Winnsboro Clears DHEC Hurdle

WINNSBORO – The Town of Winnsboro cleared its first hurdle on the way to the Broad River, receiving its permit from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to draw up to 10 million gallons a day from the river to feed into the Town’s reservoir.

Mayor Roger Gaddy made the announcement at Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting. Gaddy said the Town was close to finalizing a deal to purchase land along the river from which to draw the water. State Sen. Creighton Coleman, also an attorney for the Town, said the Town and the land owners had agreed in principal to a deal, leaving just the final details to work out on paper.

“We’re close to the end of the process of purchasing the property where we will have the withdrawal site,” Gaddy said, “and we soon will be working on the engineering portion of it.”

Winnsboro has been working on the deal since last September, when it entered into an agreement with SWS Group; Utility Advisors Network, Inc. (UAN); and the Willoughby & Hoefer, PA Law Firm to assist with the project. Margaret Pope of the Pope Zeigler Law Firm has also been advising Council on the project, which is estimated to cost between $12 and $13 million. Gaddy said after Tuesday’s meeting that another meeting with Pope will be necessary to determine how to proceed next.

Last September, Council said the preliminary engineering for the project would have to be completed next in order for the Town to determine how much they will be seeking in bond money. Last summer, Winnsboro freed up a considerable amount of debt with the final payment on a nearly $12 million bond that was issued for water treatment plant upgrades. Gaddy said the engineering could take up to six months to complete.

Grants and Vehicles

Council approved $70,000 for the purchase of a ladder truck for the Department of Public Safety Tuesday night, as well as $18,135 in matching funds for a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant for the purchase of a 2015 Chevrolet pickup truck for the Streets and Sanitation Department. Council also approved $39,540 in matching funds for another USDA grant for the purchase of a data software system.

 

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