Grand Strand Water Authority Plans $172 Million PFAS Upgrades at Two South Carolina Plants, WPDE Reports
Watch: Grand Strand Water Plans $172M PFAS Upgrades at Two SC Plants
On the South Carolina Grand Strand, the regional water authority is planning $172 million in upgrades at two water treatment plants aimed at reducing PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” in drinking water — a project that could affect customer water rates over the next five years, WPDE reported on October 14, 2026.
Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority said the work is aimed at the Bull Creek and Myrtle Beach water treatment plants after testing found PFAS in source water. About $155 million is budgeted for Bull Creek and $17 million for Myrtle Beach, according to the WPDE report.
What the authority says
- Federal timeline. WPDE reported the work is intended to bring the plants in line with updated federal drinking-water requirements after testing found PFAS in the authority’s source water.
- Funding path. Officials told WPDE the $172 million project would be funded through revenue bonds and a low-interest state revolving-fund loan, with costs recovered through water rates over about five years. Future rate increases have not been approved yet.
- Recent rates. The authority’s most recent rate change took effect July 1, raising the monthly water availability charge by $1 and the water volume charge by 8 cents per 1,000 gallons.
- Litigation. Grand Strand is also pursuing legal action against 14 companies over alleged PFAS discharges, seeking to recover some of the costs.
CEO: PFAS still has to be handled after treatment
“It’s prevalent in the environment. It’s, you know, you can’t destroy it. It doesn’t break down naturally. So, you know, even after we remove it from drinking water to a level that meets the EPA regulations we still have to handle and deal with, that’s going to have to be dealt with,” CEO Christy Holder told WPDE.
Holder’s point, as WPDE reported it: PFAS does not break down naturally, so even after the authority’s drinking water meets EPA levels, the chemicals still have to be handled.
PFAS, nanoplastics and microplastics
WaterVO™ News follows PFAS alongside nanoplastics and microplastics. They are separate topics; this story is about PFAS treatment costs and federal requirements at two South Carolina plants.
Sources
- Anthony Winn, “Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority plans $172M upgrades to cut PFAS in drinking water,” WPDE, October 14, 2026: wpde.com
Photo: A glass being filled at a kitchen tap, by Shixart1985 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). Illustrative only; not a Grand Strand sample.
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