History

In the 1920s, the citizens of Laurens recognized the need to improve their utility system. The most immediate need was a water treatment plant as, at that time, the water for Laurens was sourced from wells, given minimal chemical treatment, and then pumped through the water mains using diesel-powered pumps.

To fund this project, the citizens of Laurens decided to separate the public utility system from the general city government, forming a Commission of Public Works. This enabled them to create a revenue stream, independent from property taxes, to be used for the operation, maintenance, and enhancement of the city utility system.

 In February 1922, the South Carolina General Assembly enacted a law formally establishing the Laurens Board of Commissioners of Public Works, marking the beginning of the improvement and expansion of the utility system. Construction of the water treatment plant began later that same year.

In the 1950s, the citizens of Laurens expanded its utility services and established a municipally owned natural gas system, the fourth utility in the combined system. Since the 1950s, Laurens Commission of Public Works (CPW) has provided water, electricity, wastewater, and natural gas utility service in and around Laurens, South Carolina.



Since its inception, every public utility customer has had access to and influence over the local utility board and city council that oversee policies for Laurens CPW. Laurens CPW is one of approximately 30 CPWs throughout South Carolina. Just as Laurens CPW is owned by the residents of Laurens, communities as small as McCormick and Westminster and as large as Greenville and Charleston also have their own CPWs.


Like all CPWs, Laurens CPW is a citizen-created, not-for-profit, locally owned utility. This allows customers to have a voice in the local utility boards and city councils that manage utility policies, a privilege not available with private utilities. 

For the past century, the utilities for the people of Laurens County are provided by the people who live here… we take great pride in this and hope that you do, too.