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2019 Sewer Spill Report
Feb 25, 2020
For the last seven years, Congaree Riverkeeper has compiled and analyzed data from DHEC's sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) database
to produce an annual sewer spill report. In 2019, there were 88 reported
sanitary sewer overflows resulting in nearly 700,000 gallons of sewage spilled in Congaree Riverkeeper’s jurisdictional area.
2019 Sewer Spill Summary
| Permittee | # of Spills | Volume of Spills (Gallons) | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHLAND COUNTY UTILITIES & SERVICES | 10 | 353,750 | 51.01% |
| COLUMBIA CITY OF | 60 | 262,720 | 37.89% |
| BLUE GRANITE WATER COMPANY (Carolina Water Service) | 2 | 51,000 | 4.76% |
| WINNSBORO TOWN OF | 3 | 23,000 | 3.32% |
| EAST RICHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT | 3 | 8,269 | 1.19% |
| CAYCE CITY OF | 5 | 7,000 | 1.01% |
| SYNERGY UTILITIES LP RAINTREE ACRES SD | 1 | 5,000 | 0.72% |
| PALMETTO WASTEWATER RECLAMATION LLC (Ni Pacolet Miliken / Apline / Woodlands) | 2 | 350 | 0.05% |
| LEXINGTON COUNTY JOINT MUNICIPAL WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION | 1 | 315 | 0.05% |
| FORT JACKSON SEWER COLLECTION SYSTEM | 1 | 50 | 0.01% |
| WEST COLUMBIA CITY OF | ? | ? | |
| RIVERBEND APARTMENTS | ? | ? | |
| TOTAL | 88 | 693,454 | 100% |
The total volume of spills for 2019 is higher than last year, but this total does include several large spills that, according to the permittees, did not enter a waterbody. If those spills that didn't enter a waterbody are removed the total volume is slightly lower than the previous year.
2019 also saw a significant increase in spills from Richland County Utilities, including three of the top four reported spills.
The month of December was a particularly bad month for sewer spills, accounting for more than 33% of the total annual volume spilled. Unfortunately, the wet weather that caused many of those December spills has continued into 2020, and we have seen numerous spills reported in January and February.
The month of December was a particularly bad month for sewer spills, accounting for more than 33% of the total annual volume spilled. Unfortunately, the wet weather that caused many of those December spills has continued into 2020, and we have seen numerous spills reported in January and February.
Important Notes
- The table above only
represents the reported sanitary sewer overflows within the Congaree Riverkeeper jurisdictional area. Several sewer providers in the Midlands, including the Town of Chapin, Richland County Utilities, and Blue Granite Water Company had spills that impacted other waterbodies, like Lake Murray.
- According to the permittees, some of the reported spills (including several of the largest reported spills) did not reach a waterway and a significant portion of the volume was able to be recovered.
- Most sewer providers are only required to report spills that are over 500 gallons or that impact a waterbody.
- This report also only accounts for sewer overflows that were reported to DHEC. Some sewer providers and satellite sewer systems failed to officially report their spills to DHEC, including the Riverbend Apartments (which had multiple spills), the City of West Columbia, and Blue Granite Water.
⚠️ Sewer Spill Alert ⚠️
— Congaree Riverkeeper (@congareervrkpr) November 7, 2019
There is an active sewer spill impacting Gills Creek between Devine Street and Rosewood Drive.
We reported the spill and City of Columbia Wastewater Maintenance staff are on the scene. pic.twitter.com/BMCOnqDlSM
Top Ten Reported Sewer Spills
| Date | Permitte | Location Description | Volume Discharged | Waterbody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/25/2019 | RICHLAND CO BROAD RIVER WWTF | 34.1275,-81.1539 RICHLAND COUNTY SC | 250,000 | Permittee Reports Spill Did Not Enter Waterbody |
| 1/23/2019 | COLUMBIA METRO PLANT | 2204 N LAKE DR COLUMBIA SC 29212 | 70,404 | Permittee Reports Spill Did Not Enter Waterbody |
| 12/14/2019 | RICHLAND CO BROAD RIVER WWTF | 34.1141497,-81.1633852, Hollingshed Rd, Irmo, SC 29063, USA | 50,000 | Nichols Creek / Broad River |
| 12/13/2019 | RICHLAND CO BROAD RIVER WWTF | 34.1274758,-81.21663849999999, Shady Grove Rd, Irmo, SC 29063, USA | 40,000 | Hollingshed Creek / Broad River |
| 12/14/2019 | COLUMBIA METRO PLANT | 34.0511199,-81.1830549, 5605 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29212, USA | 37,403 | Rawls Creek |
| 6/9/2019 | COLUMBIA METRO PLANT | 228 HICKORY RIDGE RD COLUMBIA SC 29209 | 28,125 | Mill Creek |
| 12/13/2019 | COLUMBIA METRO PLANT | 34.045145,-81.07607200000001, 1600 Garner Ln, Columbia, SC 29210, USA | 26,063 | Broad River |
| 12/13/2019 | BLUE GRANITE WATER COMPANY FRIARSGATE SD | 34.095517,-81.204552 | 18,000 | Rawls Creek |
| 11/7/2019 | COLUMBIA METRO PLANT | 4464 DEVINE ST COLUMBIA SC 29205 | 15,750 | Gills Creek |
| 7/29/2019 | COLUMBIA METRO PLANT | 200 SWEETWATER DR COLUMBIA SC 29061 | 15,282 | Permittee Reports Spill Did Not Enter Waterbody |
SSO Hotspots
Rawls Creek
Blue Granite Water Company and the City of Columbia both had significant spills that impacted Rawls Creek, a tributary to the Lower Saluda River, including the collapse of a containment basin at Blue Granite's Friarsgate wastewater treatment plant that spilled a large amount of sewage sludge into the creek.
Broad River
Both Richland County Utilities and the City of Columbia experienced several significant spills that impacted the Broad River.
Past Reports
