Scenic S.C. river saved from bubbling sewage after years of efforts

Carolina Water Service and the town of Lexington say they have agreed to remove pollution discharges from the lower Saluda River, a scenic waterway between Lake Murray and downtown Columbia.

Lexington says it is scheduled Feb. 1 to take control of a troubled Interstate 20 sewage system that Carolina Water Service operates. Discharges are to stop after the town diverts the wastewater flow to a large regional sewer system in the next month, Lexington officials say.

“Feb. 1, we can actually start working to eliminate that plant altogether,’’ Mayor Steve MacDougall said. “We have got to stop polluting that river. This is one of the big contributors.’’

The lower Saluda is perhaps the centerpiece of Columbia’s river system. It is a state designated scenic river, known for its whitewater rapids and trout fishery. It is particularly important to kayakers, anglers, swimmers and outdoors guides, who depend on clean water to drive their businesses.

But Carolina Water’s I-20 sewage treatment plant has been a source of concern and lawsuits through the years. Some of the plant’s discharges to the Saluda have violated state pollution standards.

Last spring, a federal judge fined Carolina Water Service $1.5 million and ordered the private utility to stop releasing wastewater into the lower Saluda River from the I-20 plant. Carolina Water violated federal pollution discharge limits at least 23 different times and failed for 17 years to tie into the regional system, the judge said at the time.

The company has said it was trying to tie in with the system but had trouble making a deal with Lexington. Carolina Water and Lexington have battled over how much the town should pay Carolina Water Service for the system. That amount remains in dispute and is to be determined by a court.

“We feel like we’ve done our best to operate it (but) there have been issues with it,’’ Carolina water spokesman Robert Yanity said of the treatment plant. “That’s why we’ve all along tried to get the (discharges) out of the river.’’

Bill Stangler, the riverkeeper for the Congaree and Saluda rivers, said the agreement is long overdue.

“This seems like the kind of last hurdle,’’ Stangler said. “It is really important that this long-standing problem be taken care of.’’

The Carolina Water Service discharge is one of a handful in the Saluda. Environmentalists have been trying for decades to end all discharges to the river.

This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Scenic S.C. river saved from bubbling sewage after years of efforts."