EPA Triennial Kickoff

The EPA provided the Department with several recommendations to consider during the triennial review in a letter sent to the Department on August 3, 2021.

EPA’s 2022 Triennial Review Kickoff Letter

Notice of Drafting

The Notices of Drafting for the 2019 triennial review of Regulation 61-68, Water Classifications and Standards, and Regulation 61-69, Classified Waters, were published in the State Register on Friday, February 22, 2019. The closing date for the public comment period was March 25, 2019.

SCDES has licensed operators assisting with technical issues related to private wells, small water systems, and community wastewater systems. Private wells, like septic systems, are the homeowner's responsibility. Septic tank information can be found here.

Partnerships

The Office of Rural Water partners with many statewide organizations and agencies along with other internal DHEC divisions to provide assistance to small and underserved communities. Below are some of the partnerships.

Community Development Block Grant

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a federal resource that strives to build stronger and more resilient communities.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) suggest some projects include but are not limited to:

Registration

Any facility that generates any infectious waste should register with the infectious waste program. Registration should include at least:

The Infectious Waste Program regulates generators and transporters of infectious waste in South Carolina as well as facilities that treat infectious waste.

In South Carolina, there are approximately 9000 registered generators of infectious waste, 30 registered transporters of infectious waste, and 2 registered treatment facilities for infectious waste.

What is Infectious Waste?

Also known as medical or biohazardous waste, infectious waste is material that was used in healthcare, research or postmortem exams. It includes:

SCDES’s role with hurricanes, floods and weather emergencies

SCDES has developed training to help users with navigating the ePermitting system. 

National History

In 1994, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12898 which mandated that each federally funded agency make achieving environmental justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations in the United States. The Executive Order also mandated that the US EPA develop a strategy for incorporating Environmental Justice into its processes.