Black residents in North Carolina lack clean, safe drinking water
Many residents in historically Black neighborhoods in Brunswick County, North Carolina are living without access to County water, making them reliant on well water. This is happening in part because County water hook up fees are too expensive, and/or County water lines do not extend to parts of the community where longtime Black residents live.
Relying on well water in Brunswick County is precarious, and many residents are experiencing severe issues with the lack of access to County water:
- Residents report that their well water smells foul, is polluted with rust and forever chemicals, and discolors their clothing and hair.
- Some residents’ wells have run low or dry, forcing them to incur steep costs to dig deeper wells
- Residents have to buy bottled water, which is costly and often requires personal sacrifices – some residents share that they often have to choose between buying bottled water or medication.
- Many residents who live on streets without water lines also face safety risks because they do not live near a fire hydrant, even though they are required to pay fire fees as part of their property taxes.
This is a serious injustice. Access to water is a fundamental human right.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Brunswick County is one of the wealthiest counties in North Carolina, yet County officials have done little to address this human rights issue. As developers build many new residential projects in the County that cater primarily to higher income newcomers to the area, the County prioritizes water line extension projects for these new developments. Increased groundwater use associated with these projects is straining aquifers and exacerbating challenges faced by longtime residents who rely on well water.
Community leaders are asking the County to do right by its residents and ensure that everyone who wants county water has access to it.
“Do the right thing. You take care of your people and your town. Brunswick County, take care of your people…Give us our due water. That’s all I’m asking. Give it to us. We need it…Stop letting people get sick unnecessarily.”
– Geraldine Goodman, Brunswick County resident
History
Since 2022, EarthRights has worked with the Brunswick County NAACP and other community groups advocating for the County to extend water lines to all neighborhoods.
Residents have gone to County Commissioner meetings and signed petitions in order to alert County officials to water access issues. Residents have asked the County to apply for one of the many water infrastructure grants that have been available at the state and federal level. To our knowledge, the County has not applied for any grants that would ensure all residents of Brunswick County have access to clean, safe drinking water.
