SPARTANBURG — Outgoing Spartanburg Sanitary Sewer District Chairman Louie Blanton received the Order of the Palmetto at his final official commission meeting, recognizing 32 years of service to the community.
State Rep. Scott Montgomery presented the award on behalf of Gov. Henry McMaster. The Order of the Palmetto is South Carolina’s highest civilian honor.
“Mr. Blanton, for 32 years you have served the people of this community on the Spartanburg Sanitary Sewer District Commission. Since 1994 voters have continued to place their trust in you, and you have honored that trust through years of service to a community that means so much to you,” Montgomery said. “The Order of the Palmetto is a once-in-a-lifetime honor, and today we celebrate your lifetime of service that has made a lasting difference here in Spartanburg.”
Established in 1971 by Gov. John C. West, the award recognizes a lifetime of extraordinary achievement and service benefiting South Carolina and its people.
Blanton’s tenure spanned a period of substantial growth for the district. According to Spartanburg Water, district assets increased from $50.5 million in 1994 to $317.1 million in 2026. During the same period, annual revenues rose from $6.7 million to $55 million, and fund equity grew from $27.7 million to nearly $178 million.
“These figures represent years of decisions about maintaining essential infrastructure and strategically planning for growth in our community,” said district Vice Chair Woody Willard. “Louie has been an integral part of this work across more than three decades of changing needs and priorities, and his leadership has helped ensure that as our community has grown, so has our ability to serve our customers.”
Spartanburg Water CEO Guy Boyle also recognized Blanton’s leadership and commitment to the district’s customers.
“Louie has helped guide the District through 32 years of significant growth, while keeping the needs of our customers and community at the center of his service,” Boyle said. “His commitment to responsible stewardship and planning for the future has helped position us to serve a growing Spartanburg. We are grateful for his leadership, his care for our team and the lasting impact he has made as a member of our Spartanburg Sanitary Sewer District Commission.”
Spartanburg Water comprises Spartanburg Water System and Spartanburg Sanitary Sewer District. The utility serves more than 240,000 people in Spartanburg County and parts of Greenville, Union and Cherokee counties. Its approximately 300 employees help produce an average of 25 million gallons of drinking water and clean 14 million gallons of reclaimed water daily.
For more information, visit spartanburgwater.org.
Source: Spartanburg Water
Photo caption: State Rep. Scott Montgomery presents Spartanburg Sanitary Sewer District Chairman Louie Blanton with the Order of the Palmetto. Photo by John Byrum.
