Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority

What Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority does

Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority (GSWSA) is a South Carolina special purpose public authority that provides potable water and wastewater services to approximately 136,000 residential, commercial, municipal, and agricultural customers across Horry County and adjacent portions of Georgetown, Marion, and Dillon Counties. Headquartered in Conway, SC, the Authority was established in the early 1970s and has grown from no assets to over $1.134 billion in assets and more than $206 million in annual revenue. It operates as the statutory regional water and wastewater provider for unincorporated and rapidly developing parts of the Grand Strand, including wholesale contractual service to five municipal utilities and two public water companies.

The Authority's core infrastructure comprises two surface water treatment plants — Bull Creek Regional (45 MGD) and Myrtle Beach (40 MGD) — delivering 85 MGD combined water treatment capacity, plus a network of 1,000+ miles of water mains. Wastewater operations span more than a dozen treatment facilities with combined capacity exceeding 68 MGD, the largest being the Myrtle Beach WWTP (22.4 MGD) and J.L. Schwartz South Strand Regional (19.35 MGD). GSWSA is an industry-recognized operator of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) technology, with 17 wells and nearly 2 billion gallons of subsurface storage capable of meeting peak demand for over two months in an emergency. Effluent and bio-solids are managed through a 9,000+ acre land-application system integrated with agricultural partners.

GSWSA generates revenue through recurring monthly water and sewer charges with tiered volume pricing (combined base of $24.85/month plus usage-based fees), one-time connection and impact fees on new development ($680-$2,200+ per REU), wholesale contracts with municipal utilities, optional subscription programs (Service Line Maintenance, Rural Water), trucked waste disposal fees, and ancillary agricultural sales through its High Tech Turf Farms subsidiary. Distribution is direct-to-customer through three administrative offices, online and automatic bank draft billing, and partner bank branches. Capital expansion is financed primarily through state revolving funds (DWSRF, CWSRF) and federal grants rather than equity issuance, consistent with its status as a government entity.

Name

Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority

Legal name

Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority

Website

https://gswsa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority is a South Carolina public authority that provides potable water and wastewater services to approximately 136,000 residential, commercial, and municipal customers across Horry County and surrounding regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Treatment & Wet-Weather Capacity (EUANADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sewer & Stormwater Line Cleaning (Jetting, Rooting) (BPALAMAG), Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control & Compliance (Storage, Separation, Treatment) (EUANAEAG)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Water distribution
• Sewer services
• Aquifer storage recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Conway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Water Service Charges: Recurring monthly charges for water service including base charges ($13.70 for water-only accounts) plus volume charges per 1,000 gallons ($1.51-$3.24 depending on usage tier). Combined water and sewer base charge is $24.85.
2. Sewer/Wastewater Service Charges: Recurring monthly charges for sewer service including base charges ($13.50 for sewer-only accounts) plus volume charges per 1,000 gallons ($2.30-$4.93 depending on usage tier).
3. Rural Water Program: Monthly service charges for rural water and sewer service to unincorporated areas. Rural water base charge is $19.70.
4. Service Line Maintenance Program: Optional monthly program covering water and sewer service lines from utility system to building exterior. Charges: $2.85 first REU for water/sewer accounts, $0.60 each additional REU.
5. Connection and Impact Fees: One-time fees for new service including new service installation fee ($40), impact fees per REU ($680 water, $1,520 sewer), tap fees ($790 water, $630 meter base fee, $1,020 sewer), and security deposits ($40-$140 depending on service type).
6. Trucked Waste Disposal: Fees for disposal of domestic septage, grease trap waste, and portable toilet waste at designated wastewater treatment facilities for registered vehicles.
7. Turf and Hay Sales: Revenue from High Tech Turf Farms selling Bermuda and Centipede sod by pallet or piece, and Coastal Bermuda Hay sales ($35 per roll).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority (GSWSA) provides potable water treatment and distribution along with wastewater collection and treatment services to approximately 136,000 residential and commercial customers in Horry County, South Carolina and surrounding areas. The Authority operates two surface water treatment plants (combined 85 MGD capacity) and multiple wastewater treatment plants (68+ MGD combined), supported by more than 1,000 miles of water lines, Aquifer Storage and Recovery wells, and a 9,000+ acre land application program. Supplementary offerings include the Rural Water Program, Service Line Maintenance subscription, Trucked Waste Disposal, Backflow Prevention certification, Smoke Testing, and turf/hay sales through High Tech Turf Farms.

