12/18/12

Hilton Head PSD’s Hewitt and Moffatt win Sea Island District awards

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (December 17, 2012) – Two Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) staff members have won annual awards from the Sea Island District of the Water Environment Association of South Carolina. Jim Hewitt, PSD Water Services Supervisor, was named the Water Treatment Operator of the Year. Scott Moffatt, PSD Water Quality Technician, was named the Lab Analyst of the Year. Hewitt and Moffatt now will be entered in the Water Environment Association’s state-level annual awards competition in their respective categories. 

Hewitt, of Hilton Head Island, has been with the PSD since 2001. His duties include supervising the operation and maintenance of the PSD’s drinking water distribution system. Moffatt, also of Hilton Head Island, has been with the utility since 2011. His duties include the analysis and monitoring of the PSD’s drinking water and recycled water quality. 

Hilton Head PSD is the public drinking water, wastewater treatment, and recycled water utility serving more than 19,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island.

9/27/12

Hilton Head PSD’s Nardi earns Certified Manager certification 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (September 27, 2012) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) Community & Personnel Relations Manager Pete Nardi has earned the Certified Manager (CM) certification from the Institute of Certified Professional Managers at the James Madison University College of Business in Harrisonburg, Va. Nardi, of Hilton Head Island, joined the PSD in 2004. His duties include public affairs, human resources, and customer project management.

Certified Managers must pass examinations that cover areas such as strategic planning, risk and human resources management, financial management and accounting, value-chain and project management, communications, and leadership. The credential must be retained through annual continuing education credits that are audited by the ICPM. 

Hilton Head PSD is the public drinking water, wastewater treatment, and reused water utility serving more than 18,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island.

7/19/12

Hilton Head PSD Commission candidates must file by August 15 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (July 18, 2012) – The deadline for candidates to file for three seats on the Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) Commission is noon on August 15. Voters in the November 6 general election will elect candidates to three PSD Commission seats. Two seats in PSD Voting District 4 and one seat in PSD Voting District 2 will be up for election. Candidates are elected to four-year terms. Candidates must live within the PSD Voting District for which they are running. The PSD election is non-partisan.

PSD Voting District 4 includes the Hilton Head Plantation area. PSD Voting District 2 includes the Indigo Run and Spanish Wells areas.  

The PSD Commission serves as the policy-making body for Hilton Head PSD, the public drinking water, wastewater treatment, and reclaimed water utility serving more than 18,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island. The seven-member commission is elected from four voting districts within the PSD.  

Candidates can pick up their candidacy form at the PSD Customer Service Center at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information about the Hilton Head PSD election, please contact Pete Nardi, PSD Community Relations Manager, at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com.

6/4/12

Chaplin area sewer work to start June 7 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (June 4, 2012) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) will be installing sewer service on the Broad Creek side of William Hilton Parkway in the Chaplin area, between Singleton Beach Road and Mathews Drive, starting June 7. Sections of the bicycle and pedestrian pathway in the area will be closed during construction. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians should use caution in the work zone and follow traffic control devices. 

The work will bring immediate sewer access to approximately 30 properties and is being funded through the Town of Hilton Head Island’s Tax Increment Finance District in the project area. 

The project is part of the PSD’s ongoing effort to provide sewer access to all properties in its service area. About 1,100 properties in the north- and mid-island areas still rely upon septic systems to treat their wastewater. The public sewer system is a safeguard against environmental pollution and property damage that can occur when septic systems fail. 

5/21/12

Hilton Head PSD earns financial reporting award 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (May 21, 2012) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States. The award, which is the highest form of recognition awarded by the association, is for the PSD’s 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The PSD’s CAFR was judged to demonstrate a spirit of full disclosure and to have effectively communicated the utility’s “financial story,” according to the association.  

The PSD’s 2011 CAFR can be viewed at: http://www.hhpsd.com/Articles.htm 

The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit association with offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C

4/17/12

Squire Pope Road sewer project begins

            HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (April 17, 2012) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) is installing sewer service along Squire Pope Road between Bermuda Point Circle and the Gumtree Road traffic circle starting today. Sections of the bicycle and pedestrian pathway in the area will be closed during construction. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians should use caution in the work zone and follow traffic control devices. 

The work will bring sewer access to approximately 30 properties and is being funded through the Town of Hilton Head Island’s Tax Increment Finance District in the project area. 

