60,000 gallons of wastewater spilled off Okatie Highway. What happened?
On Sunday afternoon, 60,000 gallons of wastewater was released near the intersection of Okatie Highway and Lawton Blvd. in Bluffton, according to the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority. The overflow of sewage began just before 1 p.m. and was contained around 5 p.m.
A pipeline — called a force main because water and wastewater moves through it with pressure rather than gravity — broke, leading to the flow of wastewater said Jeff LaRue, chief communications officer for BJWSA. When broken, these kinds of pipelines spill a lot of water quickly, LaRue said, but they are used in areas that are relatively flat, like Bluffton. The pipeline was repaired and returned to service at approximately 1:30 a.m., according to BJWSA.
BJSWA has since pumped out the pond, brought the sewage back to the treatment plant and spread lime on surfaces to help reduce odor and kill germs. Warning signs have also been put up in the area. The authority is working in conjunction with the South Carolina Department of Environment Services to address any effects caused by the overflow.
An average backyard swimming pool holds around 20,000 gallons of water, while an Olympic-sized swimming pools holds 660,000 gallons. The gallons of spilled wastewater would fill three average backyard swimming pools and about 10% of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
On Monday afternoon, BJWSA cones and caution tape marked off an area off Okatie Highway, across from the entrance of Lawton Station, where the wastewater was released. The wastewater then flowed toward a detention basin, which typically collects storm water runoff from the road, and wooded area east of Pickett Mill Blvd., said BJWSA. The basin does not back up to homes, said LaRue.
Chuck Valentino, secretary for Lowcountry Bike/Walk Advocates, was riding his bike down the path on the side of Okatie Highway Monday afternoon when he had to maneuver around the blocked off area.
Valentino said that he often rides the route, but he has never seen something like this in his path. He has advocated for a path on the other side of Okatie Highway, and said on a day like today, having the other side would help to avoid riding through the affected area.
The authority is required to send out a public notice if there is a spill of more than 5,000 gallons, or if there is a threat to public health. LaRue confirmed that there is no boil water advisory in place, and the spill will not affect any sources of drinking water.
This is not the first time that wastewater has emerged from the pipes. In April 2023, 25,000 gallons of wastewater spilled into the salt march near County Shed Road in Beaufort.
This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 5:38 PM.
