Wells around Myrtle Beach
Inside the city, homes are on GSWSA water. Outside utility service in unincorporated Horry County, many homes still draw from private wells, and nobody tests those for you. Coastal plain groundwater commonly carries iron, hydrogen sulfide and tannins, which show up as orange stains, rotten-egg smells and tea-colored water.
Tannins come from decaying plant matter, common in the blackwater creeks and swamps of the Waccamaw region, and they tint water the color of tea. They need a tannin filter, which is a different tool from an iron filter, so the test decides which one you need.
Well or utility water?
Around Myrtle Beach, water comes from several utilities:
- City of Myrtle Beach serves homes inside city limits, with water supplied by GSWSA.
- Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority (GSWSA) serves much of unincorporated Horry County.
- City of North Myrtle Beach serves North Myrtle Beach, which buys part of its water from GSWSA's Bull Creek plant.
If none of these bill you for water, your home is most likely on a private well.
Who tests a private well?
In South Carolina, private well owners are responsible for their own water. SCDES and local health offices provide sample kits for bacteria and for metals and minerals, and fees apply (SCDES).
Our free in-home test covers iron, hardness, pH and dissolved solids on the spot. Bacteria, nitrates and PFAS need a certified lab, and we will walk you through those options.
Building the right treatment
Well systems are built in stages: sediment filtration, an oxidizing filter for iron and sulfur, a softener if the well is hard, UV if bacteria is a concern, and reverse osmosis for drinking water. Most wells need only some of them. Read about iron in well water, rotten-egg smells and what well treatment costs.
What happens at your free test
Your free test measures hardness, chlorine or chloramine, iron, pH and total dissolved solids at your tap, and you keep the written report. We recommend a treatment system only if your results call for it. How the free test works.
Where we work around Myrtle Beach
We test homes across Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest, Socastee, Forestbrook and Surfside Beach.
Sources
- City of Myrtle Beach: treated tap water classified as soft
- GSWSA: Myrtle Beach Water Treatment Plant (Intracoastal Waterway source, ozone treatment)
- GSWSA: chloramine FAQ (chloramine is the primary disinfectant, since 1993)
- SCDES: well water quality testing services
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch from my well to GSWSA water?
It depends on whether GSWSA has a main near your property, which GSWSA can tell you. Until then, treatment designed around your test results keeps well water in check.
How often should I test my well?
Public health guidance is to test a private well at least once a year for bacteria, and again after flooding, repairs, or any change in taste, smell or color.
Can a water softener fix iron?
Sometimes, for low levels of dissolved iron. Higher levels or iron bacteria need a dedicated iron filter.