BJWSA briefs Port Royal on water capacity, major projects and $1.3M sewer commitment

Beaufort Jasper Water & Sewer Authority officials briefed Port Royal council on June 10 about system capacity, capital projects and funding priorities.

David Strange, a BJWSA board member, introduced general manager Verna Arnett and Charlie Stone, director of government affairs. Arnett told council that BJWSA’s primary water source is the Savannah River and that the system currently has a plant capacity of about 54 million gallons per day after a recent Prairiesburg expansion. "We have the ability to withdraw up to 100,000,000 gallons per day from the river," she said, adding that finished-plant capacity and water quality, not source alone, drive system planning.

Charlie Stone highlighted rising construction costs and project planning: he said the authority has seen roughly a 250% increase in construction costs over five years and provided an example where a Cherry Point expansion estimate rose from $31 million in 2020 to a low bid of $107 million in 2024. Stone outlined a multi-year capital-improvement program that includes rehabilitation of aging infrastructure and named a canal-improvement plan expected to exceed $20 million to protect raw-water conveyance.

Stone told council the BJWSA board committed $1.3 million for a future sewer extension along Rebow Road and that the authority is pursuing grant funding and partnerships to support projects that serve Port Royal. Arnett described investments in water-quality improvements including granular activated carbon filters to remove organic compounds and PFAS; she said the carbon facilities are scheduled for completion in spring 2029. BJWSA officials said they had secured about $50 million in grant commitments over recent years and maintain a strong bond rating.

Council thanked the authority and asked staff to maintain communication as projects and funding plans progress.