HOLLY HILL, S.C. — The Orangeburg-Berkeley Reach Water Line Project had its groundbreaking in Holly Hill.
This means that the Lake Marion Water Treatment Plant in Santee will be upgraded, the town of Vance will get an elevated tank, and a new water transmission line will be added to the current line in Holly Hill to extend the water 16 miles down the road to the Volvo plant in Ridgeville.
The new water line is expected to bring clean water to over two hundred thousand people in Berkeley County. Johnny Cribb, the Berkeley County supervisor, said this will have a major impact.
"It will make a significant impact both on residents and industries in the region," said Cribb. "Clean, drinkable water is a big deal. Water is life. So bringing that to the resident."
Angel Howell lives in Vance and said she did not have access to clean water when she first moved to Orangeburg County.
"Clean, accessible water is very important to Orangeburg County," said Howell. "When I initially moved to Orangeburg County, there used to be little particles in my water, so I had to purchase water to be able to drink water. I would cook with it, but I would not drink it, so we had to purchase water. So it's very important to the residents of Vance, South Carolina, and Orangeburg County."
In addition to the water line project, Congressman Jim Clyburn said there is more improvement to be done in Orangeburg County.
"Within the next two years, every home [and] every business in Orangeburg County will be connected to the internet, and that's a part of what we're doing here today," said Congressman Clyburn. "I saw some of it this morning coming here. I was fine from Santee to Holly Hill; when I got to this side of Holly Hill, all of a sudden I couldn't communicate on my cell phone."
Calhoun and Dorchester Counties will also have future water lines from the project.
