Sewage is spilling into a Saluda River branch. Bacteria threatens swimmers
Large amounts of raw sewage have spilled into a tributary of the lower Saluda River since Thursday night, prompting a local river protection group to warn against swimming in part of the Saluda and the Congaree rivers.
The spill at the Stoop Creek sewage plant, run by Palmetto Wastewater Reclamation, is among the worst in Columbia this year and may be one of the most significant in years, according to the Congaree Riverkeeper organization. Riverkeeper Bill Stangler was at the treatment plant Friday to assess the problem.
Stangler said the treatment plant continued to spill raw sewage Friday because it was knocked out of service. Crews were working to repair the flood damage, but that might take several days. Until then, untreated or poorly treated waste will flow through the plant and into the creek, he said Friday afternoon.
Sewage spills can send bacteria counts soaring to levels that make it unsafe to swim in a river or creek.
Palmetto Wastewater made an announcement about 9:30 p.m. Thursday that heavy rains and local area flooding had caused Stoop Creek to overflow its banks and flood the company’s wastewater plant. Stoop Creek runs into the Saluda River between Interstates 20 and 26 northwest of Columbia in the St. Andrews-Irmo area, above Riverbanks Zoo.
State regulators did not say Friday how much sewage had spilled, but Stangler said it was a substantial amount and could approach 1 million gallons, if not contained. The plant is the largest of four remaining public wastewater systems on the lower Saluda, with approval to treat about 1 million gallons a day, Stangler said.
“This is similar to what occurred a few years ago with the Friarsgate plant,’’ Stangler said, referring to a major release of poorly treated wastewater near Saluda Shoals Park that shut down the lower Saluda around the July 4th holiday in 2016. That plant was operated by Carolina Water Service, now known as Blue Granite.
Palmetto Wastewater said Thursday it is trying to resolve the problem at Stoop Creek. A spokeswoman was not immediately available Friday.
“PWR personnel are at the site to assess the flood impact and is working to bring the plant on-line as soon as possible,’’ the company said in a statement Thursday. “SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) was immediately notified and is also on site.’’
In a brief statement Friday, DHEC said it was investigating but referred other questions to the utility. The agency had no immediate answers on whether people should avoid swimming, as recommended by the riverkeeper group. The agency also did not say whether it would post signs warning of bacteria in the water, although Stangler said his group had posted some signs.
“Our staff responded to the scene and are continuing to monitor the situation,’’ DHEC spokeswoman Cristi Moore’s email said.
Sewer spills have been a threat to the Saluda River and other area rivers for years because of aging utility lines and, in some cases, poorly run treatment plants or flooding.
The plant at Stoop Creek has had its share of those troubles. Under former owners, the plant had an array of problems, including one in 2008 that allowed up to 1 million gallons of sewage to spill into the Saluda River, The State has previously reported. Regulators warned against swimming in the river for several days during the summer’s prime recreation season that year.
Stoop Creek also suffered from a major pipe break in 2016. The broken pipe allowed poorly treated sewage to leak possibly for weeks.
Area leaders have tried for years to get legal discharges out of the lower Saluda, which is considered the jewel of the three main rivers that run through Columbia. It features whitewater rapids, Riverbanks Zoo and an active trout fishery, an oddity in central South Carolina. The lower Saluda runs from the Lake Murray dam to the Congaree River at Columbia.
In this case, the Stoop Creek plant was operating, but was knocked off line by the heavy rains and flooding, Stangler said.
Stangler said the spill is unfortunate because the Saluda and Congaree are popular spots for recreation in the summer, when temperatures soar. The flooded sewer plant also shows why Columbia area leaders should continue to work to close sewage plants on the Saluda, he said.
Heavy rain over parts of the Midlands caused problems beyond the sewage spill Thursday night. Some flash flooding was reported, including on Corley Mill Road in Lexington and at the Churchill at St. Andrews apartments in the Seven Oaks area.
Several people were evacuated from the Churchill apartments as floodwaters briefly rose in the parking lot, causing some parked cars to move around, according to Lexington County Sheriff’s spokesman Capt. Adam Myrick. No one was hurt, but some property was damaged, Myrick said.
On Friday, the American Red Cross said it was assisting about 20 people who had been displaced from the Churchill apartments and another apartment complex after Thursday night’s flooding.
Sarah Ellis contributed reporting.
This story was originally published August 7, 2020 at 9:31 AM.
