New Water Treatment Plant

Apr 17, 2026 | News

 

A Resilient Water Future:

ICWD’s New Water Treatment Plant

ICWD’s new water treatment plant will play a vital role in expanding their water sources to provide high-quality, affordable water for their growing community.

Inman-Campobello Water District (ICWD) has been experiencing significant growth, doubling the number of customers over the last 20 years. ICWD has historically purchased their drinking water from a third-party source, including neighboring utilities such as Spartanburg Water (SWS) and Broad River Water Authority (BRWA), their current water supplier. To meet their growth demands, ICWD needed to find an additional water source. ICWD had four options: purchase additional water from BRWA, purchase water from SWS, produce their own water in addition to current BRWA water, or build their own 8 MGD water treatment plant (WTP) and eliminate the need to purchase water from BRWA

Since 2002, ICWD has repeatedly evaluated the benefits of producing their own water to increase redundancy and reduce costs. However, purchasing additional water from either BRWA or SWS would require significantly upgrading their infrastructure because of capacity. After evaluating the costs, ICWD concluded that building its own WTP would be just as cost-effective as the infrastructure upgrades required for purchasing additional water.

So, to move forward with increasing their water supply, ICWD began designing a new WTP in 2021 that would produce 4 million gallons per day (MGD) with the potential to expand to 8 MGD, which is the maximum capacity of the North Pacolet River intake site.

In May 2024, construction began which includes two main components, the North Pacolet River intake facility, located in Fingerville, SC, and the WTP, located near Inman, SC, at the intersection of S.C. Hwy. 292 and Hickory Nut Road. With long-term planning in mind, ICWD designed the WTP to accommodate a future expansion up to 32 MGD.

Beyond increasing capacity, the new plant is also designed to continue providing water with a quality and taste that customers have come to trust. To do so, ICWD is using ceramic membranes instead of conventional filters to produce high-quality water. While unique to WTPs in the US, ceramic membranes are an advanced technology that is growing in popularity due to their ability to produce high quality water efficiently.

With the additional water source, large pipeline are necessary to convey water to and from ICWD’s system. Approximately 7 miles of large diameter pipeline is needed to transport water from the North Pacolet River to the WTP, and approximately another 4 miles is needed to transport the treated water from the WTP to the heart of ICWD’s distribution system, which is the Windmill Hill Tank system.

The project goes beyond the WTP and pipeline though. It’ll also include a new administration building and a new maintenance building. With the current administration building constructed in the 1970s and last expanded over 35 years ago, the new building will house a laboratory necessary for the WTP. Building these new facilities simultaneously will maximize resources and help meet the operational needs of the growing ICWD staff.

All of this wouldn’t be possible without the right funding. The ICWD received a $10 million grant towards the total cost of $65 million for the project, with $55 million being borrowed. Construction of the WTP is estimated to be completed in the spring of 2026, and the administration building, and maintenance building are estimated to be completed between fall 2025 and early 2026.

With the completion of the new WTP, ICWD will continue providing high-quality, affordable drinking water to their residents with the security of resiliency and the ability to meet future growth.

 

