Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) made a gift to the community while celebrating its centennial. The utility upgraded a stretch of the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail Network with a mural, opportunities for scavenger hunts and educational signage about ReWa and the land surrounding its Mauldin Road campus.
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA (May 2, 2025)—Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) is celebrating its centennial by inviting the community to its Mauldin Road campus along an upgraded portion of the Blue Line of the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail Network.
Trail users will learn about the wastewater treatment process through educational signage on ReWa’s campus, the ecosystem surrounding the utility’s Mauldin Road Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) and participate in scavenger hunts for bronze salamanders along ReWa’s Clean Water Connector Loop, which connects to Conestee Nature Preserve, a 640-acre wildlife sanctuary downstream from ReWa.
“Throughout our history, we have embraced the responsibility to teach others about water,” said Rebecca West, ReWa’s CEO. “We often visit classrooms and civic groups and host tours to discuss our work while sharing how all of us can protect our waterways. Providing a learning experience along the Swamp Rabbit Trail through our campus is a way to give back to our community while teaching and providing opportunities to interact with us and our campus. We hope that each person who spends time on our trail will learn more about water, how water is cleaned and recycled, and better understand the unique smells surrounding the treatment process and wetlands.”
The Clean Water Connector Loop is part of the Swamp Rabbit Trail’s Blue Line, which is a four-mile trail between the trailhead located on Parkins Mill Road, starting under the I-85 bridge that crosses the Reedy River, to connect to Conestee Nature Preserve.
“Since its inception, the mission of the Swamp Rabbit Network has been to grow and connect communities and to form collaborative partnerships that create outdoor opportunities to enrich the lives of residents and visitors to Greenville County,” said Ty Houck, manager of greenways, natural and historic resources with Greenville County Parks, Recreation and Tourism. “Without ReWa’s embracing partnership from the beginning, the Swamp Rabbit would not have been able to hop into so many communities. The creation of this trailside outdoor classroom takes education from the classroom to the community, highlighting our talent and creativity while encouraging active transportation and recreation.”
The Reedy River and Brushy Creek flow through ReWa’s Mauldin Road campus, and people using the trail will learn about wetlands, plants and animals that can be found along it. Conestee Nature Preserve and ReWa have been longtime partners. Together, ReWa and Conestee have dedicated nearly 1,000 acres of green space for conservation, education and recreation.
“ReWa, Conestee, and our many valued partners are constantly collaborating in service to our shared goal of improving our community and environment,” said Erin Knight, executive director of Conestee Nature Preserve. “This incredible new trail is a testament to the collective impact we can achieve through strong partnerships.”
Shortly after hopping on the trail from Parkins Mill Road, trail users will see the 2,200-square-foot “For the Love of Water” mural on one of the filter tanks at the Mauldin Road WRRF. The mural depicts native plants and wildlife that can be found along the Reedy River, including a larger-than-life heron, a brown and yellow spotted salamander and a yellowtail butterfly. Adam Schrimmer, a Greenville-based artist and owner of Blank Canvas Mural Company, was commissioned for the project and collaborated with Jody Wells, another Greenville artist.
Nine bronze salamanders are along the trail for scavenger hunts, like downtown Greenville’s “Mice on Main.”
People using the trail will also get a glimpse of ReWa’s Innovation Campus, which includes buildings dating back to 1928 that have been repurposed. In the fall, the campus’ Reedy River Gate House will open to the public with exhibits discussing ReWa’s history.
ReWa was founded as the Greater Greenville Sewer District on March 30, 1925, through Act No. 362 of the South Carolina General Assembly.
George Fletcher, vice chair of ReWa’s Board of Commissioners, chaired the utility’s Centennial Planning Committee, which oversaw the trail project and a May 10 through Oct. 5 exhibit at the Upcountry History Museum.
The idea for the trail started with Joel Jones, ReWa’s recently retired CEO. A sign along the trail celebrates Jones being the inspiration for it and the utility’s Innovation Campus.
The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 28-mile shared-use path network stretching from north of the City of Travelers Rest, through the City of Greenville, into Simpsonville and Fountain Inn and down into Laurens County. It is enjoyed by more than 2 million users annually.
ABOUT RENEWABLE WATER RESOURCES (ReWa): Since 1925, Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) has been committed to providing high-quality wastewater services to the Upstate of South Carolina while providing a cleaner environment, protecting public health and sustaining our community. With nine water resource recovery facilities and more than 430 miles of pipe, we serve a broad geographic area, including Greenville County and portions of Anderson, Laurens, Pickens and Spartanburg counties. Each day an estimated 44 million gallons of water passes through our trunk lines and reclamation facilities before being cleaned and returned to our area rivers and streams.