Product overview

Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority provides water and wastewater services to approximately 130,000 customers in the Grand Strand area of South Carolina. The core offerings include water treatment and distribution (drawing from the Great Pee Dee Watershed through Bull Creek Regional and Myrtle Beach Surface Water Treatment Plants with combined capacity of 85 MGD) and wastewater collection/treatment through 13 treatment plants with capacities ranging from 135,000 GPD to 22.4 MGD. Supplementary programs include the Rural Water Program serving over 3,000 rural homes, Service Line Maintenance subscription ($2.85/REU monthly), Trucked Waste Disposal Program, and agricultural products through High Tech Turf Farms and Bermuda Hay Sales. Environmental services include Aquifer Storage and Recovery (17 wells, 2 billion gallons storage) and Land Application across 9,000+ acres. The utility also provides Backflow Prevention certification services and Smoke Testing for sewer inspection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Treatment and Distribution
• Wastewater Treatment
• Rural Water Program
• Service Line Maintenance and Repair Program
• Trucked Waste Disposal Program
• High Tech Turf Farms (Turf Sales)
• Coastal Bermuda Hay Sales
• Backflow Prevention Program
• Smoke Testing

Quantifiable outcome

• 136,000 customers served with water and sewer services
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and core.

• South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SC DES)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026SC DES administers the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program, co-funded with EPA, which GSWSA uses to finance water infrastructure improvements like the Hwy 90 to Hwy 905 Hydraulic Improvement project ($5.5 million).
• South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (SCRIA)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026SCRIA co-administers the DWSRF and CWSRF programs with SC DES and EPA, providing financing for GSWSA infrastructure projects.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026FEMA, through the Hazard Mitigation Program, received GSWSA's application for funding the Little River Sewer Improvement Project after the Edisto Flooding Presidential declaration (4858).
• South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026SCEMD jointly processes FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant applications from GSWSA for infrastructure resilience projects in flood zones.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025EPA provides joint funding for CWSRF program used by GSWSA for the Central WWTP 4 MGD Expansion project ($80 million), administered through SC DES and SCRIA.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - WaterSense ProgrammoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSWSA is a WaterSense partner, participating in EPA's voluntary public-private partnership program focused on water efficiency. GSWSA promotes water-efficient practices and products to help conserve water resources.
• South Carolina 811 (SC811)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSWSA is a member of SC811 (formerly Palmetto Utility Protection Service), South Carolina's centralized one-call center for line locates. Customers dial 811 before digging to prevent damage to underground utilities.
• Horry County Municipal Water and Sewer UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSWSA provides contractual water and sewer services to five of the county's municipal water and sewer utilities and two public water companies, serving as the regional water authority for Horry County.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• California Water Service Group: Investor-owned water utility serving ~2 million people across California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Texas. Closely comparable in surface water treatment, regulated tariff structure, and capital-intensive infrastructure model, though it does not own wastewater.
• SJW Group: Water utility holding company (Connecticut Water, San Jose Water) regulated by state public utility commissions. Comparable regulated water-only model with strong geographic concentration, municipal-class customer base, and infrastructure-driven capex profile.
• Essential Utilities, Inc. Large-cap water and natural gas utility (formerly Aqua America) operating across 10+ states with a meaningful regulated wastewater portfolio. Provides a for-profit comparable for the combination of water distribution, wastewater treatment, and developer-based growth embedded in GSWSA's model.
• American Water Works Company, Inc. (American Water): Largest U.S. investor-owned water and wastewater utility serving ~14 million people across 14 states. Comparable core business (regulated water/wastewater service to residential and municipal customers), but vastly larger scale and a publicly traded private owner versus GSWSA's public authority structure.

Emerging players

• Middlesex Water Company: Smaller New Jersey-based investor-owned water and wastewater utility. Comparable in combining regulated water and wastewater services with a residential and wholesale municipal customer base, though smaller scale.

Direct peers

• Charleston Water System: South Carolina public water and wastewater authority serving a comparable coastal-urban area. Closest operational analog to GSWSA in terms of combined water/wastewater service, regional authority structure, and customer-mix across residential, commercial, and wholesale municipal accounts.
• Tampa Bay Water: Regional wholesale water supply authority in Florida created by interlocal agreement among governments. Highly comparable governance and operating model to a multi-county regional authority such as GSWSA, with surface water treatment and storage infrastructure serving municipal members.
• Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD): Regional wastewater-only sanitary district in coastal Virginia with multi-jurisdictional service territory and substantial treatment plant footprint. Comparable operating scale, regional authority structure, and environmental regulator relationships to GSWSA's wastewater function.
• Georgetown County Water and Sewer District: Neighboring South Carolina water and sewer district that is both a contractual wholesale customer of GSWSA (receiving Bull Creek supply) and a comparable special-purpose district providing regional water/wastewater service in its own right.

Regional players

• Santee Cooper (South Carolina Public Service Authority): South Carolina state-owned public utility, primarily electricity but with adjacent water-related environmental and infrastructure functions. Compares as a same-state, publicly chartered public utility peer with shared government, regulatory, and infrastructure-financing ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GSWSA
• Xx.com/GSWSASC
• Facebookfacebook.com/gswsasc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority