Regional development official cites $23.1M in new capital, warns lawsuit and sewer capacity are slowing industrial recruitment

Will Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Western South Carolina Economic Development Partnership, told Edgefield County Council on Feb. 4 that the county recorded $23.1 million in new capital investment in 2024 tied to two companies and that other investments continue to grow.

“2024 was what I consider a very good year for Edgefield County,” Williams said. He told council the $23.1 million in new capital will create 34 jobs and identified Bondex and Portland Bolt (formerly Southern Anchor Bolt) as the two companies tied to that investment. Williams also cited a separate, first phase investment by Luck Company of about $40 million that he said will create 10 jobs in that phase.

Williams summarized broader economic data: Edgefield County’s gross domestic product grew 6 percent in 2023, which he said was the sixth‑fastest rate in South Carolina; per‑capita personal income for 2023 was $50,938. He reported a December 2024 labor‑force figure of 10,470 residents with 10,047 employed and 423 unemployed, which he said equates to an unemployment rate of about 4 percent.

Constraints on new industry: Williams warned that recruitment of new firms to the Edgefield County Industrial Park is stalled by two issues. First, he said, a lawsuit with a county resident is preventing the county from acquiring acreage the county has an agreed purchase price for, and second, limited sewer capacity at the Horse Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Aiken County is constraining growth for new and expanding manufacturers. “The recruitments of new companies into Edgefield County Industrial Park is at a standstill due to a lawsuit that the county filed against a resident of the county who does not wanna abide by a recorded legal agreement,” Williams said. He added that Aiken County is working on the wastewater issue and that Edgefield County Water and Sewer Authority has capacity via North Augusta but that the matters are active conversations.

Regional context and labor draw: Williams noted that roughly 8,000 Edgefield residents commute to jobs outside the county while about 2,400 nonresidents commute into Edgefield, underscoring the county’s place in a broader regional labor market. He encouraged council to keep a regional perspective because manufacturers often evaluate labor availability within a roughly 45‑mile radius.

Council response and next steps: Council members thanked Williams for the update and asked no substantive follow‑up questions during the meeting. Williams and county staff said they continue to monitor the litigation and wastewater capacity issues and discuss possible remedies with partner agencies and authority staff.