BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING OCONEE SEWER

A Clemson building moratorium, along with the university pushing students into off-campus housing, creates concern for neighboring Oconee County. And questions arise whether Oconee utilities are capable of accommodating the loads created by continual new development at the county’s east end, across from the city of Clemson and the university. But last night Chris Eleazer, executive director of the Oconee Joint Regional Sewer Authority, pronounced inflow and infiltration as the sewer authority’s biggest challenge. Eleazer’s audience consisted of city and county leaders attending the JRSA’s annual meeting. The return of millions of dollars last year to the JRSA’s member cities is seen as a hopeful sign that Seneca, Walhalla, and Westminster will invest their shares into ridding the collection system of rainwater that increases the costs of wastewater treatment. As explained by Eleazer, a lack of I-and-I expertise has led the JRSA to advertise for someone with the proper qualifications but, so far, they can’t find the right person.