find the latest information and project status on the Northwest Water Treatment Plant Expansion and Reverse Osmosis Treatment Upgrades project webpage.

Overview

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1940s due to their unique properties, such as resistance to high and low temperatures, resistance to degradation, and nonstick characteristics. These chemicals have been used to make products that resist stains, grease, oil, and water.

Common Uses of PFAS:

• Non-stick cookware
• Food packaging
• Stain-resistant carpet and fabrics
• Water-repellent clothing
• Some firefighting foams
• Some cosmetics

The most commonly studied PFAS are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA or C8) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The next most commonly studied are perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). Most uses of PFOA and PFOS were phased out by U.S. manufacturers in the mid-2000s, although there are a limited number of ongoing uses. In addition, other countries may still manufacture and use them.

PFAS do not occur naturally but are widespread in the environment. PFAS can be found in the environment near areas where they are manufactured or where products containing PFAS are often used. During production and use, PFAS can migrate into the soil, water, and air. Most PFAS (including PFOA and PFOS) do not break down, so they remain in the environment. Because of their widespread use and their persistence in the environment, PFAS are found in the blood of people, animals, and fish all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment. Some PFAS can build up in people and animals with repeated exposure over time and can stay in people’s bodies for a long time.

In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established new drinking water regulations known as maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six PFAS in drinking water: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA as contaminants with individual MCLs, and PFAS mixtures containing at least two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS using a Hazard Index MCL. The MCLs are part of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs), which are legally enforceable primary standards and treatment techniques that apply to public water systems. 

PFOA

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been a manufactured perfluorochemical and a byproduct in producing fluoropolymers. Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. PFOA was used particularly for manufacturing polytetrafluoroethylene, but since 2002, manufacturers have used a new process not requiring this chemical. PFOA persists in the environment and does not break down. PFOA has been identified in bodies of water and in a variety of land and water animals.

PFOS

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) (PDF) is a synthetic, fully fluorinated organic acid; it is used in a variety of consumer products and is generated as a degradation product of other perfluorinated compounds. Because of strong carbon-fluorine bonds, PFOS is stable to metabolic and environmental degradation. PFOS is one of a large group of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are used to make products more resistant to stains, grease, and water. These compounds have been widely found in consumer and industrial products, as well as in food items. Water resources contaminated by PFOS have been associated with releases from manufacturing sites, industrial sites, fire/crash training areas, and industrial or municipal waste sites where products are disposed of or applied.

GenX Chemicals

GenX is a trade name for a man‐made processing aid technology used to make high-performance fluoropolymers without the use of PFOA. Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) and its ammonium salt are together referred to as “GenX chemicals” because they are the two major chemicals associated with the GenX processing aid technology.

Because GenX chemicals can be used as a replacement for PFOA, they may be used in a similar fashion in the manufacture of the same or similar fluoropolymer end products (e.g., nonstick coating for cookware). GenX chemicals have been found in surface water, groundwater, drinking water, rainwater, and air emissions.

GenX is well-known in North Carolina. Chemours' facility in Fayetteville began producing GenX commercially in 2009 as a replacement for PFOA. The same chemical is also produced as a byproduct during other manufacturing processes, and it may have been present in the environment for many years before being produced commercially as GenX.

PFBS

Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid and its potassium salt (together referred to as “PFBS”) is considered a replacement for PFOS in chemical and product manufacturing. PFOS is a chemical that was voluntarily phased out (with some exceptions) by its primary U.S. manufacturer (3M Company) between 2000 and 2002.

PFBS is used primarily in the manufacture of paints, cleaning agents, and water- and stain-repellent products and coatings. PFBS has been detected in surface water, groundwater, and drinking water and has been found in dust, carpeting and carpet cleaners, and floor wax, foods including seafood (fish and shellfish) and vegetables, food packaging, indoor and outdoor air, soil, biosolids, and some consumer products.

PFOA and PFOS

On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the final human health toxicity assessments for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and the final PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Rule (NPDWR) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The final 2024 PFOA and PFOS toxicity assessments report toxicity values that reflect the best available science and health effects information. The 2022 PFOA and PFOS interim drinking water health advisories (iHAs) no longer reflect the best available scientific information.

The EPA’s NPDWR established legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), including individual MCLs for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA, and a PFAS mixtures MCL containing at least two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS.

GenX and PFBS

On June 15, 2022, the EPA published final drinking water health advisories (HAs) for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid and its potassium salt (PFBS) and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) and its ammonium salt (GenX Chemicals). In chemical and product manufacturing, GenX chemicals are considered a replacement for PFOA, and PFBS is considered a replacement for PFOS.

• EPA issued a lifetime noncancer drinking water health advisory (HA) for GenX checmicals of 10 nanograms per liter (ng/L) or 10 parts per trillion (ppt).
• EPA issued a lifetime noncancer drinking water HA for PFBS of 2,000 nanograms per liter (ng/L) or 2,000 parts per trillion (ppt).

Drinking water health advisory levels are non-enforceable and non-regulatory health-based values that are provided for informational purposes. While unenforceable, these advisories indicate the level of drinking water contamination below which adverse health effects are not expected to occur over specific exposure durations (e.g., one-day, ten-days, and a lifetime). Health advisories provide technical information that federal, state, and local officials can use to inform the development of monitoring plans, investments in treatment solutions, and future policies to protect the public from PFAS exposure.

HAs Currently Under Development

As stated in EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap, PFAS contamination has impacted drinking water quality across the country, including in underserved rural areas and communities of color. Going forward, EPA anticipates developing HAs for additional PFAS or categories of PFAS as the Agency publishes toxicity assessments.

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to set enforceable National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) for drinking water contaminants and require monitoring of public water systems.

On April 10, 2024, EPA established legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for several PFAS known to occur individually and as mixtures in drinking water.

EPA set enforceable MCLs for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as GenX Chemicals). EPA is also regulating, through a hazard index (HI), mixtures of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, HFPO-DA, and PFBS.

EPA also finalized health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for these PFAS.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety and are non-enforceable public health goals.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards.

ppt: parts per trillion

Hazard Index (HI): The Hazard Index is a long-established approach that EPA regularly uses to understand health risk from a chemical mixture (i.e., exposure to multiple chemicals). The HI is made up of a sum of fractions. Each fraction compares the level of each PFAS measured in the water to the health-based water concentration.

Based on the NPDWRs implemented in April 2024, water systems must take action to reduce the levels of these PFAS in drinking water if the levels exceed MCLs. Public water systems have 5 years to meet this new requirement.

Learn about additional actions taken by EPA since January 2021 on their Key EPA Actions to Address PFAS webpage.

Brunswick County Public Utilities Water Customers & Wholesale Municipal/Utility Water Customers

PFAS contamination is present throughout North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service (NCDHHS) began investigating the presence of GenX chemicals in the Cape Fear River in June 2017. The Chemours Fayetteville Works Plant was identified as the company that produces the GenX chemicals for industrial processes.

Brunswick County Public Utilities regularly tests its raw and treated water for several PFAS compounds, including the six with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs): PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, HFPO-DA, and PFBS. Test results are published on the County's website for transparency.

Note: As of June 2024, Brunswick County's current wholesale water customers include Bald Head Island, Holden Beach, Oak Island, and Ocean Isle Beach.

Private Well Users

If you live in the Fayetteville area or lower Cape Fear region, you may be eligible for free testing. Visit the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) website or contact the Chemours Fayetteville Works Plant to request well testing:

• Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, or Columbus counties: 910-678-1100
• Bladen, Cumberland, Robeson, and Sampson counties: 910-678-1101
• Those with GenX levels exceeding the EPA MCL or other PFAS contamination may be eligible for replacement drinking water supplies or filtration systems at no cost.

Other private well owners should regularly test their wells for various contaminants that may be impacting their well water. You can review NCDHHS’ PFAS Water Testing and Filtration Resources (PDF) list for more information on PFAS testing and filtration. Routine well testing information can be found on NCDHHS’ Well Water Testing FAQs webpage.

EPA provides training and technical assistance to private drinking water well owners. This includes test kits for emerging contaminants, including PFAS and assistance when test results indicate there is contamination.

