Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority has planned water plant upgrades to comply with new standards for PFAS, or forever chemicals, and it’s largely being paid for by water rate increases for customers.
In April, the Environmental Protection Agency lowered the limit for PFAS standards in drinking water to 4 ppt (parts per trillion), and Grand Strand Water and Sewer has until April 2029 to meet new requirements. PFAS, which are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been discharged into area waterways from upstream industrial sites. They are often dissolved from plastic and are nearly impossible to fully break down, creating health concerns for people who ingest them unknowingly.
The upgrades, which are estimated to cost a combined $172 million, will implement methods to reduce PFAS at the two water plant locations — Myrtle Beach and Bull Creek. Since the upgrades fall under regulatory compliance, impact fees cannot be used to fund the projects…