According to ECU, Middle Branch is at 88% capacity, Georges Creek at 97% and Golden Creek, which recently had an updated flow adjustment approved by DHEC, takes its allocated capacity to 26%.
Courtesy of ECU
EASLEY — Easley Combined Utilities (ECU) held their monthly meeting on July 10, with Andy Sevic at the helm as the new general manager. A main undercurrent of the agenda was growth and how to plan for it.
According to municipal officials, access to sewer is vital to major property developments. Plans and permits are issued based on grading, engineering and water supply among others, but sewer access is table stakes for high density.
For sewer, ECU has three wastewater plants that are at varying levels of capacity: Middle Branch, Golden Creek and Georges Creek, with additional capacity entitlement in ReWa.
When trying to put numbers against flow and capacity, they said the industry looks at permitted flow. Permitted flow includes subdivisions that have had their permits approved by DHEC, not necessarily built, they said.
According to ECU, these are the numbers: Middle Branch 88% capacity, Georges Creek at 97% and Golden Creek, which recently had an updated flow adjustment approved by DHEC, takes its allocated capacity to 26%.
The Sheriff Mill/Brown Drive pending annexation will flow to Middle Branch, along with the developments currently being graded across from the Ingle’s on Highway 8. These developments are not part of these numbers, ECU officials said.
Officials noted there is an expansion slated sometime in the future for Middle Branch and a Georges Creek Outfall line is planned. Additionally, the Sewer System Master Plan is currently being worked on and will have further recommendations that impact growth.
More development is coming to the area and at the Monday meeting, Ridge at Perry Bend Phase 3 (Cedarwood) requested sewer service. They are located just outside of the municipal limits, near 104 N. Adams Court by a triangle of land towards Turner Hill Road and 123, just past the Spinx. It was decided that the best course of action was to hold off and talk to ReWa in depth about upcoming projects in both ECU and ReWa service areas. The vote was paused until these conversations could take place sometime before September.
Following the agenda, discussions moved to assigning a bid to a contractor. Back in May, Easley Combined received a $10 million ARPA grant to enlarge capacity by creating a sewer line from Georges Creek Plant to the sewer entitlement at ReWa. This new sewer capacity will provide the ability to drain additional developments along the line, officials said. The construction bid was voted on and awarded to Don Moorehead Construction, a local firm. Officials noted the contract was conditional based on approval from South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Investment Program, the body that dispensed the monies.
In other news, ECU was recognized for excellence, receiving a Certificate of Achievement Award from Government Finance Officers Association, for 11 years in a row. This organization represents public finance officials throughout North America and includes more than 20,000 members across federal, state and local municipalities and districts.
Further, the Commissioners voted to sign a membership agreement that renewed their relationship South Carolina Association of Municipal Power Systems (SCAMPS). Originally, SCAMPS existed solely to help local power authorities during times of disaster. However, while mutual aid is still the backbone of the organization, SCAMPS has expanded to include legislative initiatives, lobbying, PR initiatives and training for electrical personnel. There are 20 members, with ECU, Rock Hill and Orangeburg being in the top three, in terms of size.
In closing, it was noted ECU Commissioner Chairman Nick Caldwell is up for re-election this year. He has served since 2012, according to voting records. Each of the three commissioners serve six-year staggered terms, with Caldwell’s term coming up this year.