Generally, the lower the levels, the lower the risk.

For GENX and PFBS:

• If above the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The levels of GenX/PFBS in your water would increase the risk of health effects.
• If below the MCLG: The levels of GenX/PFBS in your water are not expected to increase the risk of health effects associated with these compounds.

For PFOA and PFOS:

The new EPA MCLGs for PFOA and PFOS are below levels that can be detected with current commercial laboratory testing. Therefore, any detection of either PFOA or PFOS in drinking water could represent an increased health risk.

Yes. Based on the current science, only a small amount of PFAS gets into your body through skin, so little PFAS exposure would come from showering, bathing, and similar activities.

Typical follow-up: What about brushing my teeth?

The amount of water ingested while brushing teeth is minimal relative to the amount of water typically consumed through eating and exposures from brushing teeth would present a minimal health risk.

Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) are established for humans. It is up to each pet owner to decide whether to offer water with PFAS detections to pets or animals.

At this time, scientists are still learning about the health effects of exposure to mixtures of different PFAS. One way to learn about whether PFAS will harm people is to do studies on lab animals.

• Most of these studies have tested doses of PFAS that are higher than levels found in the environment.
• These animal studies have found that PFAS can cause damage to the liver and the immune system.
• PFAS have also caused birth defects, delayed development, and newborn deaths in lab animals.

Humans and animals react differently to PFAS, and not all effects observed in animals may occur in humans. Scientists have ways to estimate how the exposure and effects in animals compare to what they would be in humans.

Additional research may change our understanding of the relationship between exposure to PFAS and human health effects.

Breast milk from mothers with PFAS in their blood and formula made with water containing PFAS can expose infants to PFAS, and it may also be possible for children to be exposed in utero during pregnancy. Scientists continue to do research in this area. Based on current science, the benefits of breastfeeding appear to outweigh the risks for infants exposed to PFAS in breast milk. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages women and people who are currently pregnant, nursing, or bottle feeding an infant with formula to consult with their physician regarding concerns related to feeding and potential exposure to chemicals such as PFOA, PFOS, GenX chemicals (i.e., HFPO-DA and its ammonium salt), PFHxS, PFNA, and PFBS. For more information about PFAS and breastfeeding, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages women and people who are currently pregnant, nursing, or bottle feeding an infant with formula to consult with their physician regarding concerns related to feeding and potential exposure to PFAS.

GenX & PFBS

The EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for these compounds were calculated for the most sensitive populations (e.g., infants). 

• If your drinking water contains GenX chemicals or PFBS below the MCLGs, then it is not expected to increase risk of health effects and can be used.
• If your drinking water contains GenX chemicals or PFBS above the MCLGs, consider using an alternative or treated water source for any activity in which your infant might swallow water.

PFOA & PFOS

The EPA’s new MCLGs for PFOA and PFOS are below levels that can be detected with current commercial laboratory testing. Therefore, any detection of either PFOA or PFOS in drinking water could represent an increased health risk and we would recommend using an alternate source or filtered water.

Based on the EPA's review of the science, exposures to these four PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, GenX, PFBS) above the EPA MCLGs can cause:

• Decreased liver function
• Decreased immune response and reduced vaccine effectiveness
• Decreased birthweight, behavioral changes of infants and children
• Increased risk of high blood pressure for pregnant women
• Increased cholesterol levels
• Increased risk of kidney and/or testicular

If you are concerned about specific issues with your health, talk with your healthcare provider. Information for health care providers is available from NCDHHS (PDF) and from the CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Human health effects from exposure to low environmental levels of PFAS are uncertain. Studies of laboratory animals given large amounts of PFAS indicate that some PFAS may affect growth and development. Epidemiologic studies on PFAS exposure evaluated several health effects. See descriptions of these studies. More research is necessary to assess the human health effects of exposure to PFAS. (Information is from the CDC.)

Surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that most people in the United States have been exposed to some PFAS. Most known exposures are relatively low, but some can be high, particularly when people are exposed to a concentrated source over long periods of time. Some PFAS chemicals can accumulate in the body over time.

Most exposures occur through consuming contaminated food or water. Only a small amount of PFAS can get into your body through your skin, so very little PFAS exposure occurs during swimming, bathing, or showering in water contaminated with PFAS. Although some types of PFAS are no longer used, many products such as food packaging, firefighting foam, and stain-resistant treatments still contain PFAS.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), people can be exposed to PFAS by:

• Working in occupations such as firefighting or chemicals manufacturing and processing.
• Drinking water contaminated with PFAS.
• Eating certain foods that may contain PFAS, including fish.
• Swallowing contaminated soil or dust.
• Breathing air containing PFAS.
• Using products made with PFAS or that are packaged in materials containing PFAS.

It is difficult to fully prevent PFAS exposure because PFAS are present at low levels in some foods and in the environment. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your PFAS exposure:

• If you live near known sources of PFAS contamination or your drinking water contains PFAS above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs), you may want to use a different water source or filter your water before drinking, cooking, and preparing infant formula.
• NC DHHS has developed a PFAS testing and treatment factsheet (PDF). This factsheet provides information on available treatment systems that have been shown to reduce PFAS concentrations in drinking water.
• Reduce your use of products containing PFAS (packaged foods, products with non-stick or stain-resistant coatings, and some personal care products). If you have questions about the products you use in your home, contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772.
• Boiling water will not remove PFAS.

Visit the CDC website to learn more about PFAS Exposure Reduction.

There are many ongoing PFAS health studies in North Carolina and across the country. Although we don't currently have one location for summarizing PFAS studies, NCDHHS continues to engage with researchers at the forefront of PFAS research to evaluate new health and toxicity information as it becomes available and update our public health guidance when needed. Ongoing studies include:

• PFAS Testing Network efforts to better understand the extent of exposure from drinking water across our state
• GenX Exposure Study at North Carolina State University
• PFAS UNITEDD multi-university project headed by the Colorado School of Mines
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Exposure Assessments and Multi-Site Health Studies

Brunswick County will only cut off water to a community if the Mayor of that community declares a mandatory evacuation. Even then, Brunswick County Public Utilities will not completely turn off water until such time as it is unsafe for staff to remain at these locations. If a less intense storm is anticipated, it may only be necessary to limit the flow to beach communities while still maintaining a minimum pressure. Any such decision is made jointly with officials in that town, based on storm decisions as they occur. Our goal is to maintain water availability throughout the storm, only shutting off water service to vulnerable beach communities well after a mandatory evacuation is declared in order to protect the integrity of the system in an effort to maintain both fire protection and potable (drinkable) water supplies.

Shutting off water to individual houses, especially those on the oceanfront, may provide some level of protection if plumbing pipes are damaged during the storm. However, care should be taken when this is done. Some household appliances, such as water heaters, require water to operate properly and may be damaged if left powered on without a water supply. Therefore, homeowners should consider powering off (shutting off appropriate breakers) if they choose to turn off the water at their house. The homeowner should use their home's private shut-off valve to the plumbing system to turn the water off; County equipment and valves in the meter box should not be tampered with. There is electronic equipment in the meter box that may easily be damaged by unauthorized personnel. It is worth noting that if a storm dictates that a mandatory evacuation be proclaimed for a community, Brunswick County will either limit the pressure or shut off the water to the community immediately after the storm's impact.

This is very unlikely. A typical grinder tank installed by Brunswick County has over 360 gallons of capacity above the point that the alarm comes on. Most single-family residential houses use much less water than during a typical day when showers, washers, dishwashers, etc. are being used. During a storm where power is lost, water usage is reduced considerably. Usually, showers, washers, dishwashers, etc. are not used when the power is out, thus extending the time it takes to fill the grinder tank.

In the event of an extended time period without power, Brunswick County has the ability to use vacuum excavation trucks to empty the grinder tank. In the case of a significant storm event requiring mandatory evacuation, it is expected that water usage will be minimal.

If you use a generator capable of running high water usage appliances, it is recommended that you also power the breaker(s) to your grinder pump stations. If the generator is capable and wired to energize the entire house, then the grinder pump will work as normal.

