2022 Sewer Spill Report
For the last decade we have reviewed the data from DHEC's Sewer Overflow Database to compile an annual sewer spill report for Congaree Riverkeeper's jurisdictional area (this includes the Lower Saluda, Lower Broad, and Congaree Rivers, and their tributaries). In 2022 there were 118 reported sanitary sewer overflows (SSO's) totaling 369,612 gallons of sewage spilled in our watershed. This is a significant reduction from the last few years.
Sewer overflows can contaminate waterways and impact water quality, creating both ecological and public health issues. River users who are exposed to sewer overflows may experience health problems including infections, rashes, and gastrointestinal issues.
2022 Sewer Spill Summary
| PERMITTEE | # of Spills | Volume of Spills (Gallons) | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLUMBIA CITY OF | 81 | 234,807 * | 63.53% |
| WINNSBORO JACKSON CREEK PLANT | 4 | 71,000 | 19.21% |
| BLUE GRANITE WATER COMPANY | 5 | 33,475 | 9.06% |
| RICHLAND COUNTY UTILITIES (BROAD RIVER WWTF) | 5 | 6,900 | 1.87% |
| LEXINGTON TOWN OF | 2 | 6,000 | 1.62% |
| AMERICAN STATES UTILITY SERVICES, INC. (FORT JACKSON SEWER SYSTEM) | 5 | 4,180 | 1.13% |
| ALPINE UTILITIES STOOP CREEK WWTP | 2 | 3,000 | 0.81% |
| CHAPIN TOWN OF | 4 | 3,000 | 0.81% |
| LEXINGTON COUNTY JOINT MUNICIPAL WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION | 1 | 2,500 | 0.68% |
| RICHLAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 1 | 2 | 2,100 | 0.57% |
| PALMETTO WASTEWATER RECLAMATION LLC (WOODLAND HILLS WEST SD) | 3 | 1,550 | 0.42% |
| CITY OF CACYE | 1 | 600 | 0.16% |
| PALMETTO UTILS SPEARS CRK WWTF | 2 | 400 | 0.11% |
| SYNERGY UTILITIES LP (RAINTREE ACRES SD) | 1 | 100 | 0.03% |
| TOTAL | 118 | 369,612 | 100.00% |
* On February 16th, 2022 the City of Columbia experienced an "unanticipated bypass" at their wastewater treatment plant. As a result, approximately 182,000 gallons of sewage that entered the plant were not fully treated before being discharged to the Congaree River. While the bypass was not reported as an SSO, it was certainly a significant discharge of sewage into the Congaree River.
2022 saw the lowest total sewer spill volume in the 10 years that Congaree Riverkeeper has been publishing these annual reports. While some of that can be attributed to a drier year (significant rainfall is often a cause or contributor to sewer spills), the reduction is also likely a result of the infrastructure investments that utilities, particularly the City of Columbia, have been making in their systems. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of gallons of sewage spilled into our local waterways is entirely too much, and investment in sewer spill reduction needs to remain a priority in our region.
SSO Hotspots
Reeder Point Branch
Once again Reeder Point Branch, a tributary to Mill Creek in southeast Richland County experienced one of the largest spills of the year. There have been significant SSO issues in the Reeder Point Branch / Mill Creek area for the last several years, and addressing this should be a priority for the City of Columbia.
Broad River Watershed
Spills into the Broad River and its tributaries from several utilities accounted for nearly 1/3 of the total volume of spills reported in 2022.
Top Five Reported Sewer Spills
| Date | Permitte | Spill Volume (Gallons) | Location / Receiving Water | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/26/22 | COLUMBIA CITY OF | 69,888 | Near 7645 Garners Ferry Road / REEDER POINT BRANCH | Main gravity sewer line collapsed |
| 02/26/22 | WINNSBORO JACKSON CREEK PLANT | 60,000 | NEAR INTERSECTION OF 34 AND 321 | Pump Station Failure |
| 03/18/22 | BLUE GRANITE WATER COMPANY | 27,000 | IN THE ROAD OF OR NEAR 2914 BACHMAN RD GASTON, SC 29053 / UN-NAMED TRIBUTARY TO FIRST CREEK | COMMUNICATIONS CONTRACTOR BORED THROUGH THE FOUR INCH (4") FORCE MAIN GOING TO THE GLENN VILLAGE II WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY. |
| 04/13/22 | COLUMBIA CITY OF | 20,409 | Near 719 Delverton Road / TRIB TO CRANE CREEK | A blockage in the gravity sanitary sewer system appears to have caused the overflow of sanitary sewer which entered the nearby stormdrain system that feeds to a tributary or Crane Creek. |
| 07/25/22 | COLUMBIA CITY OF | 18,618 | Near 1721 Shivers Road / STORMWATER DITCH | Blockage in the main gravity sewer line. The overflow appears to have been contained within a dry runoff ditch. |
Important Notes
- This report only represent the reported sanitary sewer overflows within the Congaree Riverkeeper jurisdictional area. Some sewer providers in the Midlands had spills that impacted other waterbodies outside of our jurisdiction, like Lake Murray, the Wateree River watershed, or tributaries to Lake Marion near St. Matthews.
- Most sewer providers are only required to report spills that are more than 500 gallons or that impact a waterbody.
- This report also only accounts for sewer overflows that were reported to DHEC or that we had public information about. Some sewer providers and satellite sewer systems fail to officially report their spills to DHEC.
Past Reports
Click the links to view the past reports from
2020 and
2021.
