Real Estate Resources

If you are considering putting your home up for sale and have any improvements made on Spartanburg Water System property, you will need to ensure:

1) For Lake Bowen and Lake Blalock - All structures/improvements have a current permit on file, and are in compliance with the rules and regulations set forth in the respective Policies and Procedures documents that govern Lake Bowen and Lake Blalock. Please note that if you have a structure without a current permit on file, this structure will require removal.

2) For Lake Bowen and Lake Blalock -  For the transfer of these permits, all applicable fees have been paid prior to the sale of your home, and the new property owners know to complete the transfer within 90-days of the transfer of property. The new property owners will have to pay applicable fees for all transfers.

For those residents of Municipal Reservoir #1 with non-conforming License Agreements, they are non-transferrable and will terminate upon the transfer of an adjoining landowner’s property; and the non-conforming structure must be permanently removed at that time.

3) Your Realtor has a copy of the latest Policies and Procedures document applicable to the reservoir where you reside, to ensure that he/she understands the partnership that exists between property owners and Spartanburg Water System in relation to property location and ownership.

4) Any outstanding violations or encroachments have been remediated/settled prior to your home's sale.

For any questions regarding the property transfer process, please call the Lake Bowen Wardens' Office at (864) 592-2240.

When helping your client(s) with finding the perfect property adjacent to Lake Bowen, Lake Blalock, or Municipal Reservoir #1, it is important to identify:

1) The specific Policies and Procedures that govern the reservoirs. Each reservoir has different requirements and access/limitations for recreation and improvements/structures on Spartanburg Water System property. For example, Lake Bowen allows for boating, swimming and the construction of docks with the proper permits; while no new structures, watercraft or swimming recreation of any kind is allowed on Muncipal Reservoir #1. 

Lake Bowen Policies and Procedures

Lake Blalock Policies and Procedures

Municipal Reservoir #1 Policies and Procedures 

2) While the properties bordering the three reservoirs may appear to be "lakefront" - Spartanburg Water System actually owns the property directly bordering the lake, and up to an elevation point - 827' Mean Sea Level (MSL) for Lake Bowen, 720' MSL for Lake Blalock and the 780' MSL for Municipal Reservoir #1. 

This means that all activity on the "lakefront" of the property is determined by Spartanburg Water. 

3) If the property your clients are interested in has any improvements (ie. docks, boat lifts, pathways) on the adjacent Spartanburg Water System property around Lake Bowen or Lake Blalock, you will want to ensure that all permits for these structures are up-to-date and in compliance. Not all structures are permittable or transferrable, so you will want to call the Lake Bowen Wardens' Office at (864) 592-2240 for more information.

Any structures in existance on the property adjacent to Municipal Reservoir #1 are not eligible for transfer of licenses, and must be removed following any property transfer.

4) If your client does purchase a Lake Bowen or Lake Blalock property with permits in place, they will need to complete the property transfer within 90-days from the property closing date. They are also responsible to pay applicable fees for all transfers.

Please call the Lake Bowen Wardens' Office for more information.

As a new adjoining property owner on one of our reservoirs, you will want to be sure of the following: 

1) You contact the Lake Bowen Wardens' Office at (864) 592-2240 to inquire about the transfer of all permits and applicable fees for any structures/improvements in the Spartanburg Water System property that borders your property line adjacent to Lake Bowen or Lake Blalock. Please note that not all structures are permittable or transferrable. 

If your property is adjacent to the Spartanburg Water property around Municipal Reservoir #1 and an existing structure exists: Please be aware that you will be asked to remove it, as its non-conforming license agreement does not transfer with the transfer of the property. No new structures are permitted on Spartanburg Water System property around Municipal Reservoir #1.

2) You become familiar with the specific Policies and Procedures document that governs your adjoining reservoir: 

Lake Bowen Policies and Procedures

Lake Blalock Policies and Procedures

Municipal Reservoir #1 Policies and Procedures 

3) Be sure to sign-up for Lake Alerts and an electronic version of our Healthy Lakes newsletter so you will always have access to the latest news and information.