The project is part of the PSD’s ongoing effort to provide sewer access to all properties in its service area. About 1,000 properties in the north- and mid-island areas still rely upon septic systems to treat their wastewater. Septic systems have been found to be ill-suited for the island’s high groundwater table, resulting in failures. The public sewer system is a safeguard against environmental pollution and property damage that can occur when septic systems fail. 

11/30/11

Hilton Head PSD performing water line maintenance 

            HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (November 30, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) will be performing routine maintenance and flushing water lines throughout our service area beginning Monday and lasting for approximately two weeks. There will be no interruption in customers’ water service as a result of the work. 

            Customers may notice a slight chlorine taste or odor in the tap water during the treatment period. Customers in some areas may notice very brief discoloration in the tap water as a result of lines being flushed. If discoloration persists at all, customers should contact the PSD Customer Service Center 24 hours a day at (843) 681-5525. 

            The maintenance is being done in conjunction with Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA), which also is performing routine maintenance on its water lines during the same time period. The PSD purchases a portion of its water supply wholesale from BJWSA.

11/21/11

Hilton Head PSD’s Sapp named to Governmental Debt committee 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (November 14, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) Finance Manager Larry Sapp has been named to the Government Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) national Committee on Governmental Debt Management. Sapp, a Certified Government Finance Officer through the GFOA, is active in the association’s national and state chapters. He has been with the PSD since 1998, and has worked on the utility’s debt management and bond issuance programs – helping the PSD achieve an “AA+” bond rating from Standard & Poor’s and an “Aa1” rating from Moody’s.

7/18/11

Hilton Head PSD earns financial reporting award 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (July 18, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. The award, which is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, is for the PSD’s 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The PSD’s CAFR was judged to demonstrate a spirit of full disclosure and to have effectively communicated the utility’s “financial story” in a way that motivated readership of the report, according to the association. 

“This award represents a significant achievement for Hilton Head PSD in the area of accounting and financial reporting, and is a testament to the hard work of both the PSD staff and our elected Commission,” said PSD General Manager Richard Cyr. 

The 2010 report was the PSD’s first-ever CAFR. The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit association based in Chicago and Washington, D.C.

7/6/11

William Hilton Parkway turn-lane closure to start Wednesday; no travel lanes affected

            HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (July 5, 2011) – A portion of the right-turn lane on William Hilton Parkway westbound between Old Wildhorse and Squire Pope roads will be closed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. July 6 - 15, weather permitting, in order for Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) to perform sewer work in the area. No travel lanes on William Hilton Parkway will be affected by the partial turn-lane closure. Westbound drivers will be able to make right turns onto both Old Wildhorse and Squire Pope roads. Drivers should use caution in the work zone and follow all traffic control devices.  

The sewer work is part of a Hilton Head PSD and Town of Hilton Head Island project to bring public sewer service to the Old Wildhorse and Squire Pope roads areas.

6/10/11

Hilton Head PSD, Town receive energy efficiency grant 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (June 10, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) and the Town of Hilton Head Island have received a $160,000 grant from the State of South Carolina for the installation of energy-saving equipment at the PSD’s Reclaimed Water Plant on Oak Park Drive. The funds were awarded through the State Office of Local Government’s Water & Sewer Energy Efficiency grant program. The PSD and Town jointly applied for the grant. 

“This grant award is a great example of the partnership between the PSD and the Town benefitting our mutual customers – the residents and businesses of Hilton Head Island,” said PSD General Manager Richard Cyr. 

The grant will pay for the installation of a dissolved oxygen control system for use in the aeration component of the wastewater treatment process at the PSD’s Reclaimed Water Plant. The system will regulate aeration based on the concentration of oxygen in the wastewater stream, resulting in energy savings of 270,000 kilowatt hours a year. The system will lower energy usage in the wastewater treatment process by approximately 20 percent a year, along with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 194 tons of CO2 equivalents a year.

Hilton Head PSD is the public drinking water, wastewater treatment, and reclaimed water utility serving more than 18,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island. The PSD’s Reclaimed Water Plant has a capacity to treat 6.4 million gallons of wastewater a day. The PSD annually recycles more than 1 billion gallons of highly-treated wastewater into reclaimed water for use in golf course irrigation and wetlands nourishment. 

5/19/11

Stormwater management class May 25 at Hilton Head PSD 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (May 19, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) will present a free class on reducing and reusing stormwater and protecting our waterfronts at 6:30 p.m., May 25, in the PSD Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. No reservations are required. 

