Economic Development

Bamberg County is certainly to be commended for commissioning this study to evaluate the current condition of each public water and wastewater system within the County and determine the feasibility of a forming a regional water and wastewater system. There is no doubt that the availability of adequate water and wastewater service is an absolute necessity to attract industrial and economic development. Bamberg County is fortunate to have six (6) existing individual public water systems and three (3) existing individual public wastewater systems in operation. Each of these systems has been reasonably proactive in there conceptual planning for future repairs, improvements, and/or expansions. The absence of sufficient population in certain areas of Bamberg County will likely make it economically unfeasible for the foreseeable future to support the provision of water and wastewater service to every citizen in the County, but the vast majority of the citizens are, or can be, provided with these services.

In this Feasibility Study, Alliance Consulting Engineers, Inc. has addressed the condition of the existing water and wastewater infrastructure, developed conceptual plans for the needed infrastructure for potential future development, and examined alternatives for improving these systems to better serve the citizens of Bamberg County. Three (3) water improvements projects have been conceptualized for the future regionalization of water service in Bamberg County as follows:

Additionally, it is recommended that the BBPW, the City of Denmark, the Town of Ehrhardt, and the Town of Govan each conduct a Water Rate and Fee Study to assess the need to increase water rates and fees.

It is recommended that short-term water projects involve those already planned by the Town of Ehrhardt, the Town of Olar, and the Town of Govan along with the performance of the Water Rate and Fee Studies. Recommended long-term water projects would include the Bamberg-Ehrhardt Interconnection Main, the Bamberg-Olar/Govan Interconnection Main, and the Denmark-Olar/Govan Interconnection Main.

Five (5) wastewater improvements projects have been conceptualized for the future regionalization of wastewater service in Bamberg County as follows:

Additionally, it is recommended that the BBPW, the City of Denmark, and the Town of Ehrhardt each conduct a Wastewater Rate and Fee Study to assess the need to increase wastewater rates and fees.

It is recommended that short-term wastewater projects involve the performance of the Wastewater Rate and Fee Studies, the BBPW WWTP Discharge to South Fork of the Edisto River, and the Expansion of the Bamberg WWTP to 4.0 MGD. Recommended long-term wastewater projects would include the Biosolids Improvements at the Bamberg WWTP, the Denmark-Airport Industrial Park-Bamberg Wastewater Extension, and the Olar/Govan Wastewater System.

As a result of the findings and recommendations of this study, it is sincerely hoped that the public water and wastewater purveyors in Bamberg County can now begin discussions on how they might cooperatively work together to improve the availability and quality of water and wastewater infrastructure and use it to raise the standards of living of its citizens.