FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2025
Westminster, SC — The City of Westminster is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $594,000 Basic Infrastructure Grant from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) to construct a new 120,000-gallon Unity Water Storage Tank. This transformative investment will significantly strengthen water reliability, resiliency, and storage capacity for families and Customers in the Long Creek service area. The grant funds will be combined with a local match of $278,601 for a project total of $872,601.
The new tank—three times larger than the existing 40,000-gallon structure—will be built on the same site as the current facility, enabling both tanks to operate together to support growing demand north of and including Coffee Road along Long Creek Highway. Once complete, the project will directly serve 384 customer residences, representing an estimated 922 community members.
This major expansion will stabilize system pressure, improve service reliability, and provide critical reserve storage during outages or emergencies. The Long Creek service area has historically been more vulnerable due to limited stored capacity, resulting in more frequent pressure fluctuations and boil water advisories. With this upgrade, residents will benefit from a safer, more resilient, and dependable water system—without any increase to customer water rates, thanks to the secured grant funding.
“We are grateful for the support and investment from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority,” said Westminster Utilities Director Scott Parris. “This project will dramatically improve system stability and ensure reliable, high-quality water service for our customers in the Long Creek area.”
Over the past five years, Westminster has invested nearly $12 million into modernizing its water system—almost entirely funded through state and federal funding, including previous awards from RIA. The City extends its sincere appreciation to the Oconee County legislative delegation, including Representatives Bill Whitmire and Adam Duncan, and especially Senator Thomas Alexander, the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority Board of Directors, and Executive Director Bonnie Ammons, whose strong advocacy and leadership continue to make essential infrastructure improvements possible for our community.
To learn more about the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority and its mission to strengthen communities across the state, visit ria.sc.gov.
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