Utilities

    Location

    256 Edward Teach Extension
    Bald Head Island, NC 28461
    View on Map

    Department Staff

    J.P. McCann, Public Services Director
    publicservicesdirector@villagebhi.org
    (910) 457-7350

    Michelle Kesmodel, Customer Service Representative/Utility Billing Clerk
    utilities.clerk@villagebhi.org
    (910) 457-9700 ext. 1000

    Contact Information

    Phone number for billing and service issues between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday: (910) 457-9700 ext. 1000.
    On-call (after hours): (910) 616-7716
    Fax: (910) 457-7353

    Pay Your Utility Bill

    If your sewer grinder pump alarm goes off, please call the Utilities Department immediately at (910) 457-9700 ext. 1000 or (910) 616-7716 after hours. Please also use these numbers for any service-related issues.


    NOTICES

    • As of 4:00 p.m., Village Utilities has resolved all but a small number of leaks.  Water pressure on the island has greatly improved. We still want Islanders to conserve water usage until all is repaired.  The system pressure advisory  (SPA) is still in effect.  We hope to have lab results as early as tomorrow afternoon.  Consumers will be notified as soon as we have repaired all leaks (conservation request will then end) and when the SPA is rescinded.  Thank you for your patience. (Posted 2/3 5:11 PM)
    • Village Utilities located a major leak, and its repair has helped the system gain back significant pressure. However, there are still more leaks to locate and repair/resolve. We are requesting consumers to conserve water usage until the system is fully operating. 

      We are anticipating normal operations by this evening and will notify consumers via webpage, Village’s Voice email announcement, and social media.  CodeRED will only be sent when the system pressure advisory currently in place is rescinded.  

      REMINDER: System pressure advisories remain in effect after normal operations resume – they are rescinded when the Village receives lab results confirming that the water is potable. (Posted 2/3 11:55 AM)
    • Update on Water Service – Village Utilities is still working to restore system pressure.  They have found multiple leaks in the system and are working to identify more and make repairs as quickly as possible. Consumers can help by continuing to limit water usage.  When full pressure returns, the Village will send an announcement.  The system pressure advisory will still be in effect when full service is restored and until labs confirm the water is safe to drink. Thank you for your patience. (Posted 2/3 9:11 AM)
    • A system pressure advisory is in effect ISLAND WIDE.  View the advisory HERE. (Posted 2/2 – 3:00 p.m.)
    • Village Utilities is investigating the cause of low water pressure, which appears to be island-wide. At this time, we are asking consumers to please limit water usage (ex. dishwasher/washing machine/showers) until we find the source of the issue. If there are concerns about water potability, the Village will follow up with another post, and via email and CodeRED. If you see any leaks, please report them to the after-hours number (910) 616-7715. (Posted 2/2 – 2:44 p.m.)
    • Please see the message at the bottom of this page regarding issues some customers are experiencing with e-billing.
    • The 2024 Annual Water Quality Report has been released. You can view it HERE.

    Please call (910) 457-7350 or our after-hours* number (910) 616-7716 if you are experiencing issues with your water/sewer service.

    Sign up for CodeRED HERE to receive notices regarding water & sewer service. Be sure to use your BHI address so events affecting only your area will be sent to you.

    *Please be aware that there is an after-hours fee that will be applied to the account accordingly per the Village’s fee schedule.

    Documents

    Reports

    Information/Guidance

    Department Info

    The Village’s Utilities Department provides the Village’s water and sewer utilities.  Customers are advised to sign up for the Village’s emergency notification system, CODE RED, to receive important information about the Village’s utility services.  Make sure that when you sign up, you use your Bald Head Island address.  The Village can send messages out to only the affected areas if there is a service interruption. 

    Most BHI homes have a sewer grinder pump (about 75%). These pumps have a red light and an alarm. If the alarm goes off at your home, please contact the Utilities Department immediately. Do not open or tamper with the utility box, this box should only be opened by authorized personnel.

    The Village’s utilities ordinance Section 30-50 authorizes agents of the Village to have “access at all reasonable hours to the premises of the consumer for the purpose of testing, repairing, installing or removing Village property, inspecting piping, reading or testing meters or for any other purpose in connection with the Village’s water and sewer service.” Utilities employees drive vehicles with the Village logo and typically wear uniforms with the same. Employees occasionally use customers’ water hoses when it is necessary to flush debris from the work area. Water usage is minimal, and they are instructed to return everything to the state in which it is found.

    Village Utilities Facts:

    • There are 29 miles of distribution system lines.
    • The Village can produce 360,000 gallons of water per day.
    • The Village can store 400,000 gallons of finished water.
    • There are 1,169 sewer connections in the system.

    Utility Billing Information

    Due date: Utility bills are due on the 20th of every month.

    Methods of payment: 

    • Cash (in-person @ Village Hall View on Map – 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. M-F)
    • Check (hand-deliver, mail, or place in dropbox at Village Hall)
    • Bank Draft (Complete the Bank Draft Authorization form HERE and hand-deliver, mail to P.O. Box 3009, Bald Head Island, NC  28461 or email to utilities.clerk@villagebhi.org ) with a voided check)
    • Credit Card Online using Visa/Mastercard HERE. Credit card payments are only accepted online.  There is no fee associated with the use of credit cards.

    Billing method:  Paper bill or E-bill.  To request an e-bill, contact the Utility Billing Clerk at utilities.clerk@villagebhi.org. 

    How to Set-Up an Account: Complete a Utility Service Agreement HERE, and hand-deliver to Village Hall or mail to (P.O. Box 3009, Bald Head Island, NC  28461) or email the agreement to utilities.clerk@villagebhi.org. 

    How to Close an Account: Complete a Utility Termination Agreement HERE, and hand-deliver to Village Hall or mail to (P.O. Box 3009, Bald Head Island, NC 28461) or email the agreement to utilities.clerk@villagebhi.org. 

    E-billing Issues: It was brought to the Village’s attention that some customers are not receiving their e-bills. This may be because these emails go to your spam/junk folder instead of your inbox. Please follow the following steps to ensure your e-billing emails go to your inbox in the future:

    1) Locate the e-billing email in your spam/junk folder.
    2) Right-click on this email in your Inbox.
    3) Go to the junk mail option.
    4) Click the option that states “Never Block Sender’s Domain.”

    Please get in touch with the Utility Billing Clerk if you need further assistance.