The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (often shortened to BJWSA) is a public, non-profit corporation which handles water and wastewater operations for many areas in Beaufort and Jasper counties in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina.[1] The Authority was created under the provisions of Act 784 by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1954 to provide services to Beaufort County. In 1969, its powers were expanded to include wastewater facility construction and services. In 1983, the authority merged with the Jasper County Water and Sewer Authority and thus adopting the BJWSA moniker.
The authority is governed by an eleven-member board appointed by the Governor of South Carolina. A general manager is in charge of day-to-day operations of the authority and oversees the various departments and functions of BJWSA. The Authority's headquarters is located near the border of Beaufort and Jasper counties, between Beaufort and Bluffton along S.C. Highway 170 in the Okatie area.
The major fresh-water source for BJWSA is the Savannah River, approximately eight miles north of downtown Hardeeville. An eighteen-mile canal carries freshwater from the river to the BJWSA facility for treatment purposes. The authority operates two water treatment plants, three wastewater treatment plants and hundreds of pump stations.
BJWSA has approximately 45,000 retail accounts for water services and approximately 28,000 for wastewater services. BJWSA treats an average of 20 million gallons of water for consumption and 7 million gallons of wastewater each day.[2] Although initially set up to provide water and wastewater services to unincorporated areas, BJWSA currently provides services for customers living in incorporated areas of Beaufort, Bluffton, Hardeeville and Port Royal, as well as many surrounding unincorporated areas. Additionally, the Authority provides services for the area's military installations and several public service districts on a wholesale basis.
The BJWSA has received many awards from state and national groups[3]
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