The beginning of the 2019 fiscal year finds Beaufort-Jasper Water &amp; Sewer Authority (BJWSA) celebrating a significant milestone – more than one million safe work hours without an injury resulting in a lost workday.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

As of July 1, BJWSA’s staff had worked safely 1,163 consecutive days to accumulate 1,047,540 hours, the result of every employee’s commitment to safety and compliance with their robust safety program. BJWSA reached this milestone once before but, due to complacency, made missteps in the workplace that resulted in several injuries. To avoid repeating this, employees are focused on achieving the 2,000,000 safe hours mark.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

The BJWSA Board also recently approved a five-year strategic plan dubbed “Crystal Clear 2022.”

In the coming year, BJWSA will expedite its galvanized/cast iron replacement program and commit $4M/year for the next two years to fund full replacement of the remaining lines. This program, along with achieving enhanced call center metrics, new metering and bill paying initiatives, enhanced predictive maintenance and asset management strategies, is all tied to the strategic plan.

Among the projects currently underway is an effort to divert wastewater from Lady’s Island to the Port Royal Water Reclamation Facility (PRWRF). This diversion of the existing sewer flows to PRWRF will eliminate excessive treated effluent loads currently experienced at St. Helena Waste Water Treatment Plant during the winter months and redirect these flows to PRWRF, where there is adequate effluent disposal capacity.