Upstate Forever Making Greenville SC More Green
By: Liv Osby
Upstate Forever and four other environmental groups are appealing a project to replace an aging water main in Greenville County, saying they want to protect wildlife habitat and recreation areas.
Greenville Water System says the appeal means the project will be delayed and may end up costing more as a result.
The state Department of Health and Environmental Control issued the water system a permit to put a new 42-inch water main from Table Rock Reservoir 7.8 miles to a pumping station off Pumpkintown Road, said general manager Lyndon B. Stovall.
The two existing 30-inch mains were installed in the 1930s, and one has ruptured several times, he said.
“It’s important to upgrade the infrastructure, and part of that is transmission lines,” he said.
John Tynan, co-director of Upstate Forever’s Clean Air and Water Program, said that because the main would cross at least 26 waterways and three wetlands, it’s important the permit language is clear so its conditions can be enforced. As it stands now, he said, some of the language is ambiguous.
The groups also worry that because one of the old 30-inch mains will be left in place, the water system has the ability to increase its draw from the reservoir by 50 percent, Tynan said.
And it’s also asking DHEC to restore stream monitoring in the South Saluda River to ensure adequate flow for aquatic life and for fishing, boating and other recreational activities, he said.
“Construction activities, if not done properly, have the potential to degrade habitat for a number of rare and important species,” he said.
“South Carolina has less than 200 miles of trout streams left. Historically, we had 2,000. We want to make sure we don’t lose the last remaining vestiges of trout water we have.”
Stovall said he thought all the concerns were addressed in the permit. The water system has agreed to reduce impact on the environment and won’t pull more water out of the reservoir, he said.
Leaving the second main in place allows the utility to use less energy to pump water, he said. He added that the project should have been under construction by now and it’s hard to say whether the delay will affect the estimated $18 million cost.
Also appealing are the Sierra Club, Save Our Saluda, the South Carolina Native Plant Society and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.
DHEC spokesman Thom Berry said that if the board agrees to hear the case, it would be at an April 9 meeting.
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