This is very unlikely. Typically, Brunswick County grinder pumps are part of a low-pressure system designed to have other similar-sized grinder pumps connected to the system. It is rare that a pump is not capable of pumping due to high pressure in a low-pressure collection system. However, if this occurs, as pumps turn off in the system upon emptying their basins, any pumps that are "dead heading" will eventually begin to pump down.

Residential and Business customers may use reclaimed water for landscape irrigation, especially in irrigation systems designed or converted to comply with Reclaimed water irrigation requirements. Reclaimed water can also be used for a limited number of other purposes like:

• Cooling tower and boiler blow-down water
• Decorative ponds and fountains that do not have a drain to surface waters, storm drains, or catch basins. These must display permanent weatherproof signage
• Directional boring
• Dust control for street sweeping
• General construction purposes such as soil compaction, dust control, and asphalt reclamation
• Pesticide application
• Pressure washing
• Roadway pre-treatment
• Toilet flushing
• Vehicle washing

• Connection of a reclaimed water hose to any part of your house plumbing
• Drinking
• Excessive watering
• Irrigation during inclement weather
• Runoff from irrigated areas to run into the street, ditches, or streams
• Water to form ponds or pools

Yes. Voters in the act of voting may wear political attire when in the act of voting. Once the act of voting is complete voters should exit the polling place immediately and remain outside the buffer zone.

The buffer zone is an area surrounding the entrance to the polling place inside which electioneering and loitering may not occur. The buffer zone is set anywhere from 25-50 feet surrounding the entrance and will be clearly marked at each polling place.

In any election, if any voter is able to travel to the voting place, but because of age or physical disability and physical barriers encountered at the voting place is unable to enter the voting enclosure to vote in person without physical assistance, that voter will be allowed to vote in the vehicle conveying that voter.

Curbside voting is available at all voting sites during the one-stop absentee voting period and on election day. Voting sites will have signage indicating curbside voting and will also have a curbside alert system. An election official will come to the vehicle to obtain the voter's name and address. Before a ballot is issued to a curbside voter, the voter must swear an oath affirming his or her qualification to use curbside voting.

The same rules apply to both the driver and passengers. All persons wishing to vote curbside must sign an affidavit stating they cannot enter the polling place due to age or physical disability.

North Carolina law allows for any voter to receive assistance in entering or exiting a voting booth as well as preparing a ballot, as long as the person providing assistance is a member of the voter's immediate family. NC law defines an immediate family member as one of the following: spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, child, grandchild, mother- or father-in-law, son- or daughter-in-law, stepparent or stepchild.

The law further stipulates that some voters can receive aid from a wider range of helpers. If a voter satisfies any of the conditions below, they are eligible to receive help from any person of their choice, with the exception of the voter's employer or union representative, or an agent thereof. Those are:

• a voter who, on account of physical disability, is unable to enter the voting booth without assistance
• a voter who, on account of physical disability, is unable to mark a ballot without assistance
• a voter who, on account of illiteracy, is unable to mark a ballot without assistance
• a voter who, on account of blindness, is unable to enter the voting booth or mark a ballot without assistance

Any voter who qualifies for and requests assistance while voting at a One-Stop (early) voting site is entitled to the same assistance as voters who vote on Election Day.

A provisional ballot is offered to voters when there are questions about:

• a voter's qualification to vote,
• the voter's eligibility to vote in a given election, or
• the voter's eligibility to vote a specific ballot style

Provisional voting is a mechanism by which a citizen is guaranteed the opportunity to cast a ballot in the event that such questions have been raised. In that case, the citizen is permitted to cast a provisional ballot, which is held aside pending research into the issue to be resolved. Findings are presented to the county board members, who make final determinations. Election results are not finalized until all provisional ballots that are eligible have been included in the total count.

Provisional voting is fail-safe voting. State law mandates that each person who presents to vote be given that opportunity, whether by regular or provisional ballot. In no circumstance will a voter be turned away.

Find information about campaign finance, including the most recent version of the Campaign Finance Manual, on the NC State Board of Elections website: General Candidate Requirements | NCSBE (link).

Within 10 days of one of the following (whichever occurs first):

1. Receiving money or anything of value in support of the campaign
2. Spending money in support of the campaign
3. Giving consent for anyone else to receive money or spend money for the purpose of bringing about that individual's nomination or election for office
4. Filing a notice of candidacy
5. Filing a Statement of Organization

• The candidate may appoint themselves or any individual who is a resident of North Carolina, apart from the candidate's spouse, to serve as treasurer for the committee. 
• Treasurers are responsible for maintaining all financial records of the committee, timely filing of reports, and ensuring the committee follows the campaign finance laws. 
• The treasurer is responsible for setting up the committee and notifying the Board of Elections when changes occur. 
• The treasurer should keep track of all committee transactions and keep records current within 7 days.
• Treasurers are required receive mandatory compliance training from the State Board of Elections within three months of appointment, and once every four years thereafter.

Yes. All candidates are required to open a committee. 

• Anything you purchase with personal funds for the campaign will count toward the $1,000 reporting threshold and must be tracked.
• FOR CANDIDATE COMMITTEES ONLY – If a candidate committee will not raise any money nor spend any money other than the candidate’s personal funds they do not need to provide bank account information.

The full list of rules can be found in the Campaign Finance Manual (PDF).

Contributions LESS THAN $50

• May be made in cash. 
• The committee must collect the name and complete mailing address of the contributor. 

Contributions GREATER THAN $50

• Must be in the form of a check, credit card charge, draft, money order, debit or other method subject to written verification.
• Must specifically designate the intended contributee chosen by the contributor. 
• In addition to the name and address, the committee must collect the (1) the job title or profession of the contributor; and (2) the contributor’s employer’s name or employer’s specific field of business activity. 

A candidate committee cannot accept contributions from the following sources:

• Corporations
• Business Entities
• Labor Unions
• Professional Associations
• Insurance Companies

A candidate committee cannot accept more than $5,600 from an individual or a political committee in a primary or general election.

Exceptions:  A candidate, the candidate's spouse, and state, district or county political party executive committees may make unlimited contributions.

Anonymous contributions are prohibited

Contributions made in the name of another are prohibited.

Yes. All committees must keep accurate records of contributions and expenditures regardless of whether the committee filed over or under the $1,000 threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, full disclosure of activity will be required.  Be mindful that money spent from your personal funds count toward the threshold and must be tracked.

No. It is required that campaign funds be maintained in a bank account that is used exclusively by the political committee. Many banks will require that you obtain an EIN number from the IRS to open the account. EIN numbers can be obtained by going to the IRS website or calling 800-829-4933.

• An in-kind contribution is anything of value that is given to a committee that is not money.  For example, an individual or other committee may contribute cups and napkins to a committee for an event. The fair market value of those items is recorded as the amount of the contribution. 
• In-kind contributions count toward contribution limitations and must be reported.  
• Another common in-kind contribution is a candidate's filing fee.  If the filing fee is paid with personal funds, it is an in-kind contribution.
• Reporting in-kind contributions can be tricky for some committees.  The in-kind donation is recorded twice - once as a contribution, and once as a disbursement.  

If a candidate purchases $400 in signs for the committee using personal funds, that amount would be recorded on two separate forms.

1. Contributions from Individuals form (CRO-1210)
2. In-Kind Contribution form (CRO-1510)

The reasoning behind reporting the amount as both a contribution and a disbursement is to recognize the value of the transaction even though funds did not flow through the bank.  

Yes. Anonymous contributions are prohibited. If you hold a fundraiser and sell hot dog plates for $5 and drinks for $1, you must have the name and address of each person who buys a plate or a drink and keep track of how much money they give.

Extensive state-mandated logic and accuracy testing is performed before each election to verify the integrity of installed software and to ensure that the system is recording votes correctly. Additionally, the system uses paper ballots. Every voter uses the scanning machine to cast a paper ballot, regardless of whether the voter hand-marks the ballot or prints it from the ballot marking device. That original paper ballot is retained throughout the process and remains the official record of the vote.

