6,800 gallons of wastewater spilled into the Beaufort River on Thursday. What we know
An estimated 6,800 gallons of wastewater was dumped into the Beaufort River earlier this week due a “power failure at (a) sewer pump station” on Parris Island, a Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority news release said.
A sanitary sewer system at U.S. Marine Corp Recruit Depot Parris Island malfunctioned causing overflow to spill into the river near the Parris Island Boat Landing, which provides access to the Beaufort River and nearby Battery Creek.
S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control was alerted and is working to “address any effects caused by the overflow” and evaluate the effects on shellfish harvesting areas near the source of contamination, the release said.
BJWSA crews responded to the scene Thursday to stop the overflow and begin cleanup and repairs, the release said. Those crews used a vacuum truck to recover about 2,000 gallons of sewage from the storm drainage system and what was trapped by the temporary berm built around storm inlets, a DHEC spokesperson said.
Signs are being posted at Sands Beach, Parris Island Boat Landing, and Land End Beach by BJWSA to warn the public about the spill.
A swim advisory is in effect until lab results show acceptable bacterial levels, and shellfish harvesting in the area where the spill occurred is prohibited, according to DHEC.
BJWSA has a crew dedicated to monitoring and maintaining its wastewater collection system, which includes sewer lines that transport roughly 9 million gallons of wastewater to treatment facilities daily.
A similar incident happened in May 2019, when 20,000 gallons of wastewater spilled into the Beaufort River from a broken pipe on Parris Island near the marshes.
The river also suffered contamination in May 2016 when about 290 gallons of heating fuel oil leaked into the Beaufort Memorial Hospital’s boiler room. A drainpipe captured some of the oil and deposited it into the river behind the hospital. Oil from the spill was also found in the Lady’s Island Marina on Factory Creek.
Editor’s note: This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 12:21 PM.
