COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia Water customers along North Trenholm Road can expect significant improvements in water pressure, quality, and reliability following the city’s approval of a nearly $19 million infrastructure project.
The upgrade aims to replace outdated water mains that have long been prone to breaks, and provide new ones that will improve service for customers who use Columbia Water.
“Increased flow, pressure, better water quality is gonna be really good for you,” said Clint Shealy, Columbia’s Assistant City Manager.
The project will modernize the water system on North Trenholm Road with larger and more durable mains and pipes, which will benefit not only the immediate area but also key zones across the city.
“It allows us a larger conduit to bring water from the Lake Murray Water Treatment Plant, which serves part of our northeastern service area, and to bring that water to the downtown zone and southeastern service area, and really a secondary supply to Fort Jackson, which is very, very important for us and for them,” Shealy said.
The project is divided into two phases. The north phase will stretch from Decker Boulevard to Rockbridge Road, while the south phase will extend from Rockbridge Road to Forest Drive. Both phases will run simultaneously, with two contractors working to expedite completion.
This timing aligns with plans by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to repave North Trenholm Road. The city wants to ensure the infrastructure upgrades are completed before the road receives a new surface.
“The last thing we want to do is have old infrastructure and fresh pavement on top of it, and then if there's a water line break, we're in there tearing up the new road,” Shealy explained. “And we had that project slotted for three to four years out, we would have been tearing up fresh, relatively fresh pavement to lay new water lines.”
Construction is expected to begin shortly after the New Year, with an anticipated completion date in early 2026.
