City of Hartsville Receives $10 Million in Grants for Water Infrastructure

The city of Hartsville is making history after receiving the largest sum of grant money to date.

City officials announced on Wednesday that it received state funds from two different grant applications.

Hartsville will receive $8.5 million from the rural infrastructure authority; another $1 million is coming from the American Rescue plan act funds and $500,000 from the rural infrastructure authority.

The $10 million total is the largest total of grant money received by the city. Officials said the money is needed especially when the city is still operating with outdated infrastructure.

“Infrastructure is aging; our system is 100 years old. We are a 130-year-old city,” said Hartsville city manager Daniel Moore. “So in infrastructure, when you put a pipe in the ground, you might not see it for 75 plus years, and if it’s operating, then everything is fine, but when it fails, that is a problem.”

City leaders say the money will be used to make some improvements to the wastewater treatment plant, wastewater lift stations, water pump rooms, and most importantly, replace the downtown Hartsville water tank.

This will improve wastewater treatment and continue to provide fresh drinking water for residents and local businesses.

“If there is an outbreak or something in the water line, it affects people’s lives. We talk about drinking water, and it’s imperative,” said Moore.

The Hartsville iconic water tower is the main source of water for downtown businesses, and it has been needing a replacement since it’s been around for 88 years.

Dan Moscs, the owner of the Blind Pig restaurant in downtown Hartsville, said he is excited to see the much-needed changes.

“It guarantees us longevity. I think it guarantees us cleanliness. I think it takes away the fear that there could be issues, so all of those are extremely important when you own a business,” said Moscs.

Moore said these upcoming projects could take up to 2026 to be completed. This is a step in the right direction and business owners are excited to see what the city will bring next to grow the city.

“There was a need for this town. I think the equipment that we have now makes us a stagnant community, and this is a look forward,” said Moscs.

The next step will be attending a workshop at the end of May. At the workshop city officials will learn the timeline for when the money will be given.