KEY INFORMATION:
- Brunswick County is now under Stage 1 water restrictions, burn ban in effect, and a drought update.
- September is National Preparedness Month, and we’ve entered peak hurricane season. What you can do NOW to prepare.
- Brunswick County Utilities and Village Utilities have scheduled their annual change from chloramines to chlorine.
- Village Manager, Chris McCall, graduates from the UNC School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy!
- For your safety, be bright at night!
REMINDERS & EVENTS:
- This Labor Day weekend, join Old Baldy Foundation and the NC Fourth of July Festival as they commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Fort George. Simulated cannon & musket fire expected.
- Village offices will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. The off-peak season trash schedule begins next week. BHI Transportation, Inc. has released its Labor Day Ferry Schedule.
- The Village Chapel will be having a ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
- You’re invited to attend the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge public hearings (9/14 & 9/15).
- The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, September 18, 2026.
- Important reminders regarding yard debris.
- Village Utilities is recommending installation of owner shut-off valves ahead of freezing temperatures this winter.
Stage 1 Water Alert in Effect
In an August 31 announcement, Brunswick County announced that it moved from Stage 2 to Stage 1 water restrictions. Under Stage 1, all water usage adjustments become voluntary. Please review the announcement for details.
Coinciding with Brunswick County’s June 8 burn ban, the Village of Bald Head Island remains under a burn ban. All burning within 100 ft. of any structure is banned on BHI. The ban does not apply to charcoal or gas grills, provided fire safety precautions are taken (grilling safety tips).
Updates to the water conservation alerts will be posted to our Village Utilities webpage. Updates for the burn ban are posted to our Public Safety webpage. Both updates will appear on our social media channels.
As of August 25, 2026, the North Carolina Drought Advisory issued by the Drought Management Advisory Council indicated that while parts of southeastern North Carolina continued to improve after last week’s drenching rains, Brunswick County remains in D3 – extreme drought conditions.
Preparedness Month & Peak Hurricane Season
Peak hurricane season runs from mid-August to late October, and September is National Preparedness Month. The Village will be sharing preparedness messaging on its social media channels throughout the month.
Take the opportunity to complete your “before a hurricane” steps NOW. Make sure your emergency kit is stocked, complete your property preparations (especially if your property floods), review your evacuation and communication plans, and make sure you are signed up for emergency alerts. You can find everything you need to know on our emergency preparedness webpage.
The Village regularly monitors the National Weather Service’s Tropical Weather Outlook page, which starts showing active storms in the Atlantic starting on May 15 each year. Currently, there are no active systems, and no tropical cyclone formation is expected over the next 7 days.
Our Severe Weather Event webpage includes a direct link to the NWS Wilmington’s Tropical Weather Outlook page, current weather briefings, and other useful links. The NWS is implementing updates to its products and services this year, and an overview of those changes can be found in a presentation of the 2026 NWS Tropical Program: Updates & Reminders. The 2026 NWS Wilmington Hurricane Guide for Southeast NC & Northeast SE released on April 20, 2026, is another new information piece Islanders should check out.
When a severe weather event is predicted to impact the Bald Head Island area, the Village will start posting to the Severe Weather Event webpage continuously throughout the event. If Islanders need to take action, the Village communicates this through its CodeRED notification system. Islanders can register for CodeRED in the Village’s portal.
Annual Change from Chloramines to Chlorine
Brunswick County Public Utilities announced that it will be changing its disinfection method for water from chloramines to chlorine on October 1. The Village will follow the week of October 12. These conditions are not harmful and are temporary.
Along with this change, the Village will be blowing out dead ends to “burn out” the free chlorine. This may cause some ponding on Village roads. Consumers may notice some discoloration, which can be cleared by running outside spigots. Call (910) 457-9700 ext. 1000 for assistance.
For more information, view the County’s full statement and the Village’s full notice, which is posted on the Village Utilities webpage.
Village Manager is a PELA Graduate
Village Manager, Chris McCall, recently graduated from the UNC School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA).
PELA is the School of Government’s premier leadership experience for seasoned local government professionals. Through intensive instruction, peer consultation, leadership assessment, and applied projects, participants strengthen their ability to lead organizational and community change, build productive relationships with staff and elected officials, and address the complex challenges facing North Carolina’s communities.
Join us in congratulating Chris on completing this rigorous program!
Be Bright at Night!
Bald Head Island has no street lighting, and that is by design. We strive to “live in harmony with nature” here. This means the island is extremely dark at night, especially on the island’s heavily wooded wynds. Islanders should always be cautious when walking, biking, or driving on island roads, especially at night when visibility is low. Pedestrians and cyclists should take measures to “be bright at night” so they are visible to drivers.
Tips for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers at night.*
Pedestrians should:
- Wear bright or reflective clothing.
- Use reflective accessories like vests, scarves, or wristbands.
- Add reflective strips to bags, shoes, or hats.
- Use a headlamp or carry a flashlight.
- Face oncoming traffic so that drivers can see you, and you can see them.
- Assume drivers can’t see you and use extra caution.
- Avoid distractions like walking and texting.
- Stay alert; don’t walk with earbuds/headphones.
- Avoid walking alone, and if you can’t bring someone, at least tell someone where you are going.
Cyclists should:
- Wear bright or reflective clothing.
- Ensure your bicycle has a red rear reflector or rear light (a light is preferred), a front reflector, a front light, pedal reflectors and wheel reflectors.
