Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments
Environmental Planning

208 Water Quality Management:

The principal objective of the 208 program is to maintain and improve water quality as it relates to the classification of surface waters in the Waccamaw Region. The program is funded by local 208 management agencies, supplemented by some 205J funds from the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Through an on-going agreement with DHEC, the 208 Director reviews all wastewater permit applications in the Waccamaw Region to ensure that they are consistent with goals of the “Waccamaw 208 Areawide Water Quality Management Plan.” In FY2007, 337 applications for wastewater collection, treatment and disposal systems were reviewed for conformancy with the 208 Plan. Applications for the use of on-site waste disposal systems (septic tanks) were also reviewed for 30 proposed subdivisions in rural, unsewered areas.

In December 2007 the 208 Program and GIS department completed a two-year project for the South Carolina Department of Commerce (SCDOC) to redevelop the water and sewer database for the Waccamaw Region. Current digital and paper data, collected from existing water and sewer providers, was converted to an ArcGIS format, using road center lines in a state plan projection, and international feet units. Geographic Information System maps of existing lines were originally prepared in 1991 under the South Carolina Infrastructure Mapping Project (SCIP) for SCDOC’s use in evaluating potential sites for economic development; however, the data was significalntly outdated in rapidly growing areas such as the Waccamaw Region. This is part of the statewide collaborative effort between the ten regional councils of government and the SCDOC that will be followed up by annual updates.

The 208 Director will continue to work with sewer providers to identify cost effective, environmentally sound alternatives to upgrade/expand wastewater treatment facilities in the Waccamaw/AIWW System and other parts of the region. The Director will also work the Local Governments on non point source pollution issues.

Related Information:

• SC Department of Health and Environmental Control