Orangeburg DPU gets $1M to upgrade Northwood Estates sewer

The South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has awarded the City of Orangeburg a $1 million grant and the county a $250,000 grant.

The city’s grant will go toward the Northwood Estates wastewater system. The Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities took ownership of the system in October 2022.

“After receiving the system, the DPU wastewater staff took some time to assess the issues with the system and designed a plan to make those improvements,” DPU Manager Warren Harley said. “The RIA grant, along with the $700,000 that Orangeburg County contributed, will assist us in making those improvements.”

Under this grant, DPU is responsible for the engineering cost (in excess of $100,000) and the grant will cover the construction cost.

“We are certainly excited to continue our efforts to improve this system,” Harley said. “Since the DPU has taken over the system, the residents of Northwood Estates have seen a reduction in their bills as well as the excellent customer service our team provides.”

For about two decades, residents of the neighborhood had complaints about the aging private sewer system.

The system’s high sewage-treatment costs have been blamed on groundwater infiltration, which led to customers having to pay for the treatment of the extra water that entered the sewer system.

The system was owned and operated by Midlands Utilities, which became Synergy Utilities. Synergy was responsible for collection and keeping the lines maintained.

The Orangeburg County grant will go toward a regional planning study for the provision of water in eastern areas of the county.

The study will specifically look at the towns of Branchville, Bowman, Elloree and Vance and determine the feasibility of providing a direct-to-consumer approach of water provision that would complement the existing Lake Marion Regional Water Agency, which provides water wholesale.

The four towns are the only ones who agreed to participate in the study, according to county officials.

The grants are a part of more than $25 million in grant funding awarded across the state for 36 projects.

It is the second round of funding for fiscal year 2024.

The projects will benefit communities in 22 counties, with the intention of promoting quality of life, economic opportunity and sustainability across the state.

The total funding awarded by RIA this fiscal year is over $44 million.

“To ensure all communities and businesses have the opportunity to thrive, we must address the state’s critical infrastructure needs and plan for long-term viability,” Executive Director Bonnie Ammons said. “More than 10 years of RIA grants demonstrate the profound impact that strategic investment and proactive planning have on our communities as we build a stronger future for all South Carolinians.”

The May 2024 grant awards will be combined with over $46 million in local and other funds to carry out necessary capital improvements and planning activities that are expected to benefit more than 200,000 customers, with more than 60% of projects reaching rural and distressed communities.

Ten projects will aim to contribute to greater resiliency and storm protection. Others will improve or replace aging infrastructure that is beyond its useful life, increase services and capacity for existing and future customers, and support economic development activities for job creation and retention.

In addition, grant awards will fund 10 planning studies and system assessments that will explore the technical, operational, and financial conditions of water, sewer and storm water systems, evaluate alternative options, and provide recommendations to achieve greater long-term viability and possible regional solutions.

RIA state grants are generally awarded twice a year through a competitive process that considers the need for improved public health, environmental protection, community sustainability and economic development.

Applications are selected by the RIA board based on criteria including severity of the problem, expected impact and project feasibility.

Recipients share in the cost of infrastructure projects by paying for non-construction or other activities and, oftentimes, providing additional funds for construction.

The RIA was created to help communities with financing for qualified infrastructure projects. Infrastructure primarily refers to water and waste water systems as well as storm water drainage.

Chaired by the secretary of commerce, the RIA is governed by a board of directors, including six members who reside in or represent distressed and/or least developed counties.