CONWAY, SC (WBTW)- The Conway wastewater plant is operational again, after flood waters temporarily shut down the plant, and allowed untreated water to flow into the Waccamaw River.
The Grand Strand Water and Sewer authority said the river is contaminated, but the drinking water is safe.
People who live down from the Conway Water Treatment Facility are dealing with flooding from Florence and effects from the water treatment facility being shut down.
“As you can see it’s up and it’s huge up here and smells from the sewage plant,” said James Braziel.
The CEO of Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority said due to the heavy flooding Tuesday, the Conway facility had some electrical issues and was non operational for 24 hours. Untreated wastewater was discharged into a branch of the Waccamaw River.
“The water was flowing from the City of Conway now keep in mind most of the water that’s coming through the treatment plant is river water to begin with,” said Fred Richardson, CEO of Grand Strand Water and Sewage Authority.
DHEC advises people to not touch, get in, or walk through the water around and downstream from the facility especially if you have an open wound. James Braziel and his neighbors have that water in their back yard and even their homes.
“It would be good to know what kind of long term effects this will have. It goes under their porch over there next to it and as you can see from down here they have the water inside. What’s that going to be like, how are they going to clean inside their house if that water is contaminated,” said Braziel.
Braziel said the same thing happened during Hurricane Matthew.
Grand Strand Water and Sewer said they don’t expect to have to shut down again, but they do anticipate an increase in water flows.
DHEC said they are not testing water right now because they expect flood waters to be contaminated with high levels of bacteria. Once water levels recede, personnel will go out to test contamination levels to see when they could get back to normal.
