WINNSBORO – During public comment at the Fairfield County Council, Winnsboro Mayor John McMeekin – who also chairs the Fairfield County Joint Water Sewer System and Service Commission – announced that the RIA (South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority) has approved the construction of the Winnsboro Connector Line.
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, during a pre-construction hearing held at Winnsboro Town Hall, contracts were signed with three construction companies to construct the four sections of the project. A contract was also signed with American Engineering to oversee the project.
At the regular Fairfield County Joint Water and Sewer System meeting Tuesday night, a technical committee was appointed to work on an RFP for the purpose of soliciting applications for an engineering firm for the new wastewater treatment plant project.
The Winnsboro Connector Line project is funded largely by a $10M SCIIP Grant the Commission received from the RIA. A $1.5 million grant match as well as cost differences were paid for by the county from the Dominion settlement.
The line will run from the Industrial Park, following Peach Road, then down Highway 321 to the Winnsboro wastewater treatment plant, which currently has about 500,000 gallons of extra waste water capacity. The connector line is expected to be completed on or before June, 2026.
An eastward extension wastewater line from the Winnsboro connector line will be paid for by the county, and will tie in to the completed line.
While the Town of Winnsboro is not putting money into the project, it will be responsible for the operation of the Winnsboro connector line and the eastward connecting line until the new wastewater treatment plant is constructed.
“This is a major step to attract industry to our county,” McMeekin said, “and a major step towards building a wastewater treatment plant for Fairfield County.
“There are still diplomatic negotiations ahead with others outside Fairfield County, to satisfy South Carolina Agency and Federal Governmental requirements to complete plans and receive permission to build a wastewater treatment plant to serve Fairfield County, the Town of Winnsboro, and all our communities,” McMeekin said.
