Severe Weather Update #12

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  • Bald Head Island Transportation, Inc. has announced that it will be resuming its normal ferry service schedule and tram service beginning tomorrow (9/22) at 6:00 a.m.
  • The Village remains under a State of Emergency. There are still homes without sewer service and those homes shall not be occupied.
  • Update on recovery – grinder pumps, stormwater pumping, road conditions.
  • Hazards – swimming advisory, mosquitos, flood water.
  • Useful links.
  • Please check our social media and/or media webpage for updates.

Ferry Service & Trams

Below is the latest announcement from BHI Transportation, Inc.:

RESUMING NORMAL SERVICE SCHEDULE – SUNDAY 9/22/24: The ferry will resume its normal service schedule and boarding procedures (reservations and general boarding) beginning with the 6:00 AM departure from Deep Point on Sunday 9/22/24. TRAM SERVICE IS AVAILABLE for those with tram service added to their ferry reservation. Please be aware, some access roads on the island remain impassable by our trams. Trams will deliver you as close to your designated address as possible, but in some instances, you may have to walk the remainder of the way to your residence/rental. Thank you for your patience as the island and surrounding communities recovered from the storm.

State of Emergency

The Village of Bald Head Island remains under a State of Emergency. The Village is still working to pump stormwater off the roads. Approximately 130 homes are without sewer service. Property owners are advised that these homes shall not be occupied.

There are still roads closed in the area. You can view the road conditions for the entire County, including Bald Head Island HERE it is being updated as conditions improve.  The Village is also updating its list of impassible/inaccessible roads, view HERE.

NCDOT reopened the Fort Fisher Ferry on Thursday. NCDOT is asking that unless your needs are urgent, please refrain from using the ferry to allow a faster recovery.

Updates on Recovery

Grinder Pumps

The most up-to-date list of homes that have had grinder pumps shut off can be viewed HERE.

Earlier today (around 1:07 PM), the following message was posted on the Utilities webpage and sent via the CodeRed notification system:

GRINDER PUMP UPDATE – The grinder pump list has been updated to reflect homes that were shut off between now and when the last list was created (5:30 PM). Village Utilities continues to evaluate the flows into the wastewater treatment plant and will decide on any future actions TOMORROW (9/22).

No pumps will be shut off today. No pumps will be turned back on today (9/21).

We will update the status in future Village announcements and any changes to the list will be sent via CodeRed notifications and posted on the Utilities webpage.

Check the Village Utilities webpage for the current list: https://villagebhi.org/departments-services/utilities/

Thank you for your patience.

A few items as we continue to receive questions:

  • Some see their neighbors on the list and are wondering why they aren’t on it and are unsure if the sewer service is on.  If there is a doubt, assume it’s off.  You should not stay in your home or allow visitors to stay there. 
  • The crews are busy working the grinder pumps and servicing the lift stations in the impacted areas. We may not be able to respond to all inquiries about individual properties, be patient.  Again, if there is a doubt, assume your service is out.
  • The Village will turn on grinder pumps as stormwater recedes and the equipment is serviceable. There is no need to contact Village Utilities to have a grinder pump turned back on we will restore service to islanders as quickly and efficiently as possible.
  • You should not be living in a home that does not have an operating grinder pump.  Please check the most recent lists before you make your way or send someone to the island. 

Stormwater Pumping

Both 10-inch pumps have been pushing stormwater off the island at the ocean outfalls since 6:00 p.m. Tuesday (9/17). The BHI Club and the Village continue to coordinate to push water through the lagoon bypass and outfall at BHI Creek.  

Please be patient as we continue to pump water off the island to lower the water table which will allow the rainwater to percolate into the sandy soil. This is key to getting the low spots with deep pools of rainwater to recede.

We are on day 5 of post-storm recovery.  During Hurricane Florence, it took 3 weeks to get the water off the island.

We are keeping an eye on the two disturbances in the Atlantic currently forecast to approach the Gulf of Mexico next week. Possible back-to-back events is another reason to pump stormwater off the island.  

The Village plans on pumping stormwater off the island until further notice.

We often share the US National Weather Service Wilmington Office’s social media posts and encourage folks to follow for severe weather updates (Facebook/X/Instagram).

Road Conditions

Road conditions are improving on the island.  Most of the main roads are passable. There are a few high-traffic spots that are still not passable:

  • The westbound lane of Federal Road at Kinnakeet is closed due to high water. Folks going westbound should take South Bald Head Wynd. Federal Road is open to eastbound traffic only (see area map).
  • A section of West Bald Head Wynd from Horsemint Trail to Cape Fear Trail’s south entrance is impassable, there are barricades (see area map).
  • A stretch of Stede Bonnet is impassable (south of Earl of Craven toward S Bald Head Wynd).
  • A stretch of Edward Teach is impassible (near golf cart crossing).

Hazards

  • There is still a swimming advisory in effect. 
  • Mosquito spraying began Thursday. Not all mosquitos carry diseases, but since there is a possibility, they could, this measure is taken to protect the public’s health.  HERE are a few tips for mosquito bite prevention
  • Contact with flood water can be hazardous because there may be contamination, potentially causing illness. Please use extra caution. There may also be wildlife displaced by the flooding. HERE is more information and tips on what to do if you come in contact with flood water.

Helpful Links

Updates on Social Media & Webpage

Continue to check our social media and/or media webpage for updates.  We will likely be transitioning to one email announcement per day for the remainder of the Village’s response to PTC #8.  We will still be utilizing the CodeRed notification system for updates from Village Utilities.  

Publication of the monthly Village’s Voice e-newsletter is postponed.

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