About Us

About Us

Berkeley County Water & Sanitation (BCWS) is dedicated to providing essential services in potable water distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, recycling, and solid waste disposal. As a self-sustaining public utility, BCWS proudly serves over 40,000 water and sewer customers and more than 81,000 solid waste customers.

Committed to exceptional customer service, BCWS strives to deliver safe and reliable water and sanitation services at competitive, non-profit rates, reflecting the values of a publicly owned utility. Leading the way in green energy innovation in the Lowcountry, BCWS is actively developing a Bio-energy Park to transform selected waste streams into clean, renewable energy.


Our Mission

To enhance the quality of life for our citizens by responsibly delivering clean drinking water and ensuring the proper disposal of solid waste and wastewater, all while protecting our natural resources.

Our Vision

BCWS is committed to earning, nurturing, and protecting a reputation for unmatched service excellence, fiscal responsibility, and environmental stewardship. We will cultivate a workplace that attracts and retains highly skilled professionals dedicated to upholding these high standards.

Our Values

Integrity: We pledge to be honest, ethical, and compassionate in all our dealings, with everyone, at all times.

Professionalism: We are committed to delivering precise analyses, objective evaluations, and clear, effective communication.

Public Trust: As a responsible and transparent utility, we manage our resources with care and are fully accountable for our decisions, actions, and outcomes.

Employees: We value our employees for their dedication, ideas, and commitment. We foster an environment that encourages innovation, rewards excellence, and promotes personal well-being.

Customers: We are dedicated to providing our customers and stakeholders with exceptional service, delivered with courtesy and respect.

Community Involvement: We invest in our community by supporting initiatives that promote social awareness, civic responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

Our Goal

To provide safe reliable water and sanitation services at a competitive non-profit rate in the spirit of a publicly owned utility.

A major objective of any public utility, such as Berkeley County Water and Sanitation, is to be financially self-supporting. To be financially self-supporting, a utility must recover its costs, in full, through a water, sewer and solid waste charge system. Water and sewer user charges are intended to recover costs associated with operations, maintenance, equipment replacement and local capital construction. Such user charges may generally include monthly service charges, impact fees, construction fees, mailing charges, capacity reservation fees, administrative processing charges, and administrative plan review fees, solid waste disposal, recycling fees and tipping fees.

As a public utility, Berkeley County Water and Sanitation must establish a water and/or sewer user charge system consistent with the policies and regulations of various State and Federal Regulatory Agencies. Those Agencies which have review authority over the BCWS’ user charge system include the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. This legislation requires the adoption and implementation of a system of user charges that:

  • Recovers total operating, maintenance and equipment replacement costs;
  • Requires the adoption of a financial management system that will accurately account for revenues and expenditures;
  • Recovers costs in proportion to use; and
  • Advises the public of that portion of their monthly water and sewer bill which is used for treatment costs (58%) and debt service (42%).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the State agency designated by the EPA to oversee the implementation of the Clean Water Act Amendments, has approved the BCWS’ user charge system.

In keeping with the above state objectives and agency requirements, Berkeley County Water and Sanitation has established such a “User Charge” System.