Georgetown receives more funding for upgrades to stormwater system

GEORGETOWN, SC (WMBF) - The City of Georgetown said they were given extra funding for a project the city said “has long been anticipated.”

In a news release, the city said they got an additional $781,764 in grant funds toward upgrading the Historic District’s stormwater system.

The grants were provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

With the grants, the city said they secured the estimated funding needed for the project. This allows the project to move forward, something Mayor Carol Jayroe and council members welcome, according to the news release.

Jayroe thanked all of the agencies who helped with the funding while highlighting the need for the project.

“We are thankful we have been fortunate to obtain funding from these various sources,” Jayroe said. “Infrastructure upgrades are costly, and the city needed this assistance to improve and replace our aging drainage system.”

The area of focus for the project is the Front Street and Orange Street intersection, Constitution Park, including a new bulkhead at the park behind the county’s property, Church Street and Orange Street and Orange Street between Prince Street and Highmarket Street.

Those areas have repeatedly experienced flooding during big storms, according to the city.

Green Wave Contracting, a Georgetown-based construction company, was awarded the project. The project is expected to begin in the fall of 2023.

The breakdown of the total funding for the stormwater upgrade can be viewed below:

Agencies	Funding available	% Cost share
Federal: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, EDA	$5,488,526	72.1%
Local match: Georgetown County	$841,353	11.1%
Local match: City of Georgetown	$500,000	6.6%
Local match: S.C Dept. of Commerce	$781,764	10.3%
Total	$7,611,643	100%