Clemson University Extension Agent Laura Lee Rose leads this class that teaches how to reduce, capture and reuse stormwater on your property. Rose also discusses the protection of our waterfronts by filtering and buffering contaminants from stormwater before it reaches our waterways.

For more information, please contact Pete Nardi at Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com. 

3/24/11

Hilton Head PSD rate changes start May 1 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (March 24, 2011) – The Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to adjust the PSD’s water and sewer service base charges for the first time in 12 years. The water service base charge will increase $1.00 a month and the sewer service base charge will increase $2.00 a month for all customers effective May 1.  

The adjustments were the result of a cost-of-service analysis performed annually by the PSD to determine the public utility’s cost of providing its drinking water and sanitary sewer services. The PSD is faced with increased fixed costs such as fuel and power, and the service base charges are in place to cover these and other fixed costs. 

            The new water service base charge will be $11.00 a month for residential customers and $16.00 a month for commercial customers, as a result of the adjustment. The new sewer service base charge will be $14.00 a month for all customers. The adjustments approved Tuesday and made effective May 1 also include a new residential irrigation meter volume charge of $1.71 per 1,000 gallons up to 20,000 gallons per month. The commercial sewer service volume charge also was adjusted to $2.00 per 1,000 gallons of water consumption. 

            Hilton Head PSD is the public drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment, and reclaimed water utility serving more than 18,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island.

2/17/11

Hilton Head PSD Reverse Osmosis Plant wins national award

          HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (February 17, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District’s Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Facility has won a National Recognition Award in the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) 2011 Engineering Excellence Awards competition. The award is presented to projects that “demonstrate exceptional achievement in engineering,” according to a statement from the ACEC. The Reverse Osmosis Plant was designed and built by AECOM engineering company in Greenville, S.C. The plant was awarded an Engineering Excellence Award from the South Carolina chapter of the ACEC earlier this month. 

The plant incorporates sustainable principles into its design. Water recovery is maximized using technologically-advanced membrane design and lower-pressure membranes to reduce power consumption. The Reverse Osmosis Plant, which began operating in April 2009, is producing 3 million gallons of drinking water a day, about half of the utility’s average daily demand. The plant, which treats brackish groundwater from the 600-foot-deep Middle Floridan Aquifer, was needed in order to replace water supply lost as a result of saltwater intrusion into the island’s traditional source of water, the 150-foot-deep Upper Floridan Aquifer. The plant gives Hilton Head PSD three sources of drinking water, which is crucial for disaster recovery and drought response. It is located on Jenkins Island across from Windmill Harbour.

2/15/11

Gumtree Road water line work set for Thursday 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (February 15, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) will be performing water line improvements at the intersection of Gumtree Road and Katie Miller Drive from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, weather permitting. There will be alternating lane closures on Gumtree Road and drivers should use caution and follow traffic control signals in the area. Some PSD customers in the area of the project will have temporary disruption of their water service during the work.  

This project involves the installation of a new water main that will improve water distribution in the area, and is being done in coordination with Town of Hilton Head Island and South Carolina Department of Transportation drainage and road resurfacing projects.

2/7/11

Hilton Head PSD conducting treatment on water lines 

            HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (February 7, 2011) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) will be temporarily changing the drinking water treatment method it uses and flushing water lines throughout our service area beginning February 11 and lasting for approximately two weeks. There will be no interruption in customers’ water service as a result of the work. 

            Customers may notice a slight chlorine taste or odor in the tap water during the treatment period. Customers in some areas may notice very brief discoloration in the tap water as a result of lines being flushed. If discoloration persists at all, customers should contact the PSD Customer Service Center 24 hours a day at (843) 681-5525. 

            The temporary change in treatment method is being done in conjunction with Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA), which is temporarily changing the treatment method it uses on the drinking water the PSD purchases wholesale from BJWSA.

12/10/10

Hilton Head PSD holding Red Cross blood drive Dec. 17 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (December 10, 2010) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) is holding an American Red Cross Blood Drive from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, Dec. 17. The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at the PSD Customer Service Center at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. The PSD is located directly behind Port Royal Plaza. From Mathews Drive, take Oak Park Drive to where it ends at the PSD Customer Service Center. Donors can contact Blood Drive coordinator Nick Koulichkov at the PSD at (843) 681-0524 or info@hhpsd.com to schedule an appointment in the Bloodmobile. PSD employees are holding the drive as a tribute to a co-worker whose recent illness has required several blood transfusions.

