Septic Service in Lake City, South Carolina

This page is for Lake City, South Carolina, in southern Florence County, not Lake City, Florida. Lake City, SC sits on US 52 about 25 miles south of Florence. It grew up as a farm market town once known for its Bean Market, it is the hometown of astronaut Ronald McNair, and it now draws visitors to its ArtFields art competition and festival. Call (843) 960-3805 to reach an independent septic provider serving Lake City and the surrounding area. Florence SC Septic Pros is a referral service operated by Recover Profits Now; we do not perform septic work.

Low country soil, high water

The land around Lake City is flat coastal plain cut by swamps and branches, including Lake Swamp, which drains east toward the Lynches River. Many soils are sandy, but low ground can sit wet for long stretches with a high water table. That has real effects on septic systems:

• Drain fields in low spots may struggle during wet seasons and after heavy rain.
• New systems on wet lots may need an alternative design, such as a raised field, which costs more than a conventional system.
• Tanks set in wet ground should be checked to make sure the lids and risers are sealed so rainwater does not run in.

Farm homes and family land

Southern Florence County is still farm and timber country, and many homes around Lake City, Scranton, Coward and Cades sit on family land. It is common to find more than one home, or a home and a mobile home, on the same tract. Each dwelling generally needs a properly permitted system, and sharing one system between two homes can overload it. If you are adding a home for a family member, ask about the septic permit before the home is set.

Sewer in town, septic outside it

Lake City is the second-largest town in Florence County, and the City of Lake City runs its own public water and wastewater system. Many homes in town are on that sewer. Out on the farm roads toward Scranton, Coward, Cades and Johnsonville, a septic tank is the norm. If your bill has no sewer charge, plan on finding and pumping a tank.

After storms and river floods

Southern Florence County has been through three major floods in recent memory: the October 2015 rains, Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018. During Florence, the county set up evacuation zones along the river, by bridge, between US 301, US 52, US 378 and SC 41/51. Shelters opened at Mount Clair Missionary Baptist Church in Lake City, in Johnsonville and Coward, and in Florence. After Matthew, the National Weather Service noted flooding on roads near Effingham and New Hope when the Lynches reached 15 feet. If floodwater covered your tank or drain field, follow the EPA's advice. Do not have the tank pumped while the ground is still saturated, because an empty tank in wet soil can float. Cut water use, keep vehicles off the field, test your well before drinking from it, and have the system checked once the water is down. If sewage is backing up, see our emergency backup page and our permits, soils and flooding guide.

Businesses in town

Restaurants and food vendors in and around Lake City, especially busy during events, rely on working grease traps. Overloaded traps cause slow drains and odors at the worst times. See our grease trap pumping page, and consider scheduling service ahead of big weekends.

Services Lake City homeowners call about

• Septic tank pumping on farmhouses and rural homes
• Drain field repair on wet lots
• New systems for manufactured homes on family land
• Inspections for home purchases

Licenses and permits

Septic systems in Lake City and Florence County are regulated by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), through its Florence office, which SCDES lists at (843) 661-4825 for onsite wastewater. New systems and many repairs need an SCDES permit, and installers and pumpers need SCDES licenses. Ask for the license number before work begins.

Nearby

Providers serving Lake City often also cover Scranton, Coward, Cades, Johnsonville, Pamplico and Florence. Call (843) 960-3805 to get connected.

Services available in Lake City

• Septic Tank Pumping in Lake City
• Septic Inspections in Lake City
• Septic & Drain Field Repair in Lake City
• New Septic Installation in Lake City
• Emergency Septic Backups in Lake City
• Grease Trap Pumping in Lake City

Frequently asked questions