GSWSA Water Quality Guide for Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand Homeowners

Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority (GSWSA) is the primary drinking water utility for Horry County and portions of Georgetown County, serving Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, and surrounding communities. GSWSA draws raw surface water from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway at the Bull Creek Water Treatment Plant in Bucksport, SC, blends it with groundwater from the Black Creek aquifer, treats it with chloramine disinfection, and distributes it to roughly 80,000 residential and commercial connections. Water hardness ranges from approximately 3 to 7 grains per gallon depending on the season and the blend ratio between surface water and groundwater. The raw surface water contains naturally high levels of dissolved organic carbon that react with disinfectants to form trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. GSWSA publishes full water quality data annually in its Consumer Confidence Report. Verify current contaminant figures there before making any home treatment decisions.

Where does Myrtle Beach get its drinking water?

Myrtle Beach gets its drinking water from GSWSA, which treats and distributes water from two primary sources: raw surface water drawn from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway at the Bull Creek Water Treatment Plant in Bucksport, SC, and groundwater pumped from the Black Creek aquifer beneath Horry County.

The Bull Creek plant is GSWSA's primary treatment facility. It sits along the Intracoastal Waterway, which at that location carries water contributed roughly 60 percent by the Great Pee Dee River and Little Pee Dee River watershed. The plant's peak treatment capacity is approximately 45 million gallons per day, which allows GSWSA to serve the surge in population the Grand Strand sees during peak tourism months.

The blend ratio between Intracoastal surface water and Black Creek groundwater shifts with the seasons. During high-demand summer months when both tourism and local irrigation peak, GSWSA draws more heavily on the surface water supply. This shift matters for water quality because Intracoastal surface water carries more dissolved organic carbon (DOC) than the groundwater does, and DOC is the precursor to disinfection byproducts formed during chlorination and chloramination.

Homeowners in the Georgetown County portion of the Grand Strand, including Pawleys Island and Georgetown itself, are served by the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District (GCWSD), which draws exclusively from the Black Creek aquifer and does not use Intracoastal surface water. This difference in source water means GCWSD customers typically experience different hardness, taste, and disinfection byproduct profiles compared to GSWSA customers even a few miles away. See our Grand Strand water quality pillar page for a full comparison.

Is Myrtle Beach tap water safe to drink?

Yes. GSWSA tap water meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards set by the EPA and all standards enforced by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) at the state level. GSWSA is required to publish an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) with results for every monitored contaminant. Verify current levels in that report at gswsa.com/water-quality/ before making any decisions about home treatment.

Meeting regulatory standards and being ideal for every household are two different things. Some homeowners find GSWSA water has a noticeable chloramine or chemical taste, particularly in summer. Others notice scale buildup on fixtures and inside appliances from water hardness in the 3 to 7 grains per gallon range. Homeowners with infants, immunocompromised household members, or specific health concerns sometimes choose additional treatment as a precaution. These are quality-of-life decisions, not safety crises.

Our Myrtle Beach water quality overview article covers the full regulatory picture in detail. For renters and owners of beach rental properties, our beach rental property water treatment guide addresses the specific concerns that come with high-turnover occupancy and frequent guests.

What is in GSWSA water?

GSWSA water is treated surface water and groundwater blended together. The key constituents that matter to Grand Strand homeowners are hardness minerals, disinfectant residuals, disinfection byproducts, and trace contaminants that vary by season and source blend.

Hardness in GSWSA water comes primarily from the Black Creek aquifer contribution. Calcium and magnesium in the 3 to 7 grains per gallon range are enough to cause scale buildup on water heater elements, inside dishwashers, on shower glass, and on faucet aerators. This is not a health concern, but it does shorten appliance life and increase cleaning effort.

Chloramine (chlorine plus ammonia) is used as the primary residual disinfectant in the GSWSA distribution system. Chloramine is more stable than free chlorine in a long distribution network like GSWSA's, which stretches across a large geographic service area. The downside is that chloramine is harder to remove from water than free chlorine. Standard carbon filters designed for free chlorine removal are less effective on chloramine. You need catalytic carbon (also called activated catalytic carbon) to efficiently break down chloramine in a whole house filter system.

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are formed when disinfectants react with naturally occurring organic matter in the source water. Bull Creek's raw surface water from the Intracoastal Waterway carries high dissolved organic carbon from the Pee Dee River watershed, including agricultural areas and wetlands upstream. When this DOC-rich water is pre-treated with chlorine and then further treated with chloramine at distribution points, trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) form. GSWSA reports TTHM and HAA5 levels in the annual CCR. Verify current TTHM and HAA5 figures directly in the GSWSA Consumer Confidence Report before drawing any conclusions. For more context on PFAS, our article on PFAS in South Carolina drinking water (2026) covers the broader state picture.

Does Myrtle Beach water have PFAS?