The Red Cross urges donors to eat a full meal before donating, including foods rich in vitamin C and iron, drink plenty of water, and avoid coffee and tea.

11/19/10

PSD performing utility work on Seabrook Drive

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (November 18, 2010) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) is performing utility work at the intersection of Seabrook and Royal James drives in Hilton Head Plantation today as part of its Aquifer Storage & Recovery Well project. Drivers should use caution in the work zone and follow traffic control instructions. 

The PSD is constructing an Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) Well at Royal James Drive that is needed to replace drinking water supply lost due to saltwater intrusion into the 150-foot-deep Upper Floridan Aquifer. The well is expected to be in operation by the summer of 2013. The PSD has lost six Upper Floridan drinking water wells to saltwater intrusion, caused by the overpumping of the aquifer in the Savannah, Ga., region, since 2000. Studies show the intrusion is advancing at a rate of more than 300 feet a year from Port Royal Sound through the PSD’s service area. The utility can expect to lose five of its remaining six Upper Floridan wells by 2020.

10/28/10

Hilton Head PSD loses another well to saltwater intrusion

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (October 29, 2010) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) has been forced to take another of its Upper Floridan Aquifer groundwater wells out of production due to saltwater intrusion into the aquifer. The well, known as the Front Gate Well, is located near the entrance to Hilton Head Plantation off William Hilton Parkway. There will be no interruption in customers’ water service as a result of the shut-down. 

Hilton Head PSD now has lost six drinking water wells to the phenomenon of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan freshwater aquifer since 2000. The utility expects to lose five of its remaining six Upper Floridan wells to the intrusion by the year 2020. 

            “The PSD’s Front Gate Well is yet another casualty of the Savannah region’s over-pumping of the Upper Floridan Aquifer,” said PSD General Manager Richard Cyr. “Hilton Head PSD and its customers once again are faced with the loss of our drinking water supply as a result of the degradation of the natural resource of the aquifer.” 

Recent studies show that the saltwater intrusion is being caused by over-pumping of the aquifer in the Savannah, Ga., area, and that the intrusion is advancing at about 350 feet a year from Port Royal Sound through the PSD’s service area in the north- and mid-islands parts of Hilton Head Island. The PSD launched its Reverse Osmosis drinking water plant in 2009 to replace water supply lost to the intrusion. The utility now is in the process of constructing an Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) well that will help replace lost supply. The ASR well stores water in the underground aquifer during the winter months of lower demand, and then withdraws it during the summer months of higher demand.  

            Salt levels in the Front Gate Well have exceeded the standard for drinking water production. The well no longer will be used to produce drinking water, but it will remain available for emergency purposes, such as firefighting.

7/28/10

PSD Commission candidate filing closes Aug. 16 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (July 28, 2010) – Candidates for three seats on the Hilton Head Public Service District Commission must file by noon on Aug. 16. The election will take place during the Nov. 2 general election. Candidates can file at the PSD Customer Service Center at 21 Oak Park Drive off Mathews Drive. 

One seat each in PSD Voting Districts 1, 3 and 4 will be up for election. PSD Voting District 1 includes the Bradley Beach area, Squire Pope, Gumtree, and Wild Horse roads, as well as part of the Spanish Wells area. Voting District 3 includes Port Royal and Palmetto Hall plantations, and Voting District 4 includes Hilton Head Plantation. Incumbent Commissioners Bob Gentzler of District 3 and Frank Drehwing of District 4 have filed their candidacies. 

The Commission is the governing body of Hilton Head PSD, the public drinking water, wastewater treatment and reclaimed water utility serving the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island. The Commission sets utility policy, and establishes its consumption rates and fees, and its tax rates.  

For more information about Commission candidate filing, please contact Pete Nardi at Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-5525 or info@hhpsd.com.

3/25/10

Road repairs at Pembroke Drive traffic circle Tuesday and Wednesday 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (March 25, 2010) – Access to Pembroke Drive traffic circle from Leg O’ Mutton Road and Gardner Drive will be closed from 7 a.m. Tuesday, until 6 p.m. Wednesday, as a contractor for Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) performs road repairs. Drivers should use caution in the area and follow all traffic control devices.

