Beaufort‑Jasper Water & Sewer Authority details AllJoy sewer plan, secured state and local funding; design/survey next

Charlie Slann, director of government affairs for the Beaufort‑Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA), briefed the committee on the AllJoy sewer extension project, which aims to provide sewer service to a roughly 200‑home area near the May River watershed.

Slann said the project team and stakeholders documented septic impairment and environmental risk in the May River watershed and that local residents have repeatedly reported septic failures. He listed funding already committed: BJWSA’s board approved about $4.6 million; Beaufort County had approved $1 million; the state Rural Infrastructure Authority approved $1.5 million; and the town of Bluffton agreed to cover 50 percent of connection costs for affected homeowners within the project boundary. BJWSA planned to cover the remaining connection cost share for the same homeowners, Slann said.

Slann said the authority has a master plan and expects survey work to be completed in the coming months so design can begin; he noted the Rural Infrastructure Authority requires substantial progress on funded portions by December 2026. He asked the committee to continue support and said BJWSA and partners would pursue additional state and federal funding. He also emphasized homeowner outreach and signing/commitment work that must continue before construction.

Committee members asked technical and timing questions; BJWSA emphasized that the funding already committed requires moving quickly to design and close on construction grants. No committee vote was required; the authority will return with updates as the survey and design proceed.