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Residents and NAACP press Brunswick County for action on long-running clean-water problems
Summary
Speakers during public comment urged commissioners to secure clean drinking water for specific neighborhoods, encouraged applying for federal grants and asked the county to use local funds if grant applications fail.
At the Sept. 15 meeting of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, Carl Parker Sr., speaking as president of the Brunswick County NAACP, and other residents asked the board to act on long-standing clean-water problems in portions of the county.
"We've been kicking this can for about 22 years," Carl Parker Sr. said, urging commissioners to apply for grant funding and, if grants are not awarded, to use county budget resources to connect affected residents to public water. He cited repeatedly marginalized communities and urged the board to prioritize water service for them.
Amy Johnson, a first-time attendee, told the board she lives on Albright Road Southeast and Brown Road in Bolivia and said her well water is unusable for drinking and cooking because of smell, rust and sediment. Johnson asked commissioners to coordinate with Representative Rausser and to submit federal grant applications; she mentioned a possible Sept. 30 application deadline but said she was not certain of the date.
Commissioners did not commit funding during the meeting but acknowledged the concerns and referenced potential grant opportunities. Public commenters also referenced prior staff outreach, including a note that staff contact Steve Stone had mentioned an upcoming grant round.
Next steps: Several commissioners discussed working with staff to pursue grant applications and to further study infrastructure options, though no specific funding commitment was made during the meeting.
