Camera captures person entering fenced area of $11.9M Beaufort construction site
For the second time, somebody has entered a fenced area of a major storm drainage construction site in downtown Beaufort after hours, prompting police to investigate.
Late Friday or early Saturday, somebody tore down the fence enclosing a generator and pump on the Charles Street Extension, a short street that leads into Waterfront Park, according to City Manager Scott Marshall.
The pump and the generator are being used in the $11.9 million stormwater drainage improvement project on Charles and Craven streets in downtown Beaufort.
Kevin O’Dell, a spokesman for the South Carolina Office of Resilience, which is overseeing the project, told the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet Monday afternoon that a city camera captured an unidentified person entering the area.
No equipment appears to have been damaged, O’Dell said, but the person hit an emergency stop button on the generator powering the pump.
The city contacted Gulf Stream Construction Co., the contractor, which was able to get the system running again.
The pump and generator are vital in keeping large open trenches, which can fill with water, dry.
Had it been raining, Marshall noted, having no working pump could have caused widespread damage.
Police are investigating, Marshall said. “This is the second time somebody has pushed that fence over,” he said.
Last week, during installation of the stormwater pipe along Charles Street, a main water line was accidentally struck, breaking service to area residents and businesses for about 90 minutes.
The $11.9 million Charles/Craven Street Stormwater Improvements involve replacing 1900-era pipes and installing tidal check valves along the waterfront to reduce chronic flooding from hurricanes and other storms.
A separate storm drainage project is occurring on King Street, but the city is overseeing that work with the federal funding coming through the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority.
This coming week, the Beaufort‑Jasper Water & Sewer Authority has scheduled a temporary water service interruption for portions of King Street and Carteret Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Residents and businesses in the affected area may experience temporary water service disruption during this time while crews complete necessary work on the system.
This story was originally published March 9, 2026 at 11:04 AM.
