From septic to sewer: James Island officials share rough timeline of project - Live 5 News WCSC

From septic to sewer: James Island officials share rough timeline of project

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The work continues to move nearly 200 James Island residences from septic tanks to sewer lines.

Officials are now sharing a rough timeline of the over $10 million project and what residents can expect will be installed in their yards.

James Island Public Service District officials said the projected investment for this project is around $52,000 per property or $10.3 million total.

They said the majority of the cost per property will be covered by a combination of federal, state and local funding, but the big question within the affected neighborhoods is: what will each homeowner have to pay out of pocket?

“You know the cost is going to be everybody’s concern and mine as well,” resident John Gerlow said. “There’s going to be a tipping point for a lot of people, where is that tipping point, is it $1,000, $2,000? Is it $5,000?”

Gerlow said despite the anxiety about the unknown cost, he thinks the benefit to the James Island Creek will be worth it.

“That’s why everybody loves the Lowcountry right? Because of the beautiful waterways. And if we can’t go out there and swim and fish and have a good time then we’re really not experiencing the low country,” Gerlow said.

DHEC named James Island Creek an impaired waterway over three years ago, and James Island officials said septic tanks leaking into the creek is a primary cause of the bacteria.

The District Manager of the James Island Public Service District David Schaeffer said as the sea level rises, septic tanks will continue to become less effective, and cause more pollution in waterways. He says now is an ideal time for homeowners near the creek to switch off septic.

“This is the time to do it because the federal dollars, the state dollars, the local match dollars are all there,” Schaeffer said.

Schaeffer said the Service District hopes to have the engineering and construction contracts by the end of 2024, and to begin hooking residents into the sewer system by the third quarter of 2025.

The Service District will work with each homeowner to install these grinder pumps into their yards to connect them to sewer.

He said the “tap and impact fee,” or what residents will have to pay out of pocket, is still unknown, however--

“We want to be able to minimize those financial burdens on each one of the customers,” Schaeffer said. “And we’re going to be working with other localities and continue to pursue all the funding sources available.”

The Mayor of James Island, Bill Woolsey, said although there’s been a mixed response from residents, they have no choice but to move forward with the switch.

“If the town and the city and the county do not take action to clean up the creek, this could be like million dollar per day fines,” Woolsey said. “So, we are obligated to do something.”

Schaeffer said affected homeowners can expect a letter the week of June 12 with more details and says to be on the lookout for community meetings in the coming months.

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