The Latest: State Emergency Response team lowers status level; Columbia to hold repair, rebuilding open houses
Update 10:45 p.m.
The South Carolina Emergency Response Team changed the state’s emergency operational status to level 3. OPCON 3 is the third lowest of five operational conditions and allows state agencies to continue actively monitoring potential effects from the historic flooding, while supporting local governments and residents.
Now heading into the 13th day of 24-hour operations, the state emergency operations center remains activated.
The American Red Cross reports 308 people are staying in 10 shelters tonight. More than 200 roads and nearly 100 bridges remain closed as S.C. Department of Transportation teams continue with inspections and repairs.
Update 6:40 p.m.
Columbia city officials will hold two open houses to answer questions about the city’s flood repair and rebuilding permitting process. The first will be held on Tuesday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the C.R. Neal Dream Center, located at 2430 Atlas Rd. in Columbia. The second will be held on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kilbourne Park Baptist Church, located at 4205 Kilbourne Rd. in Columbia.
The open houses are designed to answer homeowner and contractor questions about the permitting application process. Spanish-speaking interpreters will be available.
Update 4:45 p.m.
Beginning Wednesday, Richland County will begin picking up flood-related debris on curbsides. This debris is separate from regular household garbage and recyclables that go in the green and lime green roll carts.
County officials urge residents to separate the items into piles – household, construction, vegetation, household hazardous waste, “white” goods with refrigerator/freezer doors secured with duct tape and electronics.
To view the proper way to set out flood-related debris, please visit www.rcgov.us or call 803-929-6000 with questions.
Update 4:10 p.m.
The Columbia Animal Shelter advises pet owners to take precautionary measures to keep pets safe, saying the boil water advisories are also to be followed for taking care of pets. If pets consume contaminated water it could cause them to become very ill. Also, keep pets away from contaminated areas or areas filled with debris.
If a pet was lost during the flood please continue to check with the Columbia Animal Shelter at 803-776-PETS.
Update: 3:15 p.m.
The city of Columbia Water Works has issued a boil water advisory for the Audubon Oaks Subdivision in Richland County.
Officials said water customers living on Audubon Oaks Way, Willow Fork Way, Audubon Court, Maple Tree Court and Plum Wood Court should vigorously boil their water for one full minute prior to cooking or drinking.
The advisory was issued after the city experienced an 8-inch water main break. All water used for cooking and drinking purposes needs to be boiled for one full minute prior to use until further notice. All ice made from water that hasn’t been boiled should not be used.
Those that have further questions about the advisory should contact the City of Columbia Customer Care Call Center at (803) 545-3300.
Update: 2:30 p.m.
Lexington 1 officials said all schools will be operating under normal hours on Tuesday.
Officials said administrators are continuing to work with Lexington County officials to determine how the district needs to reroute school buses around closed roads.
The district wants parents to know that if their child’s bus pickup location changes, their child’s bus driver will call those parents and let them know where the new bus stop will be located.
Update: 12:45 p.m.
Columbia city officials will hold two open houses to answer questions about the city’s flood repair and rebuilding permitting process.
Officials said the first of the open houses will be held on Oct. 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the C.R. Neal Dream Center, located at 2430 Atlas Rd. in Columbia.
The second open house will be held on Oct. 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Kilbourne Park Baptist Church, located at 4205 Kilbourne Rd. in Columbia.
Officials said the open houses are designed to answer homeowner and contractor questions about permitting application process in a one-on-one setting. Spanish-speaking interpreters will also be available at both open houses.
Attendees will also learn whether their property is in a floodplain, pick up the permit application packet, determine their property value and have any questions regarding the application process answered, officials said.
No permits will be issued at the meetings. Officials said permits can only be issued by the city at Washington Square, located at 1136 Washington St.
For more information about the city’s floodplain permitting policy, visit Columbiasc.net.
To determine if you are eligible to receive disaster assistance, visit Disasterassistance.gov.
Update: 12 p.m.
Richland 1 school district expects to open its schools later this week, Superintendent Craig Witherspoon said Monday morning during a press conference.
The district, which covers nearly 500 square miles from northern Richland County to the Sumter County line, has been closed since the historic flooding swept through South Carolina Oct. 4. It remains the only Columbia-area school district that has yet to open its doors.
