BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. — Election season is in full swing in North Carolina. Voters are heading to the polls to cast their votes in races up and down the ballot.

There are a wide variety of issues that are driving votes, and one of them is water infrastructure and access to safe drinking water.

What You Need To Know

  •  Voters are heading to the polls for the primary election

  •  There are a variety of issues that impact votes in North Carolina

  •  One coastal resident is worried about how development is impacting clean water and wildlife in the area

  • Democrats say it's an issue they would take on as governor

Carl Parker is a lifelong Brunswick County voter. He’s seen how the land has changed over the years.

“All the fields that used to be farmland, now they're growing houses on them,” he said. There’s a lot of development around him, but he’s seen how the growth for some has led to problems for others.

Parker’s home was on a well system for years. He’s not anymore, but he still stays up to date with well and water quality for others.

Parker says as the developers clear land, they build retention ponds. Those ponds lower the water table, and the homes that have been around for decades have to dig deeper wells to be able to connect back to water.

On top of that, Parker says these homes are often not given the proper opportunity to connect to the new county water systems that the developers build.

It’s costly to dig new wells. It also has cascading impacts.

“The washing machines that's in the house that need enough pressure in order for the washing machine to operate properly. If the well is getting weak because of the sand cutting the propellers or either cut in the seals, then the pump can't pump enough pressure into your house to make your washing machine work properly,” Parker said.

Parker is also concerned about the impacts to wildlife and wetlands.

He’s looking for the state’s next governor to take on this issue, making sure state funds like the Clean Water State Revolving Funds are used the way they're supposed to. He also wants a governor who will provide oversight for counties, making sure it’s not only new developments that are prioritized.

Attorney General Josh Stein and former Justice Michael Morgan are two of the five people running for the Democratic nomination for governor.

When asked about water infrastructure, Stein highlighted his past experience.

“Every North Carolinian deserves access to clean drinking water. As attorney general, I have defended people when polluters poisoned their water. I took DuPont and Chemours to court for discharging 'forever chemicals' into the Cape Fear River. As governor, I’ll prioritize the work to invest in water infrastructure and rebuild aging water systems that threaten the health and economy of communities across North Carolina,” Stein said. 

Morgan spoke about what he has heard from voters.

“Having been to Brunswick County and directly hearing from residents there regarding the proliferation of clear-cutting, permit requirement relaxation, and distressing zoning determinations — all of which are conducive to residential development but are harmful to environmental protections — I would increase the frequency of testing of our water supplies for pollutants," Morgan said.

He said he would "ensure the transparency of our state's efforts to maintain appropriate standards for our water supply through the public release of the results of such tests, hold the polluters solely responsible for the clean-up and restoration of water supplies which are compromised by the polluters' wrongful activities, and impose uncompromisable stiff fines and penalties for such transgressions.”

Parker says he’s been advocating around this issue for decades, and it’s time for change.

“I believe that is we do not stand for the human rights of people whenever we allow animals to drink more clean water than human beings can drink.