Sammy Fretwell, March 10, 2011
According to the bill approved Wednesday, utilities that chronically spill sewage would either have to undergo an audit or update sewer system plans to address the problem. Once the assessment has been done, the company would have to provide a plan intended to limit future leaks. DHEC would have to issue enforcement orders to make sure that happens, the legislation says.
A compromise amendment approved Wednesday gives utilities flexibility in how they come up with plans to fix problems. The audits would kick in for any utilities that spill 5,000 gallons or more into the environment multiple times in a year. The number of spills that require such reviews would depend on the size of the utility. Larger utilities would be allowed more spills than smaller ones because they have more pipe to keep track of. The bill also would require utilities to notify DHEC with 24 hours of any significant spill.
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