2/5/10

Main Street sewer repair set for Tuesday, Feb. 9 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (February 5, 2010) – A contractor for Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) will be performing repairs on a sewer line on Main Street, between Central Avenue and Museum Street, between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9. Drivers in the area should use caution and expect delays. The contractor will provide traffic control at the site. 

7/30/09

Hilton Head PSD offering rain barrels at special price 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (July 30, 2009) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) is offering rain barrels at a discount. A 60-gallon barrel is available for $105, as opposed to retail value of $144. An 80-gallon barrel is available for $125, as opposed to retail value of $165. Customers can view a demonstration rain barrel at the Hilton Head PSD Customer Service Center, 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. Customers can order barrels using their credit cards by calling Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-5525 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Order forms also are available online at www.hhpsd.com and www.lcrainbarrel.com. Barrels ordered now can be picked up between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week of Aug. 31 through Sept. 4, 2009, at the Hilton Head PSD Customer Service Center.  

Hilton Head PSD, the drinking water, wastewater treatment, and reclaimed water public utility serving more than 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island, strongly encourages water conservation, and the use of rain barrels can be an integral part of customers’ own water conservation efforts. 

For more information about the Hilton Head PSD rain barrels. Please contact Pete Nardi at Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com, or contact Russ Charek at LowCountry Rain Barrel at (843) 271-6255 or russ@lcrainbarrel.com.

5/28/09

Squire Pope Road sewer work starts June 1 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (May 28, 2009) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) on June 1 will begin construction of a sewer main along Squire Pope Road, between Bermuda Pointe and Green’s Shell Park, weather permitting. Preliminary site work is under way. The construction contractor will provide traffic control at the site. Drivers should expect alternating lane closures and use caution in the construction area. The project is expected to take several months to complete. 

This project to bring sewer service to Green’s Shell Park is being funded by the Town of Hilton Head Island and managed by Hilton Head PSD, as part of an ongoing effort to install sewer at Town facilities such as parks. The project also provides sewer access to properties in the Squire Pope Road area. 

Customers and residents with questions about the project can contact Hilton Head PSD Project Manager Charlie Wire at (843) 681-5525 or info@hhpsd.com.

4/10/09

Hilton Head PSD presents Todd Ballantine, May 9

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (April 10, 2009) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) on Saturday, May 9, will present renowned environmental scientist, author, and artist Todd Ballantine for a discussion of the vital relationship among Hilton Head Island’s wetlands, its old growth forests, and Hilton Head PSD’s Reclaimed Water Program. Ballantine will explore: Nature’s Best Kept Secret: Reclaimed Water on Hilton Head Island. Presentations take place at 10 a.m. at Palmetto Hall Golf Club, and at 3 p.m. in the Hilton Head PSD Community Room, 21 Oak Park Drive off Mathews Drive. The May 9 presentations are free, but space is limited. Attendees must RSVP to Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com.

Ballantine monitors wetlands in Palmetto Hall and Hilton Head Plantation as part of Hilton Head PSD’s Reclaimed Water Program. He was instrumental in the development of the reclaimed water approach on Hilton Head – the use of highly-treated wastewater to restore and enhance the island’s wetlands and preserve coastal water quality.

Ballantine has written and illustrated three naturalist books including the popular Tideland Treasure: A Naturalist’s Guide to the Beaches and Salt Marshes of Hilton Head Island and the Southeastern Coast. He also is the author of dozens of nature and history guides, as well as an award-winning newspaper column, “On Earth.” In 1989, he founded Ballantine Environmental Resources Inc., a national environmental firm that specializes in reclaimed water projects and interpretive exhibits for natural and cultural sites throughout North America. Ballantine holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science from the University of England.

3/30/09

Hilton Head PSD earns increased bond rating from S&P 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (March 30, 2009) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) has earned an increased bond rating from Standard & Poor’s. The PSD is now rated as AA, up from its previous A rating. “Positive credit factors include what we consider strong debt service coverage, liquidity, and income levels,” S&P said in a statement announcing the new rating.  

Hilton Head PSD is the public drinking water, wastewater treatment, and reclaimed water utility serving approximately 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island.

 3/18/09

Part of Leg O’Mutton Road closed for sewer repairs March 23 -24 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (March 17, 2009) – Leg O’Mutton Road between Gardner Drive and the Indigo Run Traffic Circle will be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, March 23, and Tuesday, March 24. Drivers should use caution in the area of the traffic circle, obey traffic controls, and take alternate routes. The closure is necessary in order for Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) to perform repairs on a sewer main in the area.