Witherspoon said Richland 1's major issues are redrawing safe bus routes to school around road closures and ensuring the district's schools have adequate water pressure. He said district officials worked through the weekend with state and county officials to assess roads and redraw bus routes.
Witherspoon said he wants to make sure that the district's bus drivers know the new routes they will be driving when the district re-opens.
"We wouldn't want them on the road and trying to figure that out while they're driving," Witherspoon said. "Our staff has been going out and actually driving those routes. We've got drivers on the road right now practicing those detours and those routes so that they feel comfortable."
Also, Lexington 2 school district will be back on normal time starting Tuesday. The district had re-opened Monday with a two-hour delay, Student Services Director Jim Hinton said.
Update: 11 a.m.
Lexington 2 officials said all schools within the district will return to a regular scheduled starting Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Update: 9:30 a.m.
South Carolina Department of Transportation officials said debris removal contractors will begin debris removal Monday in the following counties impacted by recent flooding:
▪ Georgetown - Trucks will be monitoring the Andrews area for pickup of storm debris
▪ Horry - Trucks will be monitoring the Socastee and Longs area for pickup of storm debris.
▪ Lexington - Forces will be on Cainbrook Drive, Coldstream subdivision in Irmo and Harrogate Road in St. Andrews.
▪ Richland - Forest Acres area outside the Columbia city limits
▪ Sumter - Forces will be in the city of Sumter in areas south and west of US-76 Business.
SCDOT officials said the contractors will be prioritizing debris removal based on areas that can be safely accessed for removal. Residents in the impacted counties are asked to place any storm-generated debris on the public right-of-way. Do not place debris on the right-of-way if they have or will receive insurance funding to privately dispose of household debris covered by insurance policies.
Officials said the right-of-way is the area of residential property that extends from the street to the sidewalk, ditch, utility pole or easement. Residents are urged to separate debris as follows:
▪ Construction and demolition debris: Damaged components of buildings and structures such as lumber and wood, wall board, glass, metal, roofing materials, tile, furnishings and fixtures.)
▪ Household hazardous waste: Materials that are ignitable, reactive, toxic or corrosive such as paints, cleaners and pesticides.
▪ White goods: Large appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heat pumps ,ovens, ranges, washing machines, clothes dryers and water heaters.
▪ Vegetative debris: This is debris that would include whole trees, tree stumps, tree branches, tree trunks and other leafy materials.
Update: 9 a.m.
South Carolina Department of Transportation officials said they have reopened the south bound lanes of I-95 that were closed since last week due to historic flooding throughout the state.
SCDOT workers are continuing to restore the bridges on the north bound lanes of I-95, which remains closed, officials said.
Update: 8:30 a.m.
Rain-swollen rivers in eastern South Carolina are finally beginning to recede after this month’s historic rains.
The National Weather Service on Monday reports that the Waccamaw River at Conway is now at 15.9 feet, down from 16.2 feet over the weekend. But still there is major flooding in the area where flood stage is 11 feet.
The Santee River near Jamestown is now at about 21 feet, down a foot from over the weekend. There is still moderate flooding in the area where flood stage is 10 feet.
And in Orangeburg, the north fork of the Edisto River is back down to 8 feet. That’s flood stage in the area. But with weekend rains, that river is expected to rise again, cresting at over 9 feet by Thursday, causing minor flooding.
Update: 8:10 a.m.
Lexington County officials said debris pick up begins Monday and offers a tip for those who need flood-damaged materials to be taken away.
All flood-damaged materials need to be placed on the curb near the street and marked with orange tape to indicate it is debris. None of the damaged materials should be placed on the roadway.
Make sure materials are organized as much as possible, separating heavy appliances from timber.
Update: 8 a.m.
On Tuesday, Columbia Fire Department and Palmetto Health will provide a medical bus to serve as a community first-aid station near South Beltline Boulevard. The medical bus will be at 100 Whispering Pines Circle from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Volunteer physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and paramedics from Richland County EMS are providing care to those who need wound care, tetanus evaluation/update and general
medical care.
Updated: 7 a.m.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation has issued an updated road closures map. Drivers are urged to find alternate routes around barricaded roads instead of trying to drive through them.
Officials said there are 224 roads and 98 bridges throughout the state that remain closed after historic flooding enveloped the state on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5.
SCDOT road and bridge closures: 6 a.m.
This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 7:51 AM with the headline "The Latest: State Emergency Response team lowers status level; Columbia to hold repair, rebuilding open houses."