The EPA finalized the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Rule (NPDWR) in April 2024, requiring public water systems including GSWSA to monitor for six PFAS compounds and report results. Systems with detections above the new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are required to take corrective action by 2029. Verify GSWSA's current PFAS monitoring data in the most recent Consumer Confidence Report at gswsa.com/water-quality/. These figures change as monitoring and reporting continues, so always check the current CCR rather than relying on any third-party summary, including this article.

For homeowners who want the highest level of assurance on PFAS at the drinking tap regardless of utility levels, a reverse osmosis (RO) system installed at the kitchen sink is the most effective option. NSF/ANSI Standard 58 certified RO systems are tested to reduce PFAS including PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, GenX chemicals, and HFPO-DA to below detectable levels. An RO system treats only the water you drink and cook with, which is the highest use-priority for drinking water purity.

Our 2026 PFAS guide for South Carolina covers how the new EPA rule affects homeowners across the state, which aquifers carry the highest documented PFAS concentrations, and what certification standards to look for when selecting a treatment system. See also our drinking water treatment service page for Myrtle Beach for installation options in your area.

Why does Myrtle Beach water taste different in summer?

Several factors converge in the summer months to change how GSWSA water tastes and smells. Understanding them helps you decide whether a home treatment system makes sense for your household.

First, higher tourism demand during June, July, and August drives up daily water consumption across the Grand Strand significantly. To meet demand, GSWSA draws more heavily on surface water from the Intracoastal Waterway relative to groundwater from the Black Creek aquifer. Intracoastal surface water carries more organic compounds than the groundwater does, which changes the baseline taste and slightly increases the organic load that reacts with disinfectants.

Second, agricultural operations along the Great Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee River watersheds are active in spring and early summer. Fertilizer runoff and soil-bound organic matter enter the river systems and eventually reach the Intracoastal Waterway intake at Bucksport. The extra organic content affects taste even after treatment.

Third, warmer water temperatures promote algae and cyanobacteria growth in the source water. These organisms produce geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), two naturally occurring compounds that cause earthy or musty taste and odor at concentrations as low as 5 to 10 parts per trillion. Treatment plants can reduce but not always fully eliminate geosmin and MIB, especially during heavy bloom events. Charleston Water System deals with the same seasonal issue from the Edisto River.

Fourth, the chloramine disinfectant residual reacts more strongly with higher organic content water, producing a slightly stronger chemical odor in treated water during peak season. A whole house catalytic carbon filter effectively removes chloramine and the associated taste and odor compounds. For regular Grand Strand residents who notice the summer shift most, this is often the single upgrade that makes the biggest day-to-day difference. See our Myrtle Beach water softener guide for a full breakdown of seasonal treatment priorities.

What areas does GSWSA serve on the Grand Strand?

GSWSA serves an extensive area across Horry County and portions of Georgetown County. Key communities in the GSWSA service territory include Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet (the northern and Horry County portions), Conway, Loris, Aynor, and unincorporated Horry County communities stretching from the coast inland toward the SC state line.

Not all Grand Strand communities are GSWSA customers. Georgetown County Water and Sewer District (GCWSD) serves Georgetown, Pawleys Island, Litchfield Beach, and the Georgetown County portions of the coast. GCWSD draws water exclusively from the Black Creek aquifer and does not blend in surface water, which means its customers typically see different hardness levels, lower DOC, and different disinfection byproduct profiles compared to GSWSA customers a short distance north.

Some areas within GSWSA's mapped service territory also have private wells, particularly in rural Horry County west of Highway 501, in communities like Socastee, Red Hill, and sections of Conway adjacent to the Waccamaw River. If you are on a private well anywhere in the Grand Strand area, your water quality is entirely independent of GSWSA and requires its own testing and treatment evaluation. See our guide to iron in well water and our page on Black Creek aquifer water quality for what well owners in this region typically encounter.

Solomon Home Water Solutions serves the full GSWSA service area and surrounding communities. Our local service pages for Myrtle Beach water softening, Myrtle Beach water filtration, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet, and Conway cover local service options and response times for each community.

What home treatment options work best for GSWSA water?

For GSWSA customers, the best treatment strategy depends on which water quality concerns matter most to your household. Below is a practical breakdown by concern, with the most effective system for each.

For Grand Strand homeowners on private wells rather than GSWSA service, the treatment priorities are different. Well water in the Murrells Inlet and Conway area often carries moderate iron, sometimes with tannins that produce a tea-colored appearance. An air injection oxidation filter handles iron and manganese. UV disinfection addresses bacteria that can enter shallow surficial aquifer wells after heavy rain. See our guide to saltwater intrusion in coastal SC wells for a specific concern that affects shallow wells closest to the coast.

The most common whole home treatment combination we install for GSWSA customers is a catalytic carbon filter paired with a water softener, followed by an under-sink RO system at the kitchen. This combination handles the chloramine taste and odor throughout the house, eliminates scale on every fixture and appliance, and delivers the cleanest possible drinking water at the tap. Verify your specific water quality parameters first with a free in home test before committing to any system. Numbers vary between neighborhoods and seasons, and the right system design depends on actual test data, not estimates. Our water filtration systems page covers all the options in detail.