3/16/09

Hilton Head PSD Reverse Osmosis Facility Dedication and Open House set for March 27 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (March 16, 2009) – Hilton Head Public Service District will hold a Dedication and Open House for its new Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Facility on Friday, March 27, 2009. The public is invited. The Dedication Ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) will be the keynote speaker. The Open House is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All guests must park at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Plantation. The parking lot opens at 10 a.m. Trolley buses will bring guests to the Reverse Osmosis Facility with return service to Honey Horn throughout the day. 

Reverse osmosis, or RO, is a filtration process whereby salt and other minerals are removed from the drinking water prior to its entering the water distribution system. Hilton Head PSD’s facility is located on Jenkins Island, across from Windmill Harbour, on land provided by the Town of Hilton Head Island. The facility will treat brackish water from the Middle Floridan Aquifer, located about 600 feet below ground, and can provide up to 3 million gallons of drinking water a day – about half of the PSD’s average daily demand. It is expandable to provide 6 million gallons a day. The RO supply is drought resistant and provides the PSD with a diversified drinking water supply that is crucial for drought response and disaster recovery.  

Construction of the facility was necessary in order to combat the effects of saltwater intrusion into the the 150-foot-deep Upper Floridan Aquifer, which is the PSD’s current groundwater source. Saltwater intrusion is being caused by overpumping of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the Savannah, Ga., region, which is pulling saltwater from the Port Royal Sound into the freshwater underground aquifer. The PSD has lost five Upper Floridan drinking water wells to saltwater intrusion since 2000. The utility’s groundwater expert, hydrologist Dr. Richard Spruill of East Carolina University, has informed the PSD that all of its Upper Floridan wells could be lost to the saltwater intrusion by the year 2020. As such, the construction of the reverse osmosis facility is critical to ensuring a high-quality and long-term source of drinking water for the island. 

For more information about the Dedication and Open House and the Reverse Osmosis Facility, please contact Pete Nardi, Hilton Head PSD Community Relations Manager, at (843) 681-0525 or email info@hhpsd.com.

11/14/08

East Carolina professor to discuss saltwater intrusion Nov. 18 at Hilton Head PSD

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Nov. 14, 2008) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) will play host to a presentation on the status of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan Aquifer, at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the PSD’s Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive off Mathews Drive. The discussion will be led by Dr. Richard K. Spruill, Associate Professor of Hydrology at East Carolina University. The public is invited. 

The Upper Floridan Aquifer is the current source of about half of the public drinking water supply for Hilton Head PSD, which serves more than 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island. The utility has lost four drinking water wells to saltwater intrusion since 2000, including some wells that experienced salt level increases of more than 350 percent. The intrusion is caused by the over-pumping of the aquifer in the Savannah, Ga., region, which is bringing saltwater into the freshwater aquifer. 

To combat the effects of saltwater intrusion, the PSD is constructing a reverse osmosis drinking water treatment facility that will provide drinking water from a new source – the 600-foot-deep Middle Floridan Aquifer. The reverse osmosis facility will initially provide 3 million gallons of drinking water a day, and is anticipated to be in operation in January 2009. Dr. Spruill also will discuss recent monitoring of the Middle Floridan Aquifer during the Nov. 18 presentation. 

Dr. Spruill is an expert on the hydrogeology of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, and has worked with Hilton Head PSD on the issue of saltwater intrusion, through his role as principle in the firm of Groundwater Management Associates. He received his Ph.D. in Hydrology from the University of North Carolina.  

For more information about the presentation, please contact Pete Nardi, Hilton Head PSD Community Relations Manager, at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com.

10/15/08

Hilton Head PSD Commission-Town Council joint meeting to focus on sewer progress 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Oct. 15, 2008) – The Hilton Head PSD Commission and Hilton Head Town Council will hold a joint meeting on the progress of sewer installation in the PSD’s north- and mid-island service area at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, October 28, in the PSD Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive off Mathews Drive, on Hilton Head Island. The public is invited to attend. 

About nine percent of Hilton Head PSD’s customers remain unconnected to the public sewer system, relying instead upon septic systems to treat their household wastewater. Septic systems are ill-suited to the island’s high groundwater table, resulting in failures. Septic system failures threaten both public health and the island’s environment. 

