Summerville Water Works

Front: In 1930 the Summerville Water Works opened at this site. A project of the city Commission of Public Works, it was the central plant for the town’s first public water system. Upon opening, the facility included a one-story fireproof pumphouse, a 300,000-gallon covered concrete reservoir, and a 100,000-gallon water tower. The system included 14 miles of water mains, drew from artesian wells, and had around 50 customers. Reverse: In 1936 a filtration plant was added to the site with support from the Public Works Administration (PWA). In 1951-52 the city water department moved to a plant on Bacon’s Bridge Rd. near the Ashley River. By then the system had grown to more than 1,200 users. Remaining from the original plant are the reservoir and pumphouse. The latter has been expanded and extensively renovated and later housed the town police station and museum.