New details on $86 million dollar Lake Murray Water treatment plant expansion

LEXINGTON, S.C. (WIS) - The Lake Murray water plant expansion project has been in the works for the last 8 years and will address the capacity, taste and odor of the county’s water.

The plant is the largest water treatment plant for Lexington County.

In a West Columbia special council meeting earlier this month, city council received an update on the project from Andy Zaengle, the director of engineering and water plants for the city.

Zaengle told council the project is progressing ahead of schedule.

The project master plan began in 2016, to expand water capacity.

Since then, the plan has morphed to include new technology that will enhance odor and taste.

The city began construction to address the capacity component in April of 2023. Andy Zaengle said 30% of that project has been completed.

The plant is the largest drinking water provider in Lexington county and the budget for the project is estimated at $86 million.

“Our customers expect to be able to turn the faucet on and have water there, they don’t want to hear or be under use restrictions,” said Zaengle.

As for the taste and odor component, the city has decided to implement ‘ozone’ technology, the price tag for this alone is $40 million dollars.

The technology will address organic compounds in the water, oxidize and remove them, and ensure further capacity. Zanegle says the plant will be the only on in the midlands with ozone technology and one of only 5 in the state.

“Addressing taste and odor really comes from our customers, they don’t like it and they want it address it, they want to drink their sweet tea or drink water and not have that smell when they come out of the shower or the taste when they consume their favorite drinks so listening to what they want done, this is how you address it and this is the most efficient way to address it,” said Zaengle.

Zaengle tells WIS News 10 the current capacity of the plant is 27 million gallons a day, but with this new expansion the capacity will rise to 36 million.

He said the funding for this project will come from several sources including bond funds, and the project will not directly impact customers’ water bills.

As far as the appearance of the plant, not much will change, the majority of the expansion will be done underground, Zaengle said.

“Fundamentally, if you were to walk from the beginning to end, you’ll notice that there is a difference,” Zaengle said. “But its not going to end up being except for those in part really that there is a whole new set of structures out here that weren’t here before.”

The project is set to be completed by 2027.

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