Business View Magazine | March 2019

171 burg-Leesville, Lockhart, Union, Walterboro, and others — have pursued State Revolving Fund loans and Rural Infrastructure Author- ity grants to help make infrastructure upgrade projects possible. In some instances, municipalities have built their new infrastructure with an eye toward the potential new industry that a higher-ca- pacity plant can make possible. Several years ago, the City of Woodruff needed to take action on a wastewater treatment plant reaching the end of its lifespan. It expanded the plant and built in upgraded technology, so that its treat- ment capacity grew by 40 percent and it now can serve more nearby commercial properties. MAKING PATHWAYS FOR TOURISM Efforts to cultivate and manage tourism often begin with cities. Tourism is at least a $22.6 billion industry for our state, an economic im- pact which has been setting new records every year for years. Many of our visitors are drawn to waterfront destinations, so cities labor to provide access, seen in the waterfront walkway projects supported by coastal communities like Beaufort and Conway, but also inland commu- nities situated by rivers, like Pacolet and North Augusta. Henry C Chambers Waterfront Park Credit – City of Beaufort The Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park connects Beaufort’s downtown to the Beaufort River. Photo: City of Beaufort.