Click Here to View a Presentation

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why is it necessary to build a WTP?
The ICWD and other water systems in our County have experienced tremendous growth over the last several years. The ICWD’s customer base has more than doubled over the last 20 years. Having more customers requires larger drinking water capabilities, including water treatment.
Since ICWD is building a water treatment plant with the water coming from the North Pacolet River, where does my water come from now?
The ICWD purchases drinking water from the Broad River Water Authority, located in Rutherford County, NC. Prior to 2008, the ICWD purchased all the water for its customers from Spartanburg Water (SWS). That water was treated at the R.B. Simms Water Treatment Plant, which draws its water from reservoirs, which are impoundments of the South Pacolet River.
Will the water from the new WTP taste different than the water coming from BRWA?
ICWD aims to maintain water
quality similar to BRWA’s by using
advanced ceramic membranes,
unique to U.S. WTPs, for superior
filtration. ICWD will continue
purchasing water from BRWA
while using the WTP to supplement
supply, ensuring high quality and
fair cost for years to come.
So, once the new WTP is finished and fully operation, will ICWD still purchase water from BRWA?
Correct – ICWD will continue purchasing
water from BRWA while using the WTP
to meet growing demand. This dualsource
approach will be valuable during
droughts and provides redundancy,
ensuring reliable service if one source is
unavailable, aligning with the principle of
not “putting all your eggs in one basket.”
Will the WTP ever be expanded?
Yes, if growth continues. The WTP is designed for easy expansion from 4 MGD to 8 MGD, which is the withdrawal limit at the North Pacolet River intake site. Additionally, there’s potential future capacity of up to 32 MGD at the WTP site. Though it may be years before this is needed, we’re planning ahead.
Where will the water come from once the 8 MGD limit is reached?
ICWD has partnered with BRWA and Polk County to form a water authority, providing access to additional raw water sources in North Carolina. This partnership ensures future plant expansion and protects ICWD customers against droughts and emergencies by offering multiple water sources, which wouldn’t be possible if relying solely on SWS or BRWA.
What are the routes for the raw water main and the finished water mains?
Please see the maps that can be viewed by clicking the links below:

Raw Water Progress Map

Finished Water Progress Map

Why did the ICWD decide to build a new office and maintenance facility? Wouldn’t the current one and the WTP location be close enough to one another?
The current ICWD office, built in the 1970s and expanded 35 years ago, is out of space due to significant growth and a doubled customer base. To address this, ICWD is constructing a larger administration building that will also house a lab for the new WTP, maximizing resources and supporting staff operations.
What will happen to the current ICWD office, maintenance buildings, and surrounding property?
The properties have been sold to the City of Inman. Similar to ICWD, the City is in need of larger facilities and the current ICWD location meets their needs.
This seems like a large project. How much will it cost?
The total cost of the project is $65 million, but ICWD is the recipient of a $10 million grant. So, the total borrowed amount is $55 million.
If I’m a customer of ICWD, will this debt cause my water rates to increase?
In anticipation of this project, ICWD began incrementally raising the cost of service over the last several years. The last small increase is scheduled for 2025. After that, ICWD is not planning to raise rates for this project.
Since ICWD has raised rates, how does ICWD compare to other water providers in Spartanburg County?

 

 

 

How are the costs to purchase more water from BRWA or purchase water again from SWS nearly the same as the costs to build a water treatment plant?
The WTP project is more cost-effective for ICWD customers compared to the BRWA and SWS options, both for infrastructure and long-term costs. BRWA’s water delivery system is nearing capacity and expanding it would require significant investment in new water mains and pump stations, nearly matching the cost of the WTP project. Additionally, producing water at our own WTP is less expensive, as purchasing from BRWA or SWS includes their profit margin. Similarly, the SWS option requires extensive new infrastructure, with costs comparable to building the WTP, but also includes ongoing expenses for purchasing water. By building the WTP, ICWD ensures lower production costs and greater control over water quality and supply for the future.
Why doesn’t ICWD just purchase water again from SWS? It seems like this would have kept ICWD from having to raise rates like it has.
ICWD chose to build its own water treatment plant rather than purchase more water from SWS or BRWA because all options require new infrastructure. The costs of buying additional water from BRWA or SWS are comparable to building the WTP. In the end, the WTP project is the best financial choice for ICWD customers.
How long did it take to plan for this project?
The WTP project has been in planning for about 22 years. Engineering studies began in 2006, with the North Pacolet River site purchased in 2010 and a withdrawal permit secured in 2011. Design started in 2021, and permits were acquired in early 2024.
When will construction be completed?
The WTP is expected to be completed by spring 2026, with the administration and maintenance buildings finishing between fall 2025 and early 2026. Customers will be notified in advance about any changes to billing or customer interactions.
Link to Brochure
ICWD New WTP – QA Brochure