SWANSEA, S.C. — Water service has now been restored as of around 2:00 p.m. Thursday in parts of the Town of Swansea. That’s after a water main break left some without water for about 17 hours.
"I was out here last night, and the water was just gushing, going down there," Swansea resident Aaron Harley said.
Harley lives in the Swansea Heights neighborhood. He tells News 19 that he’s frustrated with having to deal with a lack of water.
"I have people that’s visitors at my home, and they can’t wash," Harley said. "I can’t drink water, and we can’t wash clothes, and we cant take a bath."
Harley said he and about three blocks of neighbors were affected on Thursday, and this isn’t the first time.
According to the Town of Swansea’s Facebook page, the town had low water pressure or no water at all on April 12, 2023.
The town tells News 19 they received a handful of calls this morning about the issue and said it wouldn't be until the afternoon before they could come make repairs.
Spicer On Call Services, a utility contractor, began making the repairs around 12:30 p.m. Our cameras were there to capture the work.
Swansea town council member Doris Simmons tells News 19 that these pipes are certainly not new.
"There’s some of these lines that are as old, they’re so old, they’re over 100 years old, some of them are," Simmons said. "And that’s when they were first put down, so it’s no telling what condition any of the pipes are,"
However, Simmons said the town is currently working with the Joint Municipal Water and Sewer Commission in Lexington County on a grant for experts to come look at water and sewer lines to assess conditions and find out all of what needs repairs.
Simmons said the hope is that afterwards, the town can get money to fix the lines for good.
Simmons tells News 19 that the town has had numerous water line breaks over the last year and that the town doesn’t have the funds for a utility manager.
She adds council is working to see if they can contract with other companies for a more long term solution.
Swansea is asking that people boil their water for one minute for the next 24 hours. This includes folks living on Monroe Avenue, Swansea Heights, Deese Avenue and Roach Avenue.
The town said they will post further updates on the Town of Swansea’s Facebook page.