Mount Pleasant, South Carolina – Mount Pleasant Waterworks (MPW) and Charleston Water System (CWS) are working together to build a new directionally drilled water main that will connect CWS-owned infrastructure on Sullivan’s Island to a MPW-owned water main located at Toler’s Cove in Mt. Pleasant (see attached graphic). The project is titled “Ben Sawyer Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) Water Main Connection.” Authorized representatives working on behalf of the utilities will begin work on the 10-month construction project later this month. The project is expected to be completed in June 2021.
“This project is a win-win for MPW and CWS,” said MPW General Manager Clay Duffie. “When completed, this new connection will jointly improve our redundancy and sustainability to meet customers’ water demand. By building resilient water supplies together, we are proactively investing to meet our customers’ current and future needs.
The Commissioners of both utilities approved the project at a total construction cost of approximately $8.5 million, which will be split between the two.
“The primary goal of this project is centered on providing redundant water delivery to MPW; however, in critical situations, Sullivan’s Island and the Isle of Palms, which are also municipal wholesale customers of CWS, could utilize this new line for emergency water supply needs,” said Kin Hill, CEO at CWS. “Right now, one large water main carries all of the water that we provide to these islands, so a second connection point would keep the water on if something were to happen to that main.”
During the project, construction will take place Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The project will be conducted in phases and the travelling public can expect temporary adjustments to traffic patterns along segments of Ben Sawyer Boulevard. Full access to homes and businesses within the project area will be provided throughout the project. MPW will also notify customers in advance of any water service interruption when deemed necessary during construction.
The bike and pedestrian multi-use path located on Ben Sawyer Boulevard from Toler’s Cove Drive to Center Street will be closed during a portion of the project to safeguard against unforeseen accidents. The new water main pipe will be staged along the path prior to underground placement.
“We realize that many may be disappointed by the temporary closure of the bike and pedestrian path during a portion of the project and we apologize in advance for the inconvenience,” stated MPW Capital Program department head Bryan Brooks. “We discussed several options to complete the project with state and local transportation leaders and the full closure of the path for a period of time was the most efficient way to expedite the work, manage costs, and ensure the safety of the public.”
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About Mount Pleasant Waterworks: Mount Pleasant Waterworks (MPW) is a public water and wastewater service utility located in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Established in 1935, MPW provides clean drinking water and provides wastewater services to a population of approximately 90,000 residents. To learn more about MPW, please visit www.mountpleasantwaterworks.com
View the Project Area Map here