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  • Midlands Rivers Coalition
    Midlands Rivers Coalition Header-Graphic, Created in 2016, the Midlands Rivers Coalition brings together outfitters, recreation providers, environmental organizations, state and local government, academia, industry, property owners, and other users of the rivers.  The Coalition monitors bacteria levels at eleven sites in the Broad, Lower Saluda, and Congaree Rivers, and shares the results on their webpage so you can see if the water…, BOW_AdvisorySigns, For more information, including a comprehensive list of sampling locations, visit, HowsMySCRiver.org
  • Source Water Protection
    The 1996 amendments to the federal, Safe Drinking Water Act, provide for a greater focus on pollution prevention to protect surface water and groundwater from pollution. The 1996 amendments required DHEC to provide Source Water Assessment Reports (SWAR) to federally defined public-water-supply systems.  The U.S. EPA approved South Carolina's Source Water Assessment and Protection Program Plan on November 6, 1999.  In May 2003, the DHEC provided an…, Video about Source-Water Protection, This 10-minute video covers concepts such as the water cycle, surface water, groundwater, point-source pollution, nonpoint-source pollution (runoff), and the fundamental elements of source-water protection., Streaming Video, What is a Source-Water Assessment Report?, A SWAR provides basic information to the public-water system and the general public about its drinking-water source(s) and potential threats to it. The Assessments include the following:, Source-Water-Protection Area(s), - The SWARs include a description of the drinking-water source such as a well(s) or surface-water intake(s) and the land area that contributes water to that source (Source Water Protection Area or SWPA). Maps showing the boundaries of the SWPA are included., Potential Contaminant Source Inventory, - This is a listing of the land uses and activities within the SWPA in 2003 that could potentially have been releasing contaminants to the source water. Maps showing the locations of the potential contaminant sources within the SWPA were included., Susceptibility Analysis, - This is an evaluation of the contaminant inventory to determine how likely it is that a potential contaminant source will affect a nearby drinking-water source. Susceptibility is the combination of natural vulnerability of the water source to an impact and the physical and chemical properties of the potential contaminants., What do I do with the Assessments?, The SWAR contains important information that can be used to initiate activities to better manage potential sources of contamination near a well or intake. This information can be used to develop a community-based plan to prevent pollution of the groundwater, lakes, rivers and streams that serve as sources of drinking water to your community. These efforts should include:, Formation of a local team, - A team of volunteers periodically assembled to select and refine protection measures and guide the process in a cohesive, efficient manner. The team's decisions and plans should be continually and clearly documented., Management Measures, - Management of contaminant sources that have been identified and inventoried through a source-water-assessment program. The goal of management strategies is to reduce or eliminate the potential threat to drinking-water supplies. This may be accomplished either through federal, state, or local regulatory controls and/or by using non-regulatory measures such as education centering around an…, Contingency Planning, - The development and implementation of both long and short-term drinking-water-supply-replacement strategies for supplying safe drinking water to the consumer in the event of accidental contamination or physical disruption., What are the Benefits of Source-Water Protection?, A more secure and safe drinking-water supply for the community and for a better quality of life for its future generations. Possible reduction in the costs of treating and distributing drinking water. This cost may be decreased through items such as reduced monitoring initiatives. A general cost savings through contamination prevention measures versus the much higher expense of cleanup once…
  • Land Application Permit Program
    Land Application Permit Program, (Also Known As the No Discharge Permit Program), Land application of effluent from wastewater treatment facilities began in South Carolina in the early 1970s. Over the years the program evolved to include the permitting of sludge and, septage, land application. At first, a wastewater construction permit was the only permit required for a land application system. In 1985, SC Regulation 61-68, Water Classifications and Standards, was amended to include, groundwater, as waters of the State. Also, standards for the quality of groundwater were established at that time. In accordance with Section 48-1-100 of the SC Pollution Control Act and Section 67.300 of SC Regulation 61-67, Standards for Wastewater Facility Construction, a proposed wastewater