Posted on December 4, 2025
Myrtle Beach’s deepwater ocean outfall project aims to improve water quality, reduce beach erosion, and minimize flooding by consolidating stormwater pipes and removing drainage from the beach. Despite challenges with permitting and construction, the $43 million project is expected to be completed by March 2026, enhancing the city’s beach experience
Myrtle Beach, S.C., lies in the northeast corner of the state on the Atlantic Ocean. The Myrtle Beach area, which includes 60 mi. of beaches and 14 communities, draws 17 million tourists yearly.
While the city has much to offer, the key driver of the tourism industry is the beach. The city of Myrtle Beach, along with Manson Construction Co., is in the middle of a deepwater ocean outfall project that will preserve the beach and the surrounding area. This ocean outfall at 24th Ave. North is the city’s fifth deepwater ocean outfall project.
City of Myrtle Beach Infrastructure Projects Division photo
Lowering Bacteria Levels
“Outfalls are important because they remove stormwater pipes from the beach, help collect trash and filter water before it gets back into the ocean,” according to the city.
The outfall also will move the discharge further offshore and help prevent beach erosion.
Another significant benefit of the 24th Ave. North Ocean outfall project is the expected improvement it will have on the water quality located in the swim zone of the beaches in the city.
“During the summer months, the bacteria levels were high in the ‘swim zone’ of the beach, said Chris Miller, Myrtle Beach infrastructure projects manager. “This project will help lower bacteria levels by consolidating nine to 11 pipes into two underground pipes. The stormwater will drain through the underground pipes instead of coming onto the beach, going 1,500 feet out into the ocean and away from the swim zone.”
The city has regularly tested the water and found that the bacteria levels have remained within acceptable limits at other deepwater ocean outfalls within city limits
The city’s deepwater ocean outfalls aim to remove all stormwater drainage pipes from the beach. Myrtle Beach’s Ocean outfalls have already led to the removal of more than 50 drainpipes, but there are approximately 100 more to go.
The project also is expected to minimize flooding that occurs on Ocean Boulevard, which runs parallel to the beach. When thunderstorms or hurricanes (Myrtle Beach is eighth on the top 50 places impacted by hits or brushes in the Atlantic basin) hit the area, they often flood the roadway. Myrtle Beach remains open throughout the project, and only the immediate area next to the 24th Ave. North deepwater ocean outfall and the 24th Ave. North beach access are impacted.
The construction of this deep-water ocean outfall — an 84-in. pipe — will begin at the existing drainage structures. The outfall will extend approximately 1,300 linear ft. out into the Atlantic Ocean.
According to Miller, this outfall will consist of installing 1,300 linear ft. of dual 84-in. PCCP culverts, which will be buried to set invert elevations (approximately 6 ft. to 8 ft. to the top of the pipe) below the ocean floor, along with various cross-sections of various layers of bedding and armor stone around the pipeline.
This project also consists of installing more than 535 linear ft. of 72-in. RCP pipes, along with two 12-ft. by 24-ft. collection water quality vaults, and two 6-ft. by 8-ft. concrete vaults, along with the reconstruction of the existing street end and beach above the outfall pipe.
City of Myrtle Beach Infrastructure Projects Division photo
The team is constructing the project from a trestle system that is the full length of the line to the end of the discharge nozzles.
The team is utilizing several cranes, a mobile Manitowoc 14,000 lbs.; a mobile Link-Belt 248 Crane; a Caterpillar 385 long reach excavator; and a D4 Caterpillar dozer.
According to Miller, the two cranes work in conjunction with one another.
“One is used for the erecting of the temporary trestle, and the other is setting the pipe and backfill materials. The long reach is used to excavate inside the coffer cell that is built with sheet piles to control the wave action inside the work zone. Once the depth is too deep for the excavator the contactor will switch to a clamshell bucket on the crane for the purpose of excavating the trench.”
Work in Water
Construction becomes more complicated anytime construction takes place in and around water.
How is it impacting the outfall project? Miller said the permitting process has been challenging.
“We need local and state permits on the project. The biggest item is the Federal permits, Army Corp. of Engineers, Fish and Game and all the requirements put in place by them.”
The team is required to be on the alert and ensure sea turtle protection and provide whale and manatee monitoring. If any of these species show up within the project limits, the team is required to halt construction until the animal leaves the area.
“One sea turtle made its way into the coffer cell and shut down the job,” Miller said. “The turtle was caught and relocated back into the ocean, and the project resumed.”
Miller estimates that the entire permitting process took approximately nine to 12 months.
Another challenge is that beach access is occasionally limited due to construction.
City of Myrtle Beach Infrastructure Projects Division photo
Time, Money
The 24th Ave. North Ocean outfall project has a construction budget of more than $43 million. The state contributed $30 million to the project. The city of Myrtle Beach is covering the rest of the cost.
“An additional $6.8 million has been received since 2018 through state proviso funding to be spent on projects related to the outfalls at 24th Avenue North and 25th Avenue South, as well as the general Outfall Maintenance Program,” according to a city website.
Construction on the project began in August 2024, and the team expects to complete the project in March 2026. The demobilization of the equipment and trestle is slated for July 2026. The street-end parking also will need to be paved, and the parking spaces reestablished.
Miller said the project is a few weeks behind schedule due to foul weather. There were snow and ice during the winter of 2024 and rain and lightning in 2025.
“The divers are removed from the water if lightning is detected within eight miles of the project,” Miller said. “The cranes shut down if lightning is within three miles of the project.”
With the completion of the outfall project, the city of Myrtle Beach will be closer to its goal of removing all drainage pipes off the beach, creating a better beach experience for all. CEG