The PSD launched a $20-million effort in 2005 aimed at installing system infrastructure such as sewer lift stations that will enable future neighborhood sewer projects to connect individual homes to the sewer system. Today, about $8 million in system infrastructure projects remains to be completed. The Town of Hilton Head Island has played a critical role by providing land on which to locate infrastructure and by committing funds in its Capital Improvement Plan to install sewers at its parks and other Town-owned facilities. 

Additionally, both the Town and PSD have worked to provide financial assistance for low- and moderate-income families to meet their share of the cost of connecting to the sewer system. The Town has received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to install sewers for more than 30 low-income homeowners in the Squire Pope Road area. The PSD will manage construction of the CDBG project.

9/17/08

Hilton Head PSD customers affected by BJWSA source’s algae bloom 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Sept. 17, 2008) – An algae bloom in the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) surface water is affecting the taste and odor of drinking water supplied to Hilton Head PSD customers. The drinking water supplied by Hilton Head PSD remains safe to drink and use, despite the taste and odor problem. The algae bloom is creating an “earthy taste and odor” in the water, according to BJWSA. Hilton Head PSD purchases about half of its drinking water supply from BJWSA, which provides treated surface water from the Savannah River. 

BJWSA informs Hilton Head PSD today that it is working to correct the problem and expects to see an improvement in the taste and odor by this weekend. The PSD also will attempt to mitigate the problem in the meantime by limiting its use of the BJWSA supply when possible. BJWSA has a statement about the algae bloom on its website at http://www.bjwsa.org/latestnews.html. Cooling a container of tap water in the refrigerator may help alleviate some of the taste and odor problems for drinking purposes, according to the BJWSA statement. 

Hilton Head PSD serves approximately 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island.

7/25/08

Hilton Head PSD raises water rates for first time in nine years; absorbs part of BJWSA wholesale water rate increase 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (July 25, 2008) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) this week approved a 4-percent water rate increase, absorbing part of a recent 9-percent increase in the wholesale water rate it is charged by the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA). The PSD has held the line on water rates since 1999; while BJWSA has raised the wholesale water rate it charges the PSD by 44 percent since 1999. 

Hilton Head PSD uses a water conservation rate structure, which charges higher rates to customers who use more water. That means water rates vary based upon consumption. Under the new water rates, a customer who uses 5,000 gallons of water a month will see a 3.4-percent increase, while a customer who uses 50,000 gallons of water a month will see a 6.4-percent increase. 

The new water rate, which affects both residential and commercial customers, takes effect Aug. 1. There is no change to the PSD’s sewer rates.  

            “Our rates reflect our cost of providing water service,” said PSD General Manager Richard Cyr. “In the face of ongoing wholesale water rate increases, and other escalating costs, we believe it is prudent to adjust our rates to reflect our cost of service.” 

            Hilton Head PSD currently purchases about half of its drinking water supply from BJWSA, which provides Savannah River surface water, and the other half is drawn from the PSD’s groundwater wells in the Upper Floridan Aquifer. The PSD is in the process of constructing a Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Facility on Jenkins Island that will be able to supply half of the PSD’s drinking water needs, using a new source – the 600-foot-deep Middle Floridan Aquifer. The Reverse Osmosis Facility is expected to be operational by early 2009. 

5/20/08

Hilton Head PSD Commission candidates must file by July 15 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (May 20, 2008) – The deadline for candidates to file for four seats on the Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) Commission is July 15. Voters will elect candidates to four PSD Commission seats during the Nov. 4, 2008, general election. One seat each in PSD Voting Districts 2 and 3, and two seats in PSD Voting District 4 will be up for election. Candidates are elected to four-year terms. Candidates must live within the PSD Voting District for which they are running.

PSD District 2 includes Indigo Run and the Spanish Wells area. District 3 comprises areas around Mathews Drive, and Beach City and Folly Field roads, including Palmetto Hall and Port Royal Plantation. District 4 comprises Hilton Head Plantation and areas around Gum Tree Road and Main Street. To determine your PSD Voting District, check your Voter Registration card or contact the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at (843) 470-3751.

Candidates for PSD Commission must file their candidacy with the PSD by noon on July 15, 2008. The necessary forms can be picked up at the PSD Customer Service Center at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

The PSD Commission serves as the policy-making body for Hilton Head PSD, the public drinking water, wastewater treatment, and reclaimed water utility serving more than 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island. The seven-member commission is elected from four voting districts within the PSD. 

