What is LCWSC?
LCWSC is a Special Purpose District that provides water and sewer service to the unincorporated areas of Laurens County and portions of southern Greenville County. A Special Purpose District is a form of government that is governed by a board of elected or appointed officials, and provides service in areas that cannot be provided for by any other agency.
LCWSC operates under a separate governance structure. It is overseen by a Board of Commissioners, made up of eight members appointed by the Governor, who serve staggered terms. These Board members, who must be individual users or residents of the service district, are entrusted with setting policy and overseeing general operations.
Appointing members from each Council District allows for fair and equal representation across the entire county. Each board member maintains a close relationship with the councilperson and district they represent, and is always aware of district’s needs and concerns. This appointed board ensures that LCWSC board members have strong backgrounds in technical or managerial areas. Their expertise allows them to make well-informed technical decisions that are cost effective for our customers.
LCWSC and the Board of Commissioners desire to serve the people of Laurens County by providing the best water and sewer service available at the most affordable rates. We strive to operate with the interests of Laurens County and the people we serve.
Vision, Mission & Values
Vision
To be the leading water and sewer provider for the Laurens County community by delivering excellent, cost-effective services, valuing our employees and partners, and instilling a culture of integrity throughout our organization.
Mission
LCWSC’s dedicated team ensures high levels of service by managing a sustainable supply of quality drinking water, environmentally sound wastewater collection, and efficient treatment services, while supporting the infrastructure necessary for regional prosperity.
Values
Reliable – We strive to provide essential services to our community without delay or disruption.
Proactive – We look ahead and plan to meet the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow.
Safe – The safety of our water and our employees is of vital importance to LCWSC.
Sustainable – We use the environmental and financial resources entrusted to LCWSC in a responsible manner.
Partners – We value internal and external collaboration in pursuit of shared goals.
Board of Commissioners
Commission Meetings
Commission Meetings Schedule
Commission meetings are typically held on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 8:15 am at the LCWSC Office, located at 3850 Highway 221 South, Laurens, SC. For specific dates, please click here for the schedule.
Commission Meetings Agendas and Minutes
To see our meeting agendas and minutes, please click here.
Management Team
Expansion
How often does LCWSC expand its water and sewer systems?
LCWSC began providing public water to unincorporated areas in Laurens County in 1972 as Rabon Creek Rural Water District. We installed small lines adequate to provide drinking water to existing homes at that time, as required by the lending agency, Farmers Home Administration (FHA).
Fire flow was not a priority during FHA funding. This installation allowed LCWSC to serve many homes with our limited funding. The current population and expected growth have made the replacement of these waterlines a necessity. These new larger lines allow LCWSC to provide better service to all homes in this area and provide water service and fire protection to industrial prospects looking for commercial sites.
LCWSC & Capital Projects
The Laurens County Development Corporation (LCDC) https://growlaurenscounty.com/ is the local economic development agency for Laurens County. The LCDC activities are funded by the LCWSC along with several other partner agencies. These agencies contribute significantly to the economic development activities. Read more…..
Can I keep my private well?
All property owners in the unincorporated areas are free to dig private wells for outside watering. These wells may not be connected to the same plumbing as your public water tap because private wells are not considered for public use. South Carolina state law and Cross Connection Control require that homes connected to a public water system cannot also be connected to a private well.
Where does my water come from?
Currently, LCWSC utilizes our Lake Greenwood Water Treatment Facility for most customers in our area. Due to large swings in hydraulic grade over our service territory, there is a portion of our customer base that is served by purchasing water from Greenville Water System. Depending on your residential address, you may receive water from either of these sources.
Is the electronic meter reading system effective?
Because LCWSC has a large, rural water system, personally reading each meter is labor intensive and costly to you. To overcome this challenge, LCWSC utilizes a drive by computer read system. Some of our water meters are cellular and report to our office without the need to drive by to collect a current read. This combination of systems allow us to collect information from our customer base of 17,000 taps and almost 1,000 miles of water main in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Most water systems have implemented some sort of radio or automatic meter reading system across the country in rural and metropolitan areas. It allows LCWSC to use minimal meter-readers, thus is cost-effectively serving the entire customer base and keeping your rates minimal.
Rate Comparison
How do LCWSC water rates compare to neighboring districts?
To ensure high quality service, LCWSC has made significant improvements to its water system over the last few years. These necessary improvements, coupled with the expense of maintaining a large rural water system, have slightly increased rates. However, in our continued effort to reduce expenses and maximize the return on revenue, LCWSC has been able to minimize the amount of rate increases over the past 15 years. Please see the table below to compare our current rates to those of surrounding counties. This table is information from the SC Rural Infrastructure Authority’s 2023 survey.
| Utility | Average Usage/Month | Water Bill | Sewer Bill | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCWSC | 5000 gal. | $47.00 | $53.10 | $100.10 |
| Laurens (Inside City) | 5000 gal. | $47.77 | $40.20 | $87.97 |
| Newberry | 5000 gal. | $52.50 | $66.50 | $119.00 |
| Clinton (Inside City) | 5000 gal. | $43.55 | $62.15 | $105.70 |
Community
The LCWSC is a community minded company that supports various organizations in Laurens County.
LCWSC employees volunteer their time supporting fundraisers and assisting in various community activities.
Please click here to see more!
United Way Laurens County
Employees participate in volunteer opportunities throughout the year showing their support for the United Way. Volunteer activities include United Way Day of Caring in which many employees help with painting and landscaping at the local YMCA, gathering supplies for the School Supply Drive and participating in the United Way Golf Tournament.
To learn how you can be a part of our local United Way, visit their website at: https://www.uwlc-online.org/
Adopt a Highway
LCWSC participates in the Adopt a Highway Campaign of Laurens County. Employees adopted the stretch of Highway 221 from the 127 By-Pass to Ekom Beach Road.
For more information on adopting your own highway please contact Palmetto Pride on their website: https://www.palmettopride.org/get-involved/program/adopt-a-highway/