40,000 asked to limit water use; residents worry infrastructure not keeping up with growth in Johnston County

Thousands of Johnston County water customers are under a water shortage advisory.

Johnston County Public Utilities sent a notice early Tuesday morning asking customers to immediately stop using water for non-essential reasons, including irrigation, watering lawns and filling swimming pools.

The water shortage advisory is due to a pipe breaking at the Johnston County Water Treatment Plant and is expected to last 48 hours, according to the county. Around 40,000 customers are affected.

Customers will be notified when the advisory is lifted. The county said the water shortage could last through Wednesday night.

"However, we do have the plant back on line, and up and running," said Johnston County Director of Utilities Chandra Farmer. "We are at a slightly reduced capacity, but we anticipate being able to have that permanent repair in place within the week."

People with questions can contact Johnston County Public Utilities at 919-989-5075.

The town's new budget takes effect on July 1.

Water and sewer rates are due to go up 16%, most of that to pay for the building of a new wastewater treatment plant by 2025. The town of Clayton told WRAL News construction costs doubled in the last three years. For some Clayton residents, it's simply bad timing.

Johnston County's water treatment plant processes 14 million gallons per day and the town supplies water to 44,000 customers, Farmer said.

Slabaugh said her water pressure is fine in her home. What concerns her is seeing infrastructure problems in one of the fastest growing counties in the state.

"Until we can catch up with the growth that we already have, I mean, it's going to continue to be an ongoing problem," Slabaugh said.

Clayton wants to pass rising utility costs on to residents, but they're already hurting from inflation