Your vote is not officially cast until after you see the "Your vote has been recorded" screen on the scanner after inserting your ballot. At that point, it is no longer possible for you to make any changes. However, if you change your mind before you cast your ballot, you can change your selections. When using the ballot marking device, a ballot review screen appears before you print your ballot. This screen lists all the choices you have made and lets you know if you missed voting in any race. From this screen, you can return to any contest on the ballot and change your selections, if you wish. If you want to change your ballot selections after you have hand-marked or printed your ballot, you can ask a poll worker to "spoil" the ballot and issue you a new ballot up to three times.

It is your decision and right to choose not to vote in any race. If you are hand-marking the ballot, simply skip the race(s) you do not wish to vote in. If you are using the ballot marking device, just select the Next button to move forward past any race you want to skip.

If you are hand-marking your ballot and mark more than the permitted number of votes in a race, the scanning machine returns your ballot, and the touchscreen displays a message indicating any races that have too many choices marked. You may request a new ballot to mark, or touch "Cast the ballot as is." If you choose "Cast the ballot as is," your vote will not count in that race. If you are using the ballot marking device, the system does not allow you to select more than the permitted number of votes in a race. The touchscreen displays an error message and prompts you to select only the permitted number.

After you insert the ballot into the scanning machine and the ballot is scanned, you will see the "Your vote has been recorded" screen, and an audible chime sounds. This lets you know your vote has been cast and counted.

No, your vote cannot be lost once you have scanned the ballot with the scanning machine and you see the "Your vote has been recorded" screen. Your vote is stored in three separate places, and all data is protected and cannot be lost in the unlikely event that the system fails. In addition, both the voting device and the scanning machine have built-in power back-up systems, so they will still function even if the main power supply fails.

Yes. Every voter uses the scanning machine to cast a paper ballot, regardless of whether the voter hand-marks the ballot or prints it from the ballot marking device. That original paper ballot is retained throughout the process and remains the official record of the vote.

There are several ways an existing voter can make changes to their voter registration record.

• Address and party changes may be made online through the DMV.
• Make changes on your voter registration card and mail it back to our office.
• Complete a Voter Registration Application (PDF) and return it by mail, email, or fax.

If a resident has lived in Brunswick County for 30 days prior to the election and misses the voter registration deadline, they may go to any early voting site to register and vote the same day. The individual will be required to provide acceptable proof of residence before they can become registered. The Notice to Same Day Registrants (PDF) provides more details, including a list of acceptable proof of residence documents. Same-day registration is only available during one-stop early voting; it is not available on election day.

To remove your own registration, use the Voter Registration Cancellation Form (PDF).

To remove a voter due to death, please download and complete the Notification of Deceased Voter Form (PDF). This form may only be completed by a near relative or personal representative of the deceased voter's estate.

Either of these forms can be returned to our office via mail, faxed to 910-253-2618, or by email to the Board of Elections.

Pursuant to N.C.G.S. section 163-82.10 and Chapter 132 of the General Statutes, the State Board of Elections is required to make most voter information available to the public. All voter registration information is public record except for full or partial social security numbers, dates of birth, driver's license numbers, the identity of the public agency at which the voter registered under N.C.G.S. section 163-82.20, and the email address of a military-overseas voter. Additionally, your signature may only be viewed by the public and cannot be copied or traced.

Note: Third parties often access and use publicly available voter registration data for various purposes, and the agency has no authority to control their use of publicly available information.

According to N.C.G.S. section 163-82.10(e), a voter's address will be kept confidential if a registered voter submits to the county board of elections either 1) a copy of a 50B protective order; 2) a restraining order; or 3) a current and valid Address Confidentiality Program authorization card issued according to the provisions of Chapter 15C of the General Statutes, along with a signed statement that the voter has good reason to believe that the physical safety of the voter or a member of the voter's family residing with the voter would be jeopardized if the voter's address was open to public inspection. To find out whether you are eligible to have your information withheld from the public under the Address Confidentiality program, please visit Address Confidentiality, NCDOJ.

In North Carolina, many laws and processes work together to ensure that only qualified U.S. citizens cast ballots in elections. They include the following:

• The first question on the N.C. voter registration application, as required by state and federal laws, includes the following language: “Are you a citizen of the United States of America? If you checked ‘No’ in response to this citizenship question, do not submit this form. You are not qualified to vote.”
• Individuals registering to vote must sign the application, under penalty of perjury, that they are U.S. citizens. The language above the signature box states: “Fraudulently or falsely completing this form is a Class I felony under Chapter 163 of the N.C. General Statutes.”
• Most N.C. voters register either in-person at NCDMV offices when they apply for other services or through the NCDMV’s online voter registration application. Every first-time NCDMV customer is asked whether they are a U.S. citizen. If they answer “No,” they are not offered voter registration services at the end of the transaction. To use the online voter registration service, an individual must first enter their driver’s license or DMV-issued ID card number, Social Security number and date of birth. Only individuals who have been vetted previously in an NCDMV office can register or update their registration online.
• A new state law, which took effect July 1, 2024, requires clerks of superior court across the state to provide lists of voters who request to be excused from jury duty because they claimed they were not U.S. citizens. The State Board then compares those names with the voter rolls to determine whether any of those individuals are registered to vote. In August, court clerks provided the first set of data to the State Board, which matched them with the voter rolls. Nine individuals matched statewide. If a check of state and federal databases does not show any of those nine individuals have obtained citizenship, the State Board will send them letters informing the registrants of the agency’s findings and invite them, if not U.S. citizens, to cancel their registrations to comply with the law. See page 26 of the North Carolina Voter Registration List Maintenance Guide (PDF) for more information on this effort.
• Specifically, Certain acts declared felonies (N.C.G.S. § 163-275(13)) makes it a felony to register to vote or vote if a person is not a U.S. citizen.
• Section 1 of the application instructions accompanying the N.C. voter registration application includes language specifying that the applicant “must be a citizen of the United States.” The voter registration application and instructions are available in English and Spanish.
• Every voter, whether they vote in person or mail an absentee ballot, must sign an application to vote on which they certify that they are U.S. citizens. Fraudulently or falsely completing that application is a Class I felony.
• Each voting site must include posters in English and Spanish that include the language: “By signing your voter form today, you certify: You are a U.S. citizen. Non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents (‘green card’ holders), are not eligible to vote.”
• Any registered voter of a county may challenge the right of any person to register in the same county if that person has a valid basis to believe the registrant is not a U.S. citizen. Please see the Voter Challenge Procedures Guide (PDF) for additional information.
• The State Board of Elections’ website, ncsbe.gov, which can be translated into 15 languages other than English using the “Select Language” button on the website, contains information about voting eligibility in multiple places.

As for voter registration processes, here’s a VR application: NC Voter Registration Application in English (fillable PDF). You will see that registrants must provide their date of birth and their driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. These numbers are validated against data from the Division of Motor Vehicles and/or the Social Security Administration.

There is no comprehensive, accurate, or up-to-date database of U.S. citizens that election administrators could use for verification purposes. However, if election officials learn that a non-U.S. citizen registers and/or votes in an election, the Investigations Division of the State Board of Elections will investigate. If warranted by the evidence, the State Board will forward that investigation to prosecutors for review and possible prosecution at the prosecutor’s discretion. Typically, there are very few, if any, cases of noncitizen registration or voting referred for prosecution statewide each year, which demonstrates how infrequent it is for noncitizens to register or vote.

Once sample ballots are available for an election, you can find yours by looking up your voter record. You can also obtain a copy of your sample ballot on our website or by calling our office and asking that we mail one to you. You may mark your sample ballot ahead of time and carry it into the voting booth with you.

The Board of Elections provides a list of filed candidates along with campaign finance information. Please note that our office does not compile additional information about these candidates.  To learn more, you can:

• Check your sample ballot in your voter record to identify candidates on your ballot. 
• Explore alternative sources such as internet searches, social media, local media outlets, and political parties for more insights.

To be eligible to vote in a municipal election, the voter must live in that municipality for at least 30 days before Election Day.

Section 2 of the NC Constitution provides that you must reside in an election district for 30 days preceding an election to be entitled to vote. Because those in unincorporated areas do not reside in a municipal district, they are not eligible to vote in that district.

