Taylors residents address sewer issues

Taylors residents are concerned about sewage overflowing from a manhole near the Enoree River. Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) officials say they are doing what they can to take care of the problem.

Taylors residents Boyce and Annette Foster moved to the town about 30 years ago.

Throughout those decades they’ve watched during heavy rains as sewage gushed from the top of a raised manhole near their property.

“That year, we hadn’t had that much rain, but the river was almost up to the bottom of the bridge,” Annette said, referring to their first year in Taylors. “I haven’t seen it that high since then. A short time later, after it had rained here, the sewage line over the river was gushing out and going into the river. “

Recently, with the heavy rains the state has experienced, the problem occurred again.

“It’s been 30 years and they still haven’t done anything about it,” she said.

ReWa insists it is working on the problem. In an Oct. 16 press release, ReWa, which includes Taylors Fire and Sewer District as a subdistrict, says it is addressing problems all over their service area.

“By the end of 2015, ReWa will have completed a 20-year comprehensive basin plan update to address and plan for growth and development within ReWa’s service area,” the release reads. “In Taylors, which includes Chick Springs, there is sufficient dry weather capacity for growth; however, during rain events, contributions of I&I (inflow and infiltration) from the subdistricts cause overflows.”

Stacey Flax, customer service/ contract manager for ReWa said the only way to permanently fix the problem is for subdistricts to remove the inflow and infiltration from the collection systems.

Samantha Bartow, director of sewer services for Taylors Fire and Sewer, was unable to comment on how their subdistrict is working to remove inflow and infiltration.

In the meantime, ReWa is working to raise the manholes.

“One of the current projects that was planned for this budget year consists of raising manholes (where the overflows have been identified as well as others) and improving hydraulics to help prevent sewer overflows until the subdistricts can adhere to the terms of their agreements,” Flax said. “Each of the subdistricts, along with ReWa, are spending millions of dollars in the Taylors area to reduce excess I&I from the system and therefore eliminate the overflows.”

The improvements are especially needed now, say residents.

Mary Lynn Bushong wrote to The Greer Citizen saying a developer is looking to add residential units to the corner of Chick Springs Road and Main Street. She is concerned about the sewage problem that already exists and what impact the new development would have on the existing situation.
Annette is likewise concerned.

“They just don’t seem to be wanting to do anything,” she said. “I’m just afraid they’re going to put in all those units and make it worse.”

Video of alleged sewer overflow 1

Video of alleged sewer overflow 2

kmaple@greercitizen.com | 877-2076