GEORGETOWN, S.C. —  The City of Georgetown has been allowing too much pollution into the Sampit River and is facing a major fine if it is not corrected.

A ruling handed down by the state Monday states the city’s Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) discharged a bacteria called Enterococcus into the Sampit River during 10 different months between Jan. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009.

Any entity violating this emissions law faces a fine of up to $10,000 per day.

It was the second time the Department of Health and Environmental Services caught the city allowing too much of that bacteria into the river.

In Aug. 2007, the city was ordered to fix the discharge problem and provide quarterly reports about the solutions.

At that time the city was facing an $11,550 fine if it did not comply.

In July, 2008 the city was hit with a civil penalty for failing to comply with the discharge limits.

In December, 2009, DHEC found the city in violation for failing to submit a a final summary report for a pilot study and for not issuing the quarterly reports.

At that time, the state requested payment of the $11,550 penalty that had been suspended.

In late December, Lane Mixon, head of the Water Utilities Department, issued a report stating all upgrades had been completed.

He also requested a meeting with DHEC to talk about the penalty fee that had been requested.

That meeting took place in January and it was agreed the city would pay half the penalty and submit quarterly reports.

The fine  must be paid within 30 days.

In its report released this week, DHEC has ordered the city to submit a Corrective Action Plan within 90 days which must detail what will be done to make sure “effluent  violations” no longer occur.

That plan must include a schedule of implementation, the order states.

In addition, the city has also been ordered to pay $500 for each illegal Enterococcus discharge but it is not to exceed $1,000 per monitoring period, the order states.

By Scott Harper

sharper@gtowntimes.com