Yes. Unaffiliated voters in North Carolina may vote in primary elections. Unaffiliated voters may choose to participate in any recognized party's partisan primary, or they may request a non-partisan ballot. However, the voter must choose only one party's primary. Participating in a partisan primary will not affect your status as an unaffiliated voter. The partisan choice does carry over to a second primary if one is called. If you request a non-partisan ballot, you will only vote for those contests that are non-partisan (i.e. judicial contests, referenda, etc.).

Party affiliation only determines what you see on your ballot in a primary election.

Absentee voting is initiated by a request for the ballot. In North Carolina, a voter is not automatically sent a ballot in the mail, it must be requested. Thus, in NC we have absentee voting. Alternatively, vote by mail is a term typically used to describe a system in which all registered voters receive a ballot in the mail.

A provisional ballot is offered to voters when there are questions about:

• a voter's qualification to vote,
• the voter's eligibility to vote in a given election, or
• the voter's eligibility to vote a specific ballot style.

Provisional voting is a mechanism by which a citizen is guaranteed the opportunity to cast a ballot in the event that such questions have been raised. In that case, the citizen is permitted to cast a provisional ballot, which is held aside pending research into the issue to be resolved. Findings are presented to the county board members, who make final determinations. Election results are not finalized until all provisional ballots that are eligible have been included in the total count.

Provisional voting is fail-safe voting. State law mandates that each person who presents to vote be given that opportunity, whether by regular or provisional ballot. In no circumstance will a voter be turned away.

No. Any registered voter in North Carolina may vote an absentee ballot by mail by submitting a North Carolina Absentee Request Form (PDF) or submitting a request via the online absentee ballot request portal.

No, a new absentee ballot request must be submitted for each election.  The law does allow for annual absentee ballot requests only if there is a sickness or physical disability.

Yes. The law allows a near relative or legal guardian to request a ballot for you. A near relative is defined as a spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild. Any person may request an absentee ballot for a voter who needs assistance due to a disability.

When requesting a ballot for another voter that will not be mailed to their residential address, the address must be entered in the ‘Other’ address line. Only the voter is allowed to change their residential and/or mailing address.

A wet ink signature is not required for an absentee ballot request. However, the signature must be unique to the voter and must be readable. Voters may use a pen, or their finger, stylus, or mouse for the signature if they have the capability. Voters may not use a service such as DocuSign that inserts a typed or cursive font signature that is not made by the voter.

No, photo ID is not needed for you to request a ballot.  

You will be required to provide a copy of an eligible photo ID with your voted ballot, or if you are unable to provide a copy of a photo ID, complete and return the Photo ID Exception form which comes inside your ballot packet.

Organizations may send blank absentee request forms.  These forms are likely valid forms if they do not have any pre-filled information. If you receive an absentee ballot request form that you did not request and you do not want to vote an absentee ballot, you can simply recycle the unsolicited mail.

The form may be returned by the voter, the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, a Multipartisan Assistance Team, or if the voter needs assistance due to a disability, any person may return the request form, according to the voter's instruction:

• In-person to the county board of elections (75 Stamp Act Dr NE, Building H, Bolivia, NC, 28422)
• By U.S. Postal Service (P.O. Box 2, Bolivia, NC, 28422)
• DHL, FedEx, or UPS (75 Stamp Act Drive NE, Building H, Bolivia, NC, 28422)
• The State Board of Elections has an online absentee ballot request portal that registered voters can use to request a ballot

By law, the ballot must be mailed.

Any registered voter may request assistance from a Multipartisan Assistance Team (MAT). A MAT is a group appointed by a county board of elections to assist voters in facilities with mail-in absentee voting. Complete this form to request a Multipartisan Assistance Team visit to your facility.

A voter who needs assistance due to a disability and is a patient or resident in a covered facility may receive assistance from any person they choose, including the staff of the hospital, clinic, nursing home, or rest home where they are a patient or resident.

Yes. You may still vote in person as long as you did not return your absentee ballot. Your absentee ballot will be spoiled after you vote in person.  The unused absentee ballot should be torn in half and recycled.  It does not need to be returned to the board of elections.

No. The returned ballot envelope is specific to each voter and must contain that voter’s ballot.

You may only return someone's ballot if they are a near relative. A near relative is defined as your spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, or legal guardian. Any person may return the ballot, according to the voter's instruction, if they need assistance due to a disability.

A Brunswick County absentee ballot can be returned in person to the board of elections office or to an in-person early voting location by the voter or the voter's near relative. Any person may return the ballot, according to the voter’s instruction, if they need assistance due to a disability.

When a ballot is delivered in person, it must be logged by an election official. 

On Election Day, ballots may only be hand-delivered to the board of elections office.  The ballot must be received by 7:30 pm on election day.

No, you do not have to wait in line. Inform a precinct official that you are there to return an absentee ballot and they will escort you to the Help Desk.

Postage for the return ballot is $1.90 (current as of October 2025).

County Boards of Elections will contact voters when there are deficiencies with their absentee ballot. You should provide your phone number or email address on the request form in case the county board needs to contact you. 

We encourage voters to carefully read and follow the instructions that come with the ballot. We also encourage voters to request and return their absentee ballot as early as possible to ensure time remains to correct any issues. If an issue arises and you are unable to successfully cast an absentee ballot, you may still vote during the in-person early voting period or on Election Day.

If someone has voted an absentee ballot and then shows up to vote in person, the check-in system will alert the poll worker that the person has already voted.

The record of an absentee ballot request, as well as the actual absentee ballot, are attached to the voter's record. If a voter submits multiple absentee ballot request forms, they will still only receive one ballot because both requests are attached to a single voter record. Once a voted absentee ballot is returned, it is recorded on the voter's record. The record of a returned ballot is reflected on the poll book at one-stop early voting locations as well as on election day. If a voter appears that has already cast an absentee ballot, their record will indicate such, and the voter will not be issued a regular ballot.  

Trained county board staff review each executed container-return envelope the office receives to determine if there are any deficiencies. The initial review is conducted by staff to expedite the processing of the envelopes.

If the required fields (voter signature, witness signature/address or notary information) are completed on the envelope, and a valid photocopy of the voter’s photo ID or a completed photo ID exception form is returned, the ballot is tentatively accepted and held until the next board meeting when the board will officially approve the ballot. The ballot container-return envelopes are then opened, and the ballots are scanned into a tabulator. Once scanned, the ballots are sealed in locked security bins. The results from the scanned ballots are not known until the scanner is closed on election day. Ballots are secret by law and others will not know who you voted for.

No. Once your voted ballot has been accepted by the board of elections, you may not change or cancel your ballot.

The HCVP is the federal program for assisting very low-income households to afford decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing in the private rental market. Since this housing assistance is tenant-based, families choose their housing. Participants in the HCVP pay approximately 30% of their gross income to their landlords and Brunswick County Public Housing Authority (BCPHA) pays the balance directly to the landlord.

Due to high demand, the HCVP wait list is usually closed. When most of the names on the waiting list have been utilized, BCPHA opens the waiting list to the public through a lottery.

The lottery is conducted online, with lottery entries only accepted for a limited period through the BCPHA HCVP lottery website.

After the period during which lottery entries are accepted, a random computer draw will take place from among all the entries. The lottery entries chosen in this random computer draw will be placed on the waiting list in the order in which they are drawn. Duplicate entries are eliminated, so no one has more than one chance of being selected. Each household member aged 18 or older may submit an entry.

No. The order in which entries are received will not affect your chance of being selected for the waiting list or your placement on it. Every completed entry submitted according to the website's instructions will be entered into the lottery. Selection will be based on a random computerized drawing, so all applicants have an equal chance of being selected for the list.

Any computer with internet access can be used, whether it belongs to a relative, friend or caseworker. You can also use any available computer at public locations such as public libraries. 

If you do not have access to a computer, you can pick up a paper application in the lobby of the Brunswick County Social Services Building (Building B), or you can call and ask for an application to be mailed to you. All paper applications need to be received by our office no later than 5 p.m. on March 25, 2024. 

To be eligible, households must meet the following criteria:

• Must not exceed current very low-income limits.
• Household members 18 years old and over must clear a criminal background check. Any drug-related or violent criminal activity in the past three years could make you ineligible.
• Must not owe a debt to BCPHA or any other housing authority.
• Must not have any previous terminations within the past three years from any HUD-assisted housing such as Section 8 or Public Housing.

