Our state is facing extreme drought, Baton Water has moved into Stage 2 with mandatory restrictions.

As the drought worsens across the state and nation, the Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Group (CWDMAG), which includes Lenoir, Hudson and Granite Falls, is moving into Stage 2 of the drought management plan. Lenoir, Caldwell, and Baton public water customers must reduce water use by 10%.

Each month during drought periods, CWDMAG evaluates lake levels, stream flows, groundwater, and other conditions. In the drought management plan, drought stages are determined by the following three indicators: (1) how much water is in the reservoirs, (2) how much water is flowing into the reservoirs, and (3) the U.S. Drought Monitor, a government site that indicates areas experiencing a drought and the drought’s severity. As of May 1, these indicators met the threshold for a Stage 2 declaration.

According to the US Drought Monitor website, much of the United States is facing drought, anywhere from abnormally to exceptionally dry. Most of North Carolina is facing severe, extreme, or exceptional drought. In Stage 2, Lenoir's Water Shortage Response Plan calls for mandatory reductions of water use.

What Stage 2 Means

Stage 2 is the third of five drought stages and marks a shift from voluntary conservation to mandatory restrictions. While this stage does not indicate an emergency, it does require coordinated action from the community to protect the region’s shared water supply. All water customers are expected to reduce their water use by 10% in comparison to their previous month’s water bill. The following restrictions also apply:

• Irrigation is limited to a half inch per week between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am.

• Outdoor use of drinking water for washing impervious surfaces is prohibited. (This includes pressure washing driveways, streets, filling swimming pools, or filling large containers that will not allow water to return back to the ground.

• All testing and training purposes requiring drinking water (e.g. fire protection) will be limited.

To conserve water, customers can irrigate landscapes after 8:00 pm and before 8:00 am a maximum of a half inch per week, wash only full loads in clothes and dishwashers, use spring-loaded nozzles on garden hoses, and identify and repair water leaks.

Consequences for Violations Customers who do not follow the mandatory restrictions will face fines and disconnection of water service. Customers will receive:

• a warning for the first violation

• a $250 fine for the second

• discontinuation of water service for the third.

Click the following link for more information about Baton Water's response to this severe drought, Water Shortage Response Plan

ATTENTION CUSTOMERS

Going forward, all announcements and updates about water outages, boil advisories, office closings, etc. be sent out VIA our CALL ALERT SYSTEM, ONLY!

Please add our number to your phone contact list to ensure that it does not show as a spam call AND update your phone number with us in the office.

If you prefer to receive a text message, please text the word

ALERT to 22300

and confirm that we have your cell phone number as the primary number on your account.

As always, you may call our office to speak with one of our office staff during business hours.  If you have an after-hour water emergency, call our office and you will be given an emergency number to call.  Thank You!

Make Your Payment Online Today! 

DUE DATE FOR ALL ACCOUNTS IS THE 15TH DAY OF EVERY MONTH BY 4:30 P.M. HOWEVER;

*** Payments must be paid by 4:30pm on the business day before the 15th. When the 15th falls on a Saturday, Sunday, Friday or a Monday (that happens to be a holiday), the next business day is when the payments will be processed. ***  

Please call our office at 828.728.7003 for office closings due to weather!!

LEAD SAFE COMMUNITY

Customers recently received a mailed notice regarding our efforts regarding lead service line identification and reporting efforts. Click the link above for more information, to access the public viewer, FAQ's and fill out the Customer Water Service Line Survey.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) is the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation first implemented in 1991, requiring actions by public water systems to reduce levels of lead and copper in drinking water. On January 15, 2021, the EPA updated and issued revisions to the original LCR under the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and a deadline for water systems to comply with these revised requirements on October 16, 2024.

Baton Water has developed an initial service line inventory (SLI). We will continue to develop the inventory through identifying the unknown materials over the course of the LCRI compliance period.

The SLI must identify the location and material of all service lines in the water system that connect to homes, buildings and structures. The utility must also make that information available to the public. The SLI must classify the material for customer-owned and system-owned service lines.

The purpose of this initial inventory is to take the first step toward identifying potential sources of lead throughout the nation’s water systems, including the private side of the service line connecting your meter to your home or business, lines for which utilities are not responsible for. While utilities may not be directly responsible for lead in privately-owned service lines, we are committed to working alongside our customers to identify and address any concerns.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes that completing a full inventory of an entire water system is a complex process that may take several years to accomplish. The goal is to identify, prioritize, and address areas that may require further action, ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water.

Baton Water remains committed to meeting the EPA’s requirements and will continue to update our customers throughout this process. If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to call, stop by, or visit our website at Lead Safe Community.

Consumer Confidence Report 2024

Please be advised if your meter is disconnected by Baton Water Corporation from non payment or any other reason and you take it upon yourself to turn it back on, that is considered tampering and there will be a fee of $300 charged to your account. During the disconnection process your meter will be monitored for usage. If something appears to be wrong with your meter please do not try to fix the issue yourself. Please call our office. Thank You!