- Become familiar with bike routes during the day to identify potential hazards and plan each night ride safely.
- Travel in the same direction as vehicle traffic and on the right side of the road.
- Maintain a safe distance from the edge of the road to avoid accidents with passing vehicles.
- Regularly check your lights and reflectors to make sure they are functional and visible at night.
- Always wear a helmet. Some helmets come equipped with lights and/or reflective areas. If your helmet has neither, you can add reflective tape.
- Never ride with headphones or earbuds; you need to be aware of your surroundings.
*LIGHTING ON THE BEACH: Please note per Village ordinance 10-83, “it shall be unlawful for any individual to illuminate, by artificial light, any portion of the beach within the confines of the village between the hours of sunset and sunrise from May 1 through October 31 except by such frequencies of red light as do not disturb nesting or hatchling sea turtles.”
Drivers should:
- Always slow down, especially at night.
- Start using headlights at dusk.
- Take caution, especially around some of the curves on the island, areas that have low visibility, and areas where there is a lot of pedestrian traffic (such as the marina area, near the ferry landing, restaurants, and Marina Park where nighttime activities take place).
REMINDERS & EVENTS:
America 250: Battle of Fort George Weekend
Experience revolutionary history this Labor Day weekend (August 5 & 6)! The Old Baldy Foundation & the North Carolina Fourth of July Festival invite you to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Fort George with a weekend of living history, family activities, and commemorative events.
For a full schedule of the weekend’s events, go to Old Baldy’s event webpage.
Please note: Some of the live re-enactments will include simulated cannon and musket fire.
Village Offices Closed for Labor Day
Village offices will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, for the Labor Day holiday. This includes the Island Package Center & Post Office and Public Safety administration. Monday trash service will not be impacted. Please call 911 if you need a Public Safety Officer to come to you.
Trash pickup will go to once a week on Labor Day, September 7, 2026. Pickup will be on Monday and Tuesday only. Biweekly pickup will resume after Memorial Day 2027. The Village’s trash and yard debris pickup calendar includes the pickup dates for the remainder of the year and includes a map of the pickup areas.
Bald Head Island Transportation, Inc. has released its Labor Day Weekend Ferry Schedule.
9/11 Ceremony
The public is invited to attend a ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001, on Friday, September 11 at noon. Department of Public Safety personnel and Village officials are expected to be in attendance.
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Public Hearings
You’re invited to the NC Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement public hearings, scheduled for September 14 and 15 in Brunswick and New Hanover counties.
Built in 1969, the existing four-lane, steel vertical-lift bridge is becoming functionally obsolete, meaning it can no longer effectively service current traffic demands. While the existing bridge is safe, it is reaching the end of its lifecycle. The NCDOT has identified two proposed alternatives to replace the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and is seeking public comments through October 15.
For details, view NCDOT’s press release.
Next Regular Village Council Meeting
The next regular Village Council Meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Meetings are held in the multi-purpose room in the Department of Public Safety (273 Edward Teach Ext.). The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the agenda webpage. Zoom information for listening remotely can be found on the meeting schedule webpage. If you are unable to attend, we will be publishing a written recap on the Village Council meeting recap webpage, and there will be a podcast episode covering the highlights.
Important Reminders Regarding Yard Debris
Twice monthly yard debris pickup ends in October and will go from the first and third Wednesday of the month to the first Wednesday only (view calendar). Please be sure to follow these instructions when participating in this program:
- Piles shall not be placed on top of utility infrastructure and shall be at least 5-6 feet away from utility infrastructure and any trees/vegetation. Unfortunately, this week a pile was placed on top of a water meter box, and it was ripped out of the ground.
- There shall be only one pile per property per scheduled pick-up. *
- Piles of debris shall be no larger than 8 feet by 4 feet and 3 feet in height.
*The Village is aware that some folks use one lot on their street to collect debris from multiple properties. In these cases, we ask that property owners note this when making their pick-up requests.
As a reminder, this service is for property owners who do their own yard work. If you have a contractor/landscaper, they are responsible for debris removal. Debris must be left on the roadside. Public Works will not go up driveways to access debris piles.
This service is not “on demand”; pick-ups are completed on the scheduled dates (view calendar). You must submit your pick-up request via our online service request portal or by calling customer service at 910-457-9700 ext. 1000.
Owner Water Service Shutoffs Recommended
It was not too long ago that Islanders were dealing with freezing temperatures and snow! Starting this year, due to the increasing number of island property owners who have been requesting that Village Utilities shut off their water service temporarily for freezes, the Village will not be offering “on-demand” shut-offs for freezing events.
Alternatively, the Village is strongly recommending that property owners install an owner shutoff valve at their residences. This way, the owner or property manager can control the water service coming to the home without having to contact Village Utilities prior to a freezing event AND remember to contact us again when the home is occupied to turn the service back on. Installing an owner shutoff also protects homeowners year-round in the case of a major water leak. The water can be shut off immediately to prevent serious property damage.
Please contact a licensed plumber to install your owner shutoff. A list of plumbers can be found on the BHA’s website. You may also be eligible for benefits from your home insurance provider for installing this equipment.
Thank you for reading this Village’s Voice announcement and for taking the time to stay informed on Village news and events. If you have any questions about the content in this announcement or about the Village’s departments and services, please reach out to us at public.information@villagebhi.org or (910) 457-9700 ext. 1025.