Lottery entrants will need to provide their date of birth, social security number, address, and general income information on the entry forms. It will also be helpful to include the date of birth, social security numbers, and income information for other household members.

Approximately 5-15 minutes, depending on the number of family members in the household.

No. Placement on the waiting list does not guarantee that you will receive a voucher. As vouchers become available, names will be taken from the top of the waiting list and interviews will be scheduled to determine if the applicant is eligible for the HCVP. Once qualified, those households will receive a voucher.

Yes. A single person is considered a family.

Yes. You can be employed and still qualify. Also, you do not have to be employed to qualify but income is required.

Yes, however depending on the date of termination and the reason for termination, you may be ineligible to receive assistance.

Yes. Residency in Brunswick County is not required for entry in the lottery or eligibility for the HCVP. However, those who are not residents of Brunswick County must lease a unit in Brunswick County for the first year they are in the program.

After the lottery closes, a random computer draw will select 250 entries to place on the waiting list.

The BCPHA HCVP will send letters to all the selected entrants advising them that their names have been placed on the waiting list.

If your entry is not picked in the lottery, your name will not be placed on the waiting list. You are welcome to enter the next lottery. 

It is impossible to estimate the length of time it will take for an applicant on the waiting list to be called in for qualification.

Wastewater discharges (spills) can happen for a variety of reasons. Severe weather, extreme rain, flash flooding, tropical storms, and hurricanes can all cause unpredictable flow into wastewater treatment plants, which can cause issues regardless of a plant’s total capacity. Normal wear and tear on pieces or equipment or in a wastewater (sewer) main can sometimes cause spills. Accidents can also occur where an outside agency or individual inadvertently hits a wastewater line, causing a discharge. Moreover, wastewater facilities are simply not designed for the total incoming water from a tropical storm event, and it would be incredibly unaffordable to do so.

Brunswick County has staff and maintenance crews on call to assist with spills and remediation at any time and 24/7 monitoring systems at all its plants to help detect issues. Brunswick County issues public notices in compliance with NC DEQ requirements for discharges that include the amount and estimated cause of the spill, as well as the work being done to fix the issue.

Brunswick County has several capital projects planned or being constructed to expand wastewater capacity at our wastewater plants to accommodate or anticipate growth, including the expansion projects listed below.

Brunswick County has also dedicated significant time and resources to updating its 20-Year Wastewater (Sewer) and Water Master Plans to continue to plan for future anticipated growth and strengthen our utilities systems. These plans, along with the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan, which is updated annually as part of the budget process, help identify our utilities systems’ needs in relation to 
 population growth.

Brunswick County Wastewater Plant Expansion Projects

MGD = million gallons per day 

• West Brunswick Regional Water Reclamation Facility: 3 MGD expansion for a total of 9 MGD
• Shallotte/Mulberry Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant: 1.5 MGD expansion for a total of 2.75 MGD
• Northeast Brunswick Regional Water Reclamation Facility: 3.75 MGD expansion for a total of 8.725 MGD
• Mulberry Branch Water Reclamation Plant: Increase Shallotte Wastewater Treatment Plant’s capacity to accept 0.75 MGD of sewage flow from Southport into the West Brunswick Regional Wastewater System
• Ocean Isle Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant: 2 MGD expansion for a total of 3.05 MGD

Yes. Developers pay System Development Fees (SDF), which are one-time fees for new permitted developments joining either or both of the County’s utilities systems. These fees help cover the costs associated with increasing Brunswick County’s treatment and transmission system capacity to accommodate the projected growth and additional demands on the system. Additionally, developers are responsible for installing the water distribution piping and sewer collections systems to serve their development projects.

The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners recently approved an increase to the County’s water and wastewater system development fees as part of the current Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The Board approved an increase to 90% of the maximum impact for these fees incrementally by July 2025 as identified in the most recent SDF analysis report. These fee changes will support the systems’ needs attributed to population growth as outlined and supported in the 20-year Water and Wastewater Master Plans and the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan.

Brunswick County System Development Fees Outline and 3-Bedroom Home Example

State law provides little to no ability for local governments to issue temporary moratoria on development projects within their jurisdiction.

Local governments are barred from adopting temporary moratoria for the purpose of developing and adopting new or amended plans or development regulations that govern residential development projects. This aspect of state law is important to keep in mind whenever the County receives questions or suggestions to put a moratorium on residential development due to reasons like amending the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) or writing or updating plans.

Also keep in mind that every development project submitted to Brunswick County must undergo a thorough review process through the Planning Department and Technical Review Committee to address several areas such as impacts to infrastructure and the water and wastewater systems before it goes before the Planning Board for consideration.

Brunswick County already has several projects under construction or planned in the near future to expand capacity at our wastewater treatment plants. Many of these utility projects will be completed before several of the development projects that come before the Planning Board even break ground, ensuring that capacity will be available for both our current customers and these new customers well beforehand. Brunswick County also has also dedicated significant time and resources to updating its 20-Year Wastewater (Sewer) and Water Master Plans and 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan to continue to plan for future anticipated growth and strengthen our utilities systems.

Lead is a naturally-occurring element that can appear in trace amounts through the environment. However, lead can leach into drinking water through plumbing materials and fixtures that contain lead. In Brunswick County, it was never practice to use lead material in service lines, but it was not formally banned until 1986. For homes without lead service lines, the most common source of lead in drinking water comes from plumbing that has lead solder or faucets that are chrome-plated.

In 2021, Congress passed the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) that aims for all water systems in the country to identify and maintain an inventory of the drinking water service line materials by October 24, 2024. The LCRR also identifies reporting needs to customers impacted by a lead service line and sampling criteria within water systems.

In 2024, the EPA published a version of the updated Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). The LCRI maintains most of the requirements under the LCRR, with some changes such as lowering the lead action level and improving tap sampling requirements. Brunswick County Public Utilities is preemptively following the standards set forth in the LCRI, in regards to sampling protocols and inventory verification prior to the finalized 2027 deadlines.

Brunswick County has been accepted by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) as a non-lead system. This means, by historical data, physical inspections, and the standards of the lead and copper rule, that all of the service lines in the BCPU system are made of a non-lead material. This most commonly means plastic, galvanized iron, or copper pipe.

The interactive map helps you quickly determine the status of your home or business in the Brunswick County Public Utilities' inventory. Most homes are either 'non-lead' or 'determined non-lead by statistical analysis'.

If your home is non-lead, that means it was determined to be a non-lead material by either physical inspection by the County or age of construction.

If your home is non-lead by statistical analysis, that means that it is most likely (less than 1% chance) non-lead service line materials based on statistical calculations due to the non-lead status of other lines in the area.

You can check your service line at the water meter or where the line enters the home, commonly in a crawl space. The most commonly used plumbing material in Brunswick County is plastic, which is commonly white, black, or blue pipe. Copper pipe is the color of a penny, though if in the ground it can oxidize and turn a green-blue color on the outside. Lead and galvanized pipe look similar, but can be distinguished by scratching the metal or using a magnet. Lead will easily scratch and will NOT be magnetized, whereas galvanized will typically react to a strong magnet. Galvanized pipe is also susceptible to rust, whereas lead is not.

Service lines that are galvanized steel or iron were coated in zinc to prevent corrosion. These lines are typically found in homes from the 1960s-1970s before it was common practice to utilize plastic piping. Since Brunswick County Public Utilities is a non-lead system, the galvanized lines do not require replacement under the current EPA lead and copper rule. However, we recommend replacing outdated galvanized lines as good practice.

Not necessarily, though all service lines in BCPU's system are non-lead. Lead can enter drinking water through sources other than the service line. If you have chrome-plated faucets, interior plumbing made of lead materials, or a lead connector in the line on the property, you have a risk of lead contamination in your drinking water.

No. If you think your home's drinking water is at risk of lead exposure, boiling water does NOT remove lead. Water pitcher filters with activated carbon cartridges are a good method to filtering out lead contamination.

