Georgetown County Faces Legal Action Over Murrells Inlet Water Quality
Concerns Spark Legal Notice
Local inhabitants of Murrells Inlet submitted notice to Georgetown County last week of their intention to take legal action in order to ensure fulfillment of federal regulations requiring the county to enhance the water quality in the estuary. This comes after Georgetown was notified last April by the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) that an audit found deficiencies in their compliance with a 2014 plan targeted at decreasing pollutants in the Murrells Inlet watershed.
Amy Armstrong, Chief Counsel and Executive Director for the S.C. Environmental Law Project, is representing the local organization Preserve Murrells Inlet and Murrells Inlet Seafood. She points out the significance of the impending court action, stating it would be the first in the state to challenge compliance with federal permits for municipal separate storm sewer systems, also known as MS4s.
Issues With Water Quality
Due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria discovered in shellfish, Murrells Inlet had already been identified as waters that did not meet water quality standards. Concerns about the health of the Murrells Inlet estuary have been growing in the county, with more than thirty percent of shellfish beds already closed for harvesting.
County Administrator Anglea Christian has stated the county is looking into the notice but was not at liberty to disclose further details.
DHEC Audit Findings
Furthermore, the DHEC audit of the county’s MS4 program indicated that the enforcement and permitting measures were lackadaisical, identifying ten violations at the Sunnyside Village development site in Murrells Inlet. Instances of failure to implement best management practices (BMPs) to control stormwater runoff, as required by the MS4 permit, were observed.
County’s Response and Future Actions
Following the DHEC audit, the county acknowledged the need for enhanced inspection and enforcement strategies. As for controlling pollutants entering the inlet, it maintained that it has been conducting the required monitoring and assured it will include data in future reports.
The intended legal action from the Murrells Inlet community will give the county an opportunity to take corrective measures. Local representatives are stating they need to see significant changes; however, they maintain skepticism about county officials taking the matter seriously.
Community Impact
Rick Baumann, owner of Murrells Inlet Seafood, and member of a stakeholders committee that drafted the county stormwater management plan in 2005, lamented that water quality monitoring was not considered a crucial part of the plan due to budgetary concerns.
Despite promises from the county regarding preventing further degradation, Baumann stated that the necessary baseline data for monitoring water quality wasn’t collected. “Our inlet’s precious. This is kind of a last resort to compel the county to do right,” said Leon Rice, president of Preserve Murrells Inlet, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
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