Officials Look for Another $50M in Funding
WINNSBORO — Fairfield County officials say planning continues to move forward on the county’s long-awaited wastewater treatment plant, but that another $50 million in additional funding is still needed before construction can begin on the project.
Project Manager Robert Lathrop updated county officials during Monday night’s regular Fairfield County council meeting on the design and cost of the project following a recent meeting with State Rep. Annie McDaniel and Executive Director of the SC Rural Infrastructure Authority (IRA), Bonnie Ammons, saying discussions about funding were encouraging.
“It was a very positive meeting,” Lathrop said.
He said one of the latest milestones is the completion of the project’s environmental survey. Engineers are now analyzing the information to determine the final route the treated wastewater, or effluent, will take from the plant to the Broad River.
Another major decision has also been made regarding how the plant will treat wastewater.
After evaluating several treatment methods, the county has selected what is known as the open ditch process.
Lathrop said the system consists of a large concrete basin with radial concrete baffles that direct the flow of wastewater through the treatment process.
He said the method was chosen after site visits to other facilities, technical seminars, recommendations from the county’s engineering consultant – GMC – and feedback from owners and operators of similar systems.
The location of the plant on Richtex Road also provides flexibility in designing the facility, he said.
County officials said they expect the project to reach 30 percent design completion by August and 90 percent completion by March 2027.
Lathrop noted that project milestones are available to the public through the wastewater treatment plant dashboard on the county’s website.
More Funding Needed
While an estimated $25 million has been spent on the project since 2018, Lathrop said the estimated cost of the project still sits at approximately $85 million.
“We have approximately half that amount,” Lathrop said.
Councilwoman Peggy Swearingen asked where the county expects to obtain the remaining funding.
“We’re working with the state and federal government right now,” Lathrop said.
Lathrop said he recently met with McDaniel, Ammons, County Administrator Vic Carpenter, Winnsboro Town Manager Chris Clausen and Winnsboro Mayor Demetrius Chatman to discuss possible funding sources.
He said the county has submitted a major grant application through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) that could significantly reduce the remaining funding gap.
Officials are also working with McDaniel and Ammons to pursue additional funding through the IRA, which previously helped fund earlier phases of the project.
“It’s going to be piecemealed together,” Lathrop said.
He said the county currently has between $40 million and $45 million available for the project.
“With the money that we are already looking at, we’re probably getting closer to $80 million,” he said. “So, we’re trying to close that last little gap.”
According to county officials, the facility is not expected to be operational before 2029 at the earliest.