In accordance with EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, BCPU will be sampling a subset of customer's homes matching EPA-preferred sampling criteria. During our sampling period, we will reach out to customers who may fit the following criteria:

• Single-family homes with copper pipes with lead solder constructed between 1983-1988
• Multi-family homes (apartments and condos) with copper pipes with lead solder constructed between 1983-1988
• Single- or multi-family homes with copper pipes constructed before 1983

Your pipes are at risk of freezing any time temperatures drop below 32°F or 0°C.  You can prevent burst water pipes and costly repairs in your home by following these tips:

• Insulate pipes in unheated areas of your home and crawl spaces.
• Seal any gaps and cracks in your home’s exterior (such as crawl spaces) to prevent cold drafts from reaching your pipes.
• Disconnect water hoses from outdoor spigots. 
• Open doors to cabinets below sinks to help warmer air circulate around plumbing at night. It is also recommended to let a small amount of water drip from faucets to help keep water moving in the pipes to prevent freezing or to help during the thawing process to relieve stress on the pipes. 
• Towels soaked in warm water can be used to help the thawing process of any frozen spots. Use caution as to not create other slip or trip hazards and damage to the home.
• Always be aware of the main water shut-off valve location for your home in case you should experience a burst pipe and need to turn off your water. 
• If you do not know the location of your main water shut-off valve or do not have a shut-off valve, keep the Brunswick County Public Utilities numbers (or your local water provider) close by in case the water needs to be turned off at the meter due to a burst pipe.

If your water lines do freeze, please be careful when thawing the lines.

• Do not apply excessive heat which may damage pipes or cause a fire.
• Avoid using heating devices with open flames.
• Electric heaters and heat tape should be powered through a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) in case the device comes into contact with standing or spraying water.

Contact Brunswick County Public Utilities (or your local water provider) if you need assistance.

If you have backflow devices and irrigations systems, you can protect them from freezing and prevent costly repairs by following these tips:

• Turn off irrigation systems to avoid creating icy sidewalks and driveways. If you must irrigate your lawn, it is best to do so when temperatures are above freezing.
• Exposed backflow assemblies for irrigation systems should be drained and removed.  
• Inspect the backflow assembly covers for cracks, holes, and splits. Make sure that the cover fits securely to the ground to prevent air infiltration.   
• If you do not or cannot remove the backflow assembly, drain the assembly of all water for the winter. Irrigation systems should be turned off at the shut-off valve and lines drained. Open the test cocks and shut-off valves on the assembly to discharge any water, leaving the valves open 1/8th of a turn. Fully closed or fully open valves will trap water behind the ball in the valve which could lead to freezing and damage to the valve.  
• Wrap old blankets or beach towels around the assembly for added protection during peak cold temperatures. 
• Exposed water lines to fixtures, such as outside showers, should be isolated and drained. Pour a small amount of RV/Marine antifreeze (Prestone, Peak, or equivalent) into drains/toilets that may be subject to freezing. Do not use standard automotive antifreeze/coolant.
• Know the location for the main irrigation shut-off valve and keep the Brunswick County Public Utilities phone numbers (or your local water provider) on hand in case of any burst irrigation lines.

The Brunswick County Solid Waste and Recycling Division hosts two Free Cleanup Week events a year, typically the third full week in April and September. The Landfill is located at 172 Landfill Rd NE, Bolivia, NC 28422 and is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information about Brunswick County Free Cleanup Week, visit brunswickcountync.gov/Free-Cleanup-Week.

Free Cleanup Week participants must show proof of Brunswick County property ownership or residency. Brunswick County recognizes the following documents as proof of property ownership or residency for Free Cleanup Week events. Documents must contain your name and Brunswick County address.

• North Carolina driver’s license
• State ID from the NCDMV
• North Carolina Vehicle Registration Card, insurance policy, or title
• North Carolina Voter Precinct Card
• Utility bill or cable bill
• Housing lease or contract, mortgage statement, property or income tax statement
• Preprinted financial statement
• School records
• Letter from homeless shelter

Individuals can dispose of the following items at the Brunswick County Landfill free of charge during Free Cleanup Week events. All items must be disposed of in their designated areas at the Landfill.

• Brown Goods (Large items such as old furniture and mattresses.)
  • Note: The normal tip fee for Brown Goods will apply outside of Free Cleanup Week.
• Clean Concrete, Brick, and Soil
  • Note: The normal tip fee for Land Clearing and Inert Debris will apply if the concrete contains rebar and/or any metal.
• Electronics (Electronics must be complete and not broken into pieces.)
• Fluorescent and CFL Bulbs
• Gasoline
• Household Batteries
• Latex Paint (Self-poured. Can opener not provided.)
• Lead Acid Batteries (e.g. automobile batteries)
• Oil Filters
• Oyster Shells
• Smoke Detectors
• Textiles (e.g. rugs, clothing, and shoes)
• Tires (Individual residents can drop off as many as 5 tires at a time.)
• Used Antifreeze
• Used Cooking Oil
• Used Oil
• White Goods and Scrap Metal (Household appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, water heaters, washing machines, and dryers. Appliances must be completely empty of food.)
• Yard Debris (Leaves, twigs, branches, clean soil, grass, and untreated wood.)
  • Note: The normal tip fees for yard debris will apply outside of Free Cleanup Week.

Dead animals are accepted at the Brunswick County Landfill; however, staff do not assist with the disposal.

You can learn more about dead animal removal in Brunswick County on the Brunswick County Animal Protective Services website. You can also find wildlife-related information on the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission website.

Contact local fire departments for questions about ongoing or recent fire incidents in their service areas.

To report a nuisance as defined in the Brunswick County Solid Waste Ordinance, contact Brunswick County Community Enforcement using the online report form.

In addition, open burning complaints should be submitted to the North Carolina Division of Air Quality (DAQ) Wilmington Regional Office. Learn more about open burning regulations on the North Carolina DAQ website.

Contact the N.C. Forest Service – Brunswick County Ranger at 910.755.7772 or via email.

For questions or information regarding air quality concerns and regulations, contact the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ)'s Wilmington Regional Office at 910.796.7215 or contact the Division of Air Quality (DAQ)'s Wilmington Regional Office at 910.796.7234.

An open burning permit can be obtained online through the North Carolina Forest Service Online Burning Permit System. To contact the N.C. Forest Service Brunswick County Office or find additional contacts, visit the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website.

Permit holders are encouraged to contact the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 910-253-7490 and let them know you have obtained an N.C Forest Service burn permit and will be burning.

If the property needing a fire inspection is within the unincorporated areas of the county (areas not in incorporated city, town, or village limits), or within a contracted municipality (Belville, Bolivia, Carolina Shores, Caswell Beach, Navassa, Northwest, Sandy Creek, Shallotte, St. James, and Varnamtown), contact the Brunswick County Fire Marshal’s Office using the Online Contact Form.

If the property needing a fire inspection is within a municipality that performs its own inspections (Bald Head Island, Boiling Spring Lakes, Calabash, Holden Beach, Leland, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Southport, and Sunset Beach), contact your local municipal official regarding fire inspections and regulations within the incorporated city, town, or village limits.

The North Carolina Forest Service requires a permit for all burning outside of 100 feet from an occupied dwelling. An open burning permit can be obtained online through the North Carolina Forest Service website. Permit holders are encouraged to contact the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 910-253-7490 and let them know you have obtained an N.C Forest Service burn permit and will be burning.

To contact the N.C. Forest Service Brunswick County Office or find additional contacts, visit the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website.

The Brunswick County Fire Marshal's Office does not issue open burning permits.

The Brunswick County Fire Marshal's Office does not require a burn permit for open burning of natural vegetation within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling located within the unincorporated areas of Brunswick County. If you are located within a municipality (an incorporated city, town, or village), check with your local municipal official regarding regulations and open burning permits.

All open burning of natural vegetation outside 100 feet of an occupied dwelling requires a permit from the North Carolina Forest Service. In addition, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality may require additional permits for certain types and locations of burning. 

View the Online Burning Permit System website.

When weather or other conditions make controlled burns dangerous, the North Carolina Forest Service or local authorities (counties and municipalities) may enact a burn ban or burning restrictions.

