Greer CPW is elated to announce we were the recent recipient of a $2 million dollar grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to replace the pump station at the BMW Manufacturing Plant in Greer. This grant is in addition to a $500,000 grant from the S.C Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) awarded in May 2020.
“This pump station is more than 25 years old and it was time for upgrades, said Mark Harvey, Greer CPW Engineering and Planning Manager. By receiving this grant money, we can make the much-needed repairs to ensure reliable and top-quality sewer utilities for BMW and the surrounding communities,” said Harvey.
In addition to serving BMW, the pump station also serves areas northeast of the facility and areas south of I-85 west along Highway 101. All total the project will cost $4.2 million and according to the EDA will create 600 new jobs and generate $600 million in private investment.
“This is big news for our manufacturing and distribution cluster and helps Greer compete for the next generation of new projects. Great infrastructure equals world class companies and high paying jobs,” said Reno Deaton, Executive Director of the Greer Development Corporation.
Pump or lift stations are used for pumping wastewater from a lower to higher elevation where the land does not allow for a natural flow of water. The new infrastructure will improve efficiency, add redundancy and provide a 50% capacity increase to help with future residential and industrial growth.
Currently flow from the existing pump station discharges to a gravity sewer system just north of Highway 101 across from the BMW facility. The project includes a 14,000-foot extension of the existing force main from the current discharge point to the Maple Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. This force main extension will remove the BMW station flow from the gravity line and make it available to serve future growth north of BMW.
Upon receiving the grant funding, Greer CPW plans to bid the project in the next few weeks with construction lasting approximately 15 months.