Aiken outlines $68 million water plant, still on track to open January 2027

Aiken City Manager Stuart Beenbo said Wednesday that construction of the city's new water treatment plant remains on schedule and is expected to open in January 2027. "We still expect the plant to open by January 2027," Beenbo said, adding that "This $68 million project will increase our water capacity by approximately 35%."

The plant is intended to expand capacity for customers north of downtown and beyond Interstate 20, Beenbo said, and is part of the city's broader infrastructure plan to meet growing demand. He did not provide a detailed construction timeline beyond the projected opening month.

City officials framed the project as a long-term investment in reliability and growth; Beenbo described the capacity increase as an approximate figure. Funding details beyond the project cost were not specified in the remarks.

The manager said the city will continue to report construction milestones as the project proceeds.