The North Carolina Forest Service has jurisdiction over open burning outside 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Only the North Carolina Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has the authority to issue a burn ban for areas in Brunswick County outside 100 feet of an occupied dwelling.

Local government agencies have jurisdiction over open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling.

• Brunswick County has jurisdiction over all burning within 100 feet of any structure within the unincorporated areas of the county. Only Brunswick County has the authority to implement a ban on all burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling within the unincorporated areas of the county (areas not in incorporated city, town, or village limits).
• Municipalities have jurisdiction over all burning within 100 feet of any structure within their incorporated city, town, or village limits. Only municipalities have the authority to implement a ban on all burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling within their municipal limits. If you live in a municipality in Brunswick County, check with your local municipal official regarding burn bans or open burning regulations.

Burn bans issued by the Brunswick County Fire Marshal’s Office prohibit all open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling within the unincorporated areas of the county (areas not in incorporated city, town, or village limits).

Firepits used for recreational burning are considered open burning and are not exempt from countywide burn bans. If you are located within the unincorporated areas of the county, you cannot use a firepit for recreational burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling during a Brunswick County burn ban. 

• If a burn ban has also been issued by the North Carolina Forest Service, then you cannot use a firepit for recreational burning anywhere in the unincorporated areas of the county during the ban.
• If you live within a municipality (an incorporated city, town, or village), check with your local municipal official regarding local ordinances and regulations.

Burn bans issued by Brunswick County Fire Marshal’s Office do not prohibit burning that is associated with outdoor cooking (i.e., grills or portable gas stoves) within the unincorporated areas of the county; however, all outdoor cooking activities must be constantly attended. Campfires are considered open burning and are not exempt from countywide burn bans.

If you live within the unincorporated areas of the county (areas not in incorporated city, town, or village limits), then you do not need a permit for a backyard firepit.

• Per Article 3, Section 1-11-47 of the Brunswick County Solid Waste Ordinance, “campfires and fires used solely for outdoor cooking and other recreational purposes, or for ceremonial occasions, or for human warmth and comfort and which do not create a nuisance and do not use synthetic materials or refuse or salvageable materials for fuel” are permissible within unincorporated areas of the county, unless prohibited by temporary burn bans.
• Bonfires, recreational fires, and portable outdoor fireplaces are subject to Chapter 3, Section 307 of the 2018 North Carolina Fire Code.

If you live within a municipality (an incorporated city, town, or village), check with your local municipal official regarding regulations and permits.

If you live in a community managed by a Homeowner’s Association (HOA) or Property Owner’s Association (POA), check with your HOA/POA board regarding regulations.

Find safety tips for firepits and other outdoor fires on the U.S. Fire Administration website.

Per North Carolina Air Quality Rules Section 1900 (15A NCAC 02D .1902), an Air Curtain Incinerator is “a stationary or portable combustion device that operates by directing a plane of high velocity forced draft air through a manifold head onto an open chamber, pit, or container with vertical walls to maintain a curtain of air over the surface of the pit and a recirculating motion of air under the curtain. These incinerators can be built above or below ground and be constructed with or without refractory walls and floors. These shall not include conventional combustion devices with enclosed fireboxes or controlled air technology such as mass burn, modular, or fluidized bed combustors.”

Air curtain incinerators used in Brunswick County are regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Wilmington Regional Office.

Prescribed fires are planned and controlled fires that remove leaf litter, fallen twigs, and branches without burning adult trees. These fires release less heat and smoke than wildfires, and the particulate matter produced is too large to get deep into the lungs.

Because prescribed burns are the best way to prevent wildfires, they are becoming a common tool to protect residents from harmful wildfire smoke. The best way to protect yourself from smoke from a controlled burn is to stay inside, where modern HVAC systems can filter the air.

Prescribed burns are subject to the North Carolina Prescribed Burning Act. The North Carolina Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulates prescribed burning in North Carolina.

Learn more on our controlled burns webpage.

The Brunswick County Fire Marshal’s Office does not regulate or provide permits for open burning associated with land-clearing activities.

Per Article 3, Section 1-11-46 of the Brunswick County Solid Waste Ordinance, land-clearing is defined as, “the uprooting or clearing of vegetation in connection with construction for buildings, right-of-way, agricultural, residential, commercial, or industrial development, mining activities, or the initial clearing of vegetation to enhance property value, but does not include routine maintenance or property clean-up activities.”

Open burning associated with land-clearing activities requires a permit from the North Carolina Forest Service. If your burning activities are for land-clearing purposes AND encompass more than five contiguous acres, you must obtain a special permit from the North Carolina Forest Service that is not available online (N.C.G.S. 106-942).

Land-clearing burns are regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ)'s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) and the N.C. Forest Service depending upon the location and type of open burning.

The program is part of the Longwood Road Sewer Project (DWI Project No. SRP-W-ARP-0297), which extends Brunswick County’s wastewater collection system to historically underserved residents in the Longwood Road area.

The project is primarily funded through the NC DEQ DWI-ARPA program ($14,956,200) and supplemented by up to $9,690,080 from Brunswick County.

The new sewer line will extend from Waccamaw School and connect to the County’s existing sewer force main at Highway 17. This special program offers eligible residents along the project route the opportunity to connect to the County’s sewer system at little or no cost—an opportunity not typically available through standard sewer transmission projects.

The current deadline for property owners to submit the Sewer Connection Selection Form is March 3, 2026. Brunswick County reserves the right to extend or adjust this deadline as needed.

Construction is scheduled for completion by December 31, 2026.

Eligible residents should receive a letter from Brunswick County in November 2025. You may also review the eligibility map HERE

If you are unsure, contact Brunswick County Public Utilities:

• Phone: 910-253-1714
• Email: regina.quintos@brunswickcountync.gov

(Be sure to state that your inquiry is about the Longwood Road Sewer Project and have your property address or parcel number available.)

If you respond by mail to the letter sent by the County and submit the Sewer Connection Selection Form, then Brunswick County Utility Billing will send communication using the Selection Form information you provide with further instructions to complete the program application.

Otherwise, follow these steps:

1. Visit Brunswick County Utility Billing at 3769 Old Ocean Highway, Bolivia, NC.
2. Complete and submit the following forms:
   • Sewer Connection Selection Form 
   • Sewer Service Agreement
   • Account Application Form
3. Provide a copy of valid Driver’s License, or other forms of government-issued identification.
4. Pay the required $50 deposit.
5. Include your property address or parcel number on all documents.

Property owners who do not connect during the program will still have a sewer tap stubbed to their property line.

However, any future connection will be the responsibility of the property owner, including:

• All connection costs to the County system
• Capital Recovery Fees, Sewer Transmission Capital Recovery Fee and Tap fees required at the time of future connection

Participating in the program now ensures access at little or no cost, which will not be available after completion of the Project.

Once the new sewer system becomes active, customers will begin receiving a monthly service charge based on the usage fee rates in effect at the time of activation.

• Residential Rates: Base fee of $39.00, which includes 3,000 gallons of usage. Additional usage is billed at $6.50 per 1,000 gallons over the base. A $6.00 monthly grinder maintenance fee will also apply.
• Commercial Rates: Base fee of $45.00, with additional usage billed at $6.50 per 1,000 gallons. A $ 6 per month per 210 gallons ($6 minimum, rounded to next highest $6 increment) monthly grinder maintenance fee will also apply.

There are two types of one-time connection fees required to join the County’s sewer system: the Transmission Capital Recovery Fee and the Treatment Capital Recovery Fee. As part of the project, Brunswick County is offering to waive the Transmission Capital Recovery Fee (currently $252 per bedroom) for eligible participants. 

Brunswick County also successfully applied for the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s ARPA Grant Program to receive funds that will be used to waive eligible participants’ Treatment Capital Recovery Fee (currently $1,956 per bedroom). See the table below for typical fees for different size homes.  

For commercial properties, capital recovery fees are calculated based on commercial gallons per day as determined by North Carolina Administrative Code.  

The grant will also cover the cost of service connections (including electrical and plumbing work) provided that the homeowner’s responsibilities are met, and the work can be completed safely by Brunswick County’s staff and contractors.