Charleston Water System replaced a 10-foot section of sewer pipe after a second main break in three weeks forced the closure of part of the West Ashley Greenway.
The Nov. 3 break released an undetermined volume of sewage and prompted the utility to close the trail between Coburg Road and Farmfield Avenue beginning Nov. 4, according to a Charleston Water System notice. The same stretch had been closed following a sewer main break on Oct. 20.
The second rupture occurred about one foot from the location of the previous repair, Charleston Water System spokesperson Mike Saia told the Post and Courier.
Because the breaks were so close together, the utility decided to replace a longer section of pipe rather than make another localized repair.
"The close proximity of the breaks will require us to replace a 10-foot length of pipe," Saia said, according to the newspaper.
Charleston Water System spent Nov. 4 assessing the damage and determining the extent of the replacement. Saia said the two breaks were unrelated, the Post and Courier reported.
ABC News 4 reported Nov. 5 that crews had replaced the 10-foot section. The station said the Greenway was expected to reopen the following afternoon.
The utility advised the public to avoid nearby marshes and waterways until testing confirmed bacteria levels had returned to normal. The Nov. 3 notice described the volume of sewage released as still undetermined.
Repeated breaks in the area
The two incidents have drawn attention to a stretch of sewer infrastructure that has experienced multiple failures.
During coverage of the Oct. 20 break, Saia told ABC News 4 that the utility had dealt with two or three breaks in the general area over the previous two years.
"For the past two years, we've had two or three breaks in this general area," Saia said.
He attributed the deterioration in part to the area's conditions, explaining that saltwater and metal can combine to weaken pipes.
Charleston Water System also described the Nov. 3 incident as nearly identical to the Oct. 20 break in a Nov. 2 post on X, according to local news coverage.
Charleston Waterkeeper, an environmental advocacy organization, said it had been notified of the latest spill by the utility. The group has called for improvements to the area's aging sewer infrastructure and greater transparency about overflows.
Longer-term sewer improvements planned
The repeated breaks come as Charleston Water System works on a larger infrastructure project intended to address wastewater capacity and overflow problems in West Ashley.
The West Ashley Sewer Tunnel Extension project will add approximately 20,000 feet of sewer tunnel, according to the utility's project overview. The tunnel is designed to handle projected peak wastewater flows and help reduce sewer overflows.
ABC News 4 reported in June that the project carries a price tag exceeding $100 million. Construction began in June 2025, with completion expected around the end of 2027.
The tunnel project is part of a broader effort to address sewer overflows. In February, Charleston Water System and Charleston Waterkeeper announced an agreement under which the utility committed to expedite sewer inspections, repairs and replacements in West Ashley and issue quarterly progress reports. The Southern Environmental Law Center's announcement describes the agreement and its commitments.
Charleston Water System's July 2026 progress report outlines work under that agreement, including inspections and condition assessments of approximately 16 miles of West Ashley wastewater infrastructure.
Riley Egger of Charleston Waterkeeper told ABC News 4 in October that sewage spills can introduce bacteria and other pathogens into waterways.
"Sewage spills, they introduce bacteria and different pathogens into the environment, and if we are introduced to those through recreational contact, it could have a serious impact on people and their health," Egger said.
