Horry County County · Pop. 35,682
Myrtle Beach sits at the heart of Horry County — consistently ranked among the fastest-growing counties in the United States, adding over 25,000 residents annually as retirees, remote workers, and vacation-home buyers flood into the Grand Strand region. The rapid pace of development has pushed residential construction into inland Horry County areas that lack municipal sewer service, driving significant demand for new septic installations in a coastal landscape defined by sandy soils, tidal influence, and some of the most ecologically sensitive shellfish harvesting waters on the East Coast. SC DHEC's oversight of septic permitting near shellfish areas is particularly rigorous, and the combination of sandy coastal soils — which drain rapidly but treat poorly — with proximity to tidal creeks means that system siting requires careful attention to nitrogen and pathogen loading in the Myrtle Beach area.
Restore or replace failed leach fields and drain lines to prevent sewage surfacing and groundwater contamination.
$2,000 – $15,000
Commercial grease trap cleaning and pumping to prevent sewer blockages and maintain health code compliance.
$200 – $800
Comprehensive evaluation of your septic system's condition, required for real estate transactions in most states.
$300 – $600
Complete new septic system design and installation, from perc testing to final inspection.
$3,500 – $20,000
Regular pumping removes accumulated solids from your septic tank, preventing backups and extending system life.
$275 – $600
Diagnose and fix septic system problems including leaks, clogs, baffle failures, and component replacements.
$500 – $5,000
Professional water well drilling for residential and commercial properties without access to municipal water.
$6,000 – $25,000
Diagnose and repair well pump failures, pressure tank issues, and water flow problems.
$300 – $3,000
Myrtle Beach, SC 00000
Countywide Septic: Affordable Septic Tank Services provides professional septic services in Myrtle Beach, SC and surrounding areas. Contact them for a free estimate on pumping, repair, and inspection services.
Florence, SC 00000
Drain Field Installation in Florence, SC provides professional septic services in Florence, SC and surrounding areas.
Florence, SC 00000
Florence Septic Systems - Facebook provides professional septic services in Florence, SC and surrounding areas.
Myrtle Beach, SC 00000
Septic Install, Myrtle Beach SC Southeast Septic Systems provides professional septic services in Myrtle Beach, SC and surrounding areas. Contact them for a free estimate on pumping, repair, and inspection services.
Florence, SC 00000
Septic Install & Septic Repair Florence SC 29501 provides professional septic services in Florence, SC and surrounding areas.
Florence, SC 00000
Septic Installations provides professional septic services in Florence, SC and surrounding areas.
| Service | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Septic Tank Pumping | $275 - $475 |
| Septic System Installation | $5,500 - $17,000 |
Wando and Lakeland soil series are the primary upland soils in the Myrtle Beach area — excessively drained, deep Entisols with fine to medium sand throughout the profile. These soils offer excellent percolation (less than 3 minutes per inch in many locations) but minimal treatment capacity for nutrients and pathogens. Closer to tidal creeks, the Waccamaw and Paxville soils — poorly drained, organic-matter-rich Ultisols and Histosols — have water tables within inches of the surface and cannot support conventional drain fields.
The Wando series (thermic, coated Typic Quartzipsamments) dominates the upland barrier ridges and inland terraces of Horry County. Like Florida's Lakeland soils, Wando is a deep sand with negligible clay or organic matter — offering exceptional drainage but almost no treatment. DHEC's percolation testing requirement often produces rates under 5 minutes per inch for Wando soils, which falls within the acceptable range for conventional systems but raises significant concerns about nutrient and pathogen treatment before effluent reaches the shallow coastal water table. Near tidal creeks, Paxville soils (loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Arenic Paleaquults) have dense clay subsoils that restrict drainage and create seasonally saturated conditions within 12–18 inches of the surface — triggering DHEC requirements for alternative system designs.
SC DHEC's Bureau of Environmental Health Services is the primary regulatory authority for septic systems in Horry County, with local enforcement support from the Horry County Environmental Health Division. DHEC classifies systems into conventional, alternative, and experimental categories under SC Regulation 61-56. All new installations require a site evaluation with soil analysis and percolation testing. Properties within designated Shellfish Condemnation Areas — which cover significant portions of tidal Horry County — face additional DHEC review and may require enhanced treatment systems to protect water quality in designated shellfish growing waters. The Grand Strand's popularity means DHEC's Myrtle Beach regional staff handles some of the highest new permit volumes in the state.
Permits are issued by DHEC's Low Country regional office and the Horry County Environmental Health Division. Horry County is the fastest-growing county in South Carolina, adding tens of thousands of residents annually in planned residential communities, golf course communities, and resort developments. Many new subdivisions in Horry County's inland areas are beyond the reach of Myrtle Beach Area Water and Sewer Authority (MBAWSA) service and require private septic. DHEC reviews systems near shellfish harvesting waters with additional scrutiny. Permit fees range from $200–$450; engineered alternative system designs add $1,000–$3,000.