DHEC Assesses Damages, Offers Health and Safety Reminders Following Hurricane Ian

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 5, 2022

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Following Hurricane Ian’s landfall in South Carolina, DHEC is working with state and local partners to assess related damages and impacts across the state. Below is a summary overview of the agency’s efforts, as well as key resources for residents. 

Dam Safety Assessments  
DHEC’s Dam Safety team completed its assessment of regulated dams in the impacted areas of the state and has found no storm-related issues. If you are a dam owner and would like to learn more about the resources DHEC has to offer, please click here. 

Private Well Testing
If your private well was not flooded, the water is likely unchanged, and no action is necessary.

If your well was flooded, use bottled water or boil your well water before consuming it until the well has been properly disinfected and tested. You can use unscented household bleach to disinfect your well, and please be sure to test the well water to ensure it was properly cleaned.

For any questions on private wells, visit DHEC’s Private Wells: What to Do Before and After Storms page or call our hotline during normal business hours through Oct. 7: 1-888-761-5989.

Additionally, severe storms can result in standing water around the outside of the home. If you see standing water, safely eliminate it to prevent mosquito spread and breeding.

Mold
If your home was flooded or damaged by water, please to do not reenter until it is safe to do, as mold could be present on flooded floors, walls, furniture, appliances or clothing. Drying your home and removing water-damaged items within 24 to 48 hours is the most-important step in stopping mold growth, damage and potential exposure.

While DHEC does not perform remediation for mold, residents can call DHEC’s mold hotline at 1-888-815-3509 to receive resources and speak to a DHEC representative who can help answer questions about mold. 

For more information, visit DHEC’s page on indoor mold.

Ocean & Coastal Recovery
After a hurricane, DHEC’s Ocean & Coastal Resource Management team assesses damages to beachfront structures within the state's jurisdiction so that these issues can be resolved as quickly as possible. Coastal residents should report damage to beachfront structures, including homes, pools, seawalls, revetments, and dune walkovers, at mycoast.org/sc. This is an online portal the agency uses to collect and analyze pictures and data about coastal events. Submitted reports can help DHEC efficiently analyze post-storm beachfront structures and expedite permitting and other regulatory decisions.

Click here for more on DHEC’s role in hurricanes, floods, and other weather emergencies.

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