FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Renewable Water Resources’ DIG Greenville Project Now More Than Half Complete, with Completion Expected May 2021
Sewer tunnel project is sign of things to come in Greenville’s growth trajectory
Greenville S.C. (August 10, 2020) – Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) recently announced that its ambitious infrastructure project, DIG Greenville, is now more than 50 percent complete. The Reedy River Basin Sewer Tunnel (RRBST), also known as DIG Greenville, is a wastewater conveyance project designed to safely and efficiently revitalize our wastewater infrastructure in the rapidly growing Greenville community for the next 100 years by adding needed wastewater capacity to support the massive continued growth in the Upstate area. ReWa’s partners in the project include engineering firm Black & Veatch and contractor Super Excavators.
Construction on this wastewater conveyance project designed to minimize disruption by mining a tunnel under downtown Greenville began in the spring 2018 in Cleveland Park and will complete near the Kroc Center. The tunnel boring machine used to dig under the city has passed under Broad Street past Main Street and is currently positioned near Academy Street. ReWa and its construction partners estimate digging and excavation will be complete by this fall, with a final project completion date of late spring 2021, following the installation of a 7 ft-diameter pipe and near-surface sewer connections and site restoration. Aside from a brief delay caused by the need to hand-dig certain portions of the starter tunnel, the project has continued according to schedule and is expected to be completed on-budget.
A critical part of ReWa’s continued mission to proactively support growth and protect the environment in the Upstate, DIG Greenville is one of the agency’s largest and most impactful capital investment projects with a budget of approximately $50 million. The project funding is administered by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s State Revolving Fund Section and partially funded through the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
“DIG Greenville is one of the most important infrastructure investments needed to ensure economic growth and development in the area,” said ReWa Communication Director Chad Lawson. “Without this investment and work, sewer lines and the area along the Reedy River would be at an increasingly higher risk for sewer overflows, especially when rainfall is high, and future economic development would also be restricted since no additional water flows could be added to the existing lines.”
In addition to its efforts to ensure future capacity, ReWa has also worked diligently with City of Greenville and other community partners to ensure that that it operates well within noise and vibration ordinances and helps to control traffic flow, maintain a positive appearance at the dig sites, ensures resident satisfaction and directly addresses any concerns throughout the project’s lifecycle.
ReWa also provides regular updates through www.diggreenville.org, as well as the agency’s website and social media channels. It also hosts periodic in-person update through its “Sippin’ with Steve” information sharing sessions with the project construction manager, Steve O'Connell. The next event is scheduled for August 19 and will be a virtual event given the current social distancing protocol at 9 a.m. on August 27th.
“All of us at ReWa are so proud of the DIG Greenville project, not just for what it will accomplish, but because of the fashion in which it’s been handled: through thorough planning, employing advanced technology, demonstrating real concern and advocacy for the environment and residents, within budget objectives and with complete transparency,” said Lawson. “We are committed to finishing strong, staying ahead of the development curve and continuing our efforts to ensure the smart growth and sustainability required for our area to thrive now and for generations to come.”
About Renewable Water Resources (ReWa)
Since 1925, Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) has been committed to providing high-quality wastewater treatment services to the Upstate of South Carolina while promoting a cleaner environment, protecting the public health and water quality of the Upstate waterways and developing the necessary sewer infrastructure to sustain our community and growing economy.
With nine water resource recovery facilities and 352 miles of pipe, we serve a broad geographic area, including Greenville County and portions of Anderson, Laurens, Pickens, and Spartanburg Counties up to the North Carolina border. Each day an estimated 42 million gallons of water passes through our trunk lines and reclamation facilities before being cleaned and returned to our area rivers and streams. To learn more about ReWa, visit rewaonline.org.
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