Bluffton wastewater geyser shot 15 feet in the air. Here’s how the smell is being controlled
Officials are not expecting adverse environmental effects from Saturday’s large wastewater spill in the Bluffton area, thanks in part to the accident’s location.
An estimated 100,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed from a pressurized sewer pipe near the intersection of Burnt Church Road and Ann Smith Drive, according to spokesperson Jeff La Rue of the Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority.
The 16-inch diameter pipe was corroding from the inside and gave way around 11 a.m. Saturday, La Rue said. That resulted in a hole about the size of a baseball and a “short-lived” geyser of wastewater that reached about 12 to 15 feet in the air.
The wastewater pooled in the low-lying forested area and did not reach any local waterways, La Rue said. Before replacing the failed section of pipe and using vacuum trucks to clean up the spillage, crews at the scene shut down the flow of water into that pipe.
As they finalized their on-scene work Monday, BJWSA crews were spreading lime powder in the area of the spill, La Rue said. The flour-like powder will reduce the smell while killing bacteria and breaking down residual waste, he said.
BJWSA notified the S.C. Department of Environmental Services and worked alongside the agency to identify any possible ramifications of the spill, according to previous reporting.
Crews’ work would not impact traffic in the area of Burnt Church Road, La Rue said on Monday.
BJWSA transports an average of 10 million gallons of wastewater daily to eight facilities for treatment and disposal in the southern Lowcountry. The agency also treats and delivers nearly 40 million gallons of drinking water to locals on a daily basis, according to its website.
This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 1:50 PM.
