Richland County Leaders Express Need for Sewer Project

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Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — Several Richland County leaders are ready to get moving on the Lower Richland Sewer Project. From far away it looks like a pond, but get a little closer and you see that‘s not the case. The pool of water behind Hopkins Middle School is a waste treatment lagoon, that is causing major concerns among local leaders in Lower Richland. “Those lagoon systems are open as you can see and it spills into the creek system and our water treatment tributaries and it just goes into the community,” explained Kelvin Washington of the Richland County Council. The open lagoon at Hopkins Middle School is one of several in the area and sits not far from the school itself. Officials said the lagoon alone has more than 20 Clean Water Act Violations. “If you look at the proximity of the lagoon system to where the kids play and where they recreate, I mean it‘s near the road, you have to be concerned,” said Washington. Lower Richland officials have been working on a resolution to close the open lagoons and fix septic problems in the area for several months. “The project that‘s proposed right now would tie in this facility and two others and take them off-line so they would no longer be discharging into the Cedar Creek Basin,” said Congaree River Keeper Bill Stangler. The project is called the Lower Richland Sewer Project and would install 5 or 6 small pump stations, which are constructed, underground concrete vaults that contain the pumps. “It‘s a solution to a lot of the problems we‘re seeing in this area,” said Stangler. Several neighborhoods and facilities already use these types of regional sewer systems, but in Lower Richland the project is facing opposition from residents. In several meetings, they‘ve spoken out about concerns over cost and future developments in the area. “We have a problem with them wanting to put 5 pump stations right around our churches, schools, and homes and that‘s just not acceptable,” said Helen Taylor-Bradley at one of the meetings. Officials explained it is not mandatory to tie into the line if your septic tank is operational. In addition, if residents sign up before construction they will not have to pay tap fees. As for future development, officials said the land is designated to stay rural.