CWS Customer Technology Center

As Charleston Water System (CWS) continues to expand its services to better serve the City of Charleston residents, this modern, two-story office building offers ample space and efficient MEP systems to optimize the utility company’s operations. The facility houses all essential departments directly adjacent to its Hanahan Water Treatment Plant, offering a centralized hub for all CWS services.

The structure is comprised of two components: the Customer Technology Center and the Emergency Operations Center.

Offering a dedicated space for staff to provide personalized assistance to customers, the Customer Technology Center is built to reflect the significant investment CWS has made towards enhancing their customers’ experience. Wall-to-wall windows allow natural light to touch nearly every corner of the office building, in addition to the conference and meeting rooms, kitchen space, and drive-through service area.

In addition to the contemporary design and sophisticated fixtures, this portion of the project incorporates a particularly unique element related to the history of the utility company. In partnership with key stakeholders to preserve a central part of CWS’ history, the Choate project team artfully restored a 100-year-old wooden pipe held together with metal bands to display in the lobby. Frozen in time for visitors and staff to observe, the wooden pipe found on the property is theorized to be a result of the material shortages that left cast iron piping in short supply during World War I.