For more information about the Hilton Head PSD election, please contact Pete Nardi, PSD Community Relations Manager, at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com. 

5/2/08

Hilton Head PSD brings Clemson yard care program to island

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (May 2, 2008) – Hilton Head PSD once again is playing host to the Clemson Extension Service’s environmentally-friendly yard care program, Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods. These free workshops that are open to the public will take place from 1:30 to 3 p.m. May 14, 21, and 28, and June 4, 11, and 18. The workshops are held in the Hilton Head PSD Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. The program is led by Clemson Horticulture Agent Laura Lee Rose. No reservations are necessary. 

Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods offers a great overview of Lowcountry landscaping techniques. Everyone from homeowners to landscape professionals is invited and encouraged to attend.

Hilton Head PSD, the drinking water and reclaimed water utility for the north- and mid-island areas, wants to provide its customers with efficient watering and landscaping techniques that both protect our island environment and make yard care fun. Clemson’s Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods program teaches participants about plant selection and placement, efficient watering, mulching, responsible pest control, reduction of stormwater runoff, and attracting wildlife. Participants learn the principles that will help them create and maintain an environmentally-friendly “Carolina Yard.”

For more information, please contact Pete Nardi at Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com, or Laura Lee Rose, Clemson Horticulture Agent, at (843) 470-3655.

4/11/08

Jenkins Island Road lane closures set for Monday, April 14 

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (April 11, 2008) – Drivers should expect alternating lane closures on Jenkins Island Road from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, April 14, while a Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) contractor installs utility mains along the road, weather permitting. The contractor will provide traffic control at the site.

The work is being performed as part of Hilton Head PSD’s construction of its Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Facility on Jenkins Island, which will provide PSD customers with drinking water from a new source, the Middle Floridan Aquifer. The facility is being built in order to combat the effects of saltwater intrusion into the fresh water Upper Floridan Aquifer. The PSD has lost the use of four Upper Floridan drinking water wells in the past eight years as a result of the saltwater intrusion, which is caused by overpumping of the Upper Floridan in the Savannah, Ga., area.

12/7/07

East Carolina professor to discuss saltwater intrusion, Dec. 18 at Hilton Head PSD

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Dec. 7, 2007) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) is sponsoring a public forum on the issue of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan Aquifer, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, in the PSD’s Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive off Mathews Drive. The discussion will be led by Dr. Richard K. Spruill, Associate Professor of Hydrology at East Carolina University. Dr. Spruill will take questions from the audience after his talk. The forum is free and open to the public.

Dr. Spruill is an expert on the hydrogeology of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, and has worked with Hilton Head PSD on the issue of saltwater intrusion, through his role as principle in the firm of Groundwater Management Associates. He received his Ph.D. in Hydrology from the University of North Carolina.

The Upper Floridan Aquifer is the current source of about half of the public drinking water supply for Hilton Head PSD, which serves more than 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island. The utility has lost four drinking water wells to saltwater intrusion since 2000, including some wells that experienced salt level increases of more than 350 percent. To combat the effects of saltwater intrusion, the PSD is preparing to construct a reverse osmosis drinking water treatment facility that will provide drinking water from a new source – the 600-foot-deep Middle Floridan Aquifer. The $12.5-million facility will initially provide 3 million gallons of drinking water a day, and is anticipated to be in operation in the summer of 2008.

“We want to provide the community with information about saltwater intrusion’s continued impact on our most precious natural resource – water – and to discuss the methods by which Hilton Head PSD plans to continue combating the intrusion,” said PSD Commission Chairman Bob Manne. “We encourage you to be our guest at this important forum.”

For more information about the forum, please contact Pete Nardi, Hilton Head PSD Community Relations Manager, at (843) 681-0525 or info@hhpsd.com.

10/5/07

Hilton Head PSD achieves 90 percent sewer connection

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (Oct. 5, 2007) – Hilton Head PSD is proud to announce that 90 percent of its drinking water customers are now connected to the PSD’s sewer system. This marks a key milestone in the utility’s effort to provide sewer access throughout its service area, and to end property owners’ reliance upon septic systems. Septic systems have been found to be ill-suited for the island’s high groundwater table, resulting in numerous septic tank failures. Failing septic systems can pollute the soil, nearby waterways, and even the groundwater. Both the Hilton Head Town Council and the PSD Commission have adopted goals of eliminating septic tank usