Spartanburg Water Remains Resilient While Others Face Challenges

As many customers nationwide are currently facing water shortages and the consequences of long-neglected water infrastructure, Spartanburg Water officials want customers to feel confident in the long-term health and viability of their local water and wastewater utility.

With more than 100 years of service to the City of Spartanburg and Spartanburg County residents, Spartanburg Water consistently prioritizes investment in the sustainability of the system’s water and wastewater infrastructure. With careful planning and assessment, the utility is able to determine those areas to reinvest funds to provide for the maintenance of current infrastructure, as well as those upgrades needed to expand and improve the system.

Additionally, Spartanburg Water’s investment not only extends to our system infrastructure, but also our people. Those individuals employed by Spartanburg Water represent a well-trained, highly skilled and experienced workforce, which ensures the utility can provide reliable and consistent service to our customers.

And with so much focus on the impacts of drought and climate change, Spartanburg County is fortunate to have not just good water quality for its drinking water, but also significant water quantity. The three Spartanburg Water reservoirs – Municipal Reservoir #1, Lake William C. Bowen and Lake H. Taylor Blalock contain an estimated 100+ years of available water supply, assisting with long term planning for significant population growth in Spartanburg County.  The three reservoirs are part of a larger, comprehensive water management plan that includes management of the North and South Pacolet River basins.

“We are acutely aware of the numerous crises and challenges our peers are facing in places like Jackson, Miss., Las Vegas, N.M.,  Las Vegas, Nev., and Summerville, Ga.,” says Guy Boyle, Spartanburg Water Chief Executive Officer.

“Though these stories are troubling and heartbreaking, our utility’s ongoing investment in infrastructure and our people means that we have the necessary tools in place to continue to provide the highest quality and reliable service. Our structure as a separate legal entity governed by elected water and sewer commissioners, helps ensure the long-term viability of the water system and supports economic growth in Spartanburg County. Our commissioners have consistently approved and supported the resources necessary to alleviate the risks that have caused the crises affecting many of the systems across the United States, so they are not repeated here in Spartanburg.  Spartanburg Water is also lead by a team of water professionals who we employ ourselves, with a sole focus on providing and protecting our water sources, our community and our environment.  This means our funding priorities remain in the best interests of our community and residents at all times.”

Written by Jennifer Candler, Spartanburg Water.