12/20/07
Agreed!
Clarendon, Sumter, municipalities signs wastewater agreement
By Jerriod Grizzle

JERRIOD GRIZZLE/Manning Times

Sen. John Land, Dwight Stewart, Mayor of Sumter Joseph McElveen, Manning Mayor Kevin Johnson, Mayor of Summerton Jay Bruner, Turbeville Mayor Ginie Turbeville and Sumter County Council Chair, Vivian McGhaney pose for a picture Dec. 12 after signing a wastewater agreement between the six entities.

Representatives from Clarendon County, Sumter County and the cities of Sumter, Manning, Summerton and Turbeville met Dec. 12 to formally sign a regional wastewater agreement.

The agreement between the six entities put in place procedures that will enable the counties and cities to grow economically by developing wastewater treatment capacity.

“This agreement outlines how we will deal with one another,” said County Administrator William Houser.

Houser said that it was monumental to get the six governments together to participate in the signing.

In January 2001, a wastewater capacity study was done by the Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments for Sumter County. Following the study, Sumter County committed $250,000 to explore the option of discharging wastewater in a site located on the Upper Santee River. Leaders from the city of Sumter began to talk with Sumter and Clarendon counties, as well as leaders in Manning and other cities about the collective needs for addressing long-term requirements for wastewater disposal.

“This agreement will level the playing field for all those units of local government interested in having access to an expanded wastewater treatment and discharge capacity,” said Jim Darby, executive director for SLRCOG. “It also provides a basis for fairness in assessing costs and billing for services that would be sold by local governments offering treatment services to partnering jurisdictions.”

Darby said that there were two major events that had happened since the study.

The first was an agreement that has been set between Sumter, Lee and Clarendon Counties to develop an industrial site near Interstate 95 and Turbeville.

The second was an interest in the southeastern region of Clarendon County by development companies to build properties to market to the “baby boom generation.”

That generation is expected to impact this area beginning in 2010.

Darby said that the interest by the “baby boom generation” in Clarendon County would boost wastewater capacity needs to nearly 2.5 million gallons per day by 2025.

“That is just 17 years from now,” he said.

Two concept drawings were presented during the ceremony showing the regional water distribution system and the regional wastewater system.

The drawings were more detailed in the agreement said Darby.

South Carolina Senator John Land praised the signing agreement and spoke about the bright future for the two counties.

“I think this is the most far-sighted and logical thing that I have see from county and city governments in a long time,” he said. “This is the beginning of something big for Clarendon and Sumter Counties.”

Land further praised the two counties calling on them to work together out of necessity.

“I don’t think we can depend on Washington to come down and run lines. I don’t think we can depend on Columbia,” he said. “Doing what we can for each other and the residents in-between by running new lines and using one another’s capacity, it makes sense.”

Rep. Cathy Harvin also praised the signing calling it act of progress.

“We have to look at the services we can provide. These are services without borders,” she said.

Harvin stated that because of redirected funding in state and federal sources the counties would have to look at ways to share. She stated that she could not think of a better example than the two county, four city agreement.

High quality water has historically been determined to be available in the area while water treatment and wastewater treatment capacity have continued to be an issue in both counties.