2030 Plan - Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority

(1) Socastee Sod Farm
The Socastee Sod Farm was the first sod farm developed by GSWSA. It was developed
and expanded concurrently with the Schwartz WWTP to handle the biosolids from the
plant and use part of the plant effluent for irrigation needs. The 415 acre site has 210
acres permitted and used for disposal of treated biosolids and effluent to aid in the
production of 419 Bermuda sod. About 50 acres may be developed for future biosolids
disposal and the remainder is buffer, storage lagoons, and wetlands. The farm operates
three storage lagoons, an 8 MG aerated lagoon for temporary storage of excess Schwartz
plant influent or effluent, a 10 MG lagoon for storm water, and a 6 MG lagoon for storm
water or effluent. The farm also operates 0.6 MG of aerated biosolids storage tanks.
GSWSA sold 654,642 square feet of Bermuda sod last year.
(2) Bucksport Sod Farm
The Bucksport Sod Farm was developed concurrently with the Bull Creek Surface Water
Treatment Plant to dispose alum sludge and backwash water. Subsequently it has been
permitted for disposal of Myrtle Beach water plant alum sludge and treated wastewater
biosolids from several of GSWSA’s smaller treatment plants. The 490 acre site has 341
acres permitted for alum sludge and 175 acres of that is permitted for wastewater
biosolids to aid in the production of centipede sod. About 50 acres may be developed for
sludge reuse in the future and the remainder is buffer and wetlands.
GSWSA sold 1,463,496 square feet of centipede sod last year.
(3) Tip Top Tree Farm
This 4,464 acre site is about half wetlands and half uplands. DHEC has permitted 1,600
acres of sandy upland soils as acceptable for tree farm irrigation with 10.5 MGD of
treated effluent from the Schwartz and Bucksport WWTPs. Currently 700 acres are used
to dispose of up to 5 MGD of effluent from these facilities to aid in the production of
hardwood trees. The site has several colonies of Red Cockaded Woodpeckers and 300
acres are set aside as Safe Harbor areas for the protection and propagation of this
endangered species. Approximately 800 additional acres are used for biosolids reuse.
(4) Yauhannah Tract
This 3,226 acre site has approximately 1,200 acres of uplands tree farm with the
remainder being riverine and isolated wetlands. The site was purchased in 2004 and is
permitted used for bio-solids application to enhance tree growth.
(5) Carolina Bays
This 700 acre site at the Vereen WWTP consists of four Carolina Bays ranging in size
from 130 to 250 acres. These Bays were originally permitted by EPA and DHEC as an
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