treatment facility with effluent disposal by land application is required to obtain a discharge permit before a…, Land Application permit, . These permits are also known as ND,  , permits since there is no direct discharge (ND) to surface waters. Today, the Land Application Permit Program addresses land application of wastewater treatment plant effluent, nonhazardous sludge, and septage. The Bureau of Water is responsible for the permitting, compliance, monitoring, and enforcement activities of the program. Sludge that is characterized as hazardous is regulated by SCDES's…, spray fields, ,, tile fields, , rapid infiltration basins,, percolation ponds, , and, evaporation basins, . If a wastewater facility that generates waste sludge discharges to surface waters, the method of sludge disposal or use is normally addressed in the, NPDES, permit rather than a separate Land Application Permit. Facilities that land apply both their effluent and sludge are normally issued one Land Application Permit for both activities. For more information on the use or disposal of sludge from wastewater treatment facilities with surface or groundwater discharges, please visit our, Sludge Program, WEB page. Industrial pretreatment facilities that land apply waste sludge are required to have State Land Application Permits for the sludge land disposal. These facilities must receive a State Land Application Permit for sludge disposal before a construction permit can be issued on the wastewater pretreatment system. Agricultural facilities land apply manure and litter as fertilizer for growing…, Agricultural Program, . Also, all facilities that use injection for emplacement of fluid into the subsurface or groundwater by means of a well are regulated by the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program rather than the Land Application Permit Program. The UIC program issues Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate to these facilities. For more information on the UIC Program, please visit our WEB page on the ", Underground Injection Control Program, ." While General Permits are allowed under this program, presently no Land Application General Permits have been issued. Groundwater dischargers are, therefore, issued individual Land Application permits. All draft permits are public noticed. When there is sufficient public interest or significant issues, a public hearing will be held prior to a final permit decision. SC has about 170 active…, Wastewater Construction Permit Program, , the, NPDES Permit Program, , the, Pretreatment Program, , the, Satellite Sewer System Program, , and the, Sludge Program, are integrated into a comprehensive water pollution control program on transportation, treatment, and disposal or use of wastewater and sludge. Wastewater facilities and land application sites are routinely monitored by the, EA Regional Offices, for compliance with their Land Application permits. Dischargers are assisted by the Bureau and EA Regional Offices in achieving and maintaining compliance with their permits. Enforcement actions are used by the Bureau when necessary to attain compliance with permits, water quality standards, and State and Federal Laws and Regulations. Bureau and Regional Staff are available to give talks and…, Contacts, Local Offices, Compliance -, Chuck Williams, ,, (803) 898-4233, Related Topics, NPDES Permit Program, Wastewater Construction Permit Program, Sludge Program, Pretreatment Program, Satellite Sewer System Program, Underground Injection Control Program, Agricultural Facilities
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  • Reporting Chemical Spills, Oil Spills, and Fish Kills
    To report ongoing chemical releases, oil spills, or fish kills, contact the toll-free 24-hour SCDES response line, 888-481-0125, ., If you suspect, are aware of, or have witnessed any oil, petroleum, chemical, or hazardous material release or a fish kill, please notify the toll-free 24-hour SCDES response line. If you are with a local response organization (police, fire, EMS), please report oil or hazardous material releases to SCDES for cases in which you are, or your organization is, the responsible party. The response of…, SC Pollution Control Act, SC Hazardous Waste Management Act, SC Oil and Gas Act, SCDES emergency response operations are conducted state and federal procedures in cooperation federal, state, and local agencies as well as other involved parties., Incident Command System, National Incident Management System, US National Response Team, Charleston Area Contingency Plan, USCG Sector Charleston Area Committee, SC Emergency Operations Plan, SC Emergency Management Division, For a directory of commercial organizations available for spill and release emergency response, refer to the, Directory of Cleanup Contractors and Vendors, To report an environmental concern other than an oil, petroleum, chemical, hazardous material release, or fish kill, please fill out an, Online Complaint Form, .   For a list of SC Fire Departments, refer to the, SC Firefighter's Association, .
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