Myrtle Beach files lawsuit against North Myrtle Beach over water usage

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - The City of Myrtle Beach is taking the City of North Myrtle Beach to court.

Myrtle Beach filed the lawsuit last week, claiming North Myrtle Beach pulled over 25 billion gallons of water through Myrtle Beach’s lines over the last 19 years without paying for it.

Myrtle Beach said this strains the city, causing critical failures, burst pipes, low pressure and millions of dollars in damages, with Myrtle Beach taxpayers footing the bill.

“NMB has forced MB’s customers and taxpayers to shoulder the cost of delivering water to NMB and its customers,” the lawsuit reads.

Engineering firms warned Myrtle Beach that without any changes, public safety is at risk, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit states that Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach entered an agreement in 1990 where North Myrtle Beach would pay Myrtle Beach monthly for seven million gallons per day.

North Myrtle Beach invested in expanding Myrtle Beach’s water plant but never paid to expand its capacity from seven million gallons per day to 12.6 million gallons per day, the documents allege.

Myrtle Beach said North Myrtle Beach only made the original payments until early 2006 when Myrtle Beach sold the plant to Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority.

From 2006 to 2024, North Myrtle Beach’s water usage doubled, according to the lawsuit.

Myrtle Beach said it tried to resolve the issues but was forced to file the lawsuit, which is asking for damages and a jury trial.

WMBF News asked North Myrtle Beach for a comment on the lawsuit. The city said it does not comment on pending litigation.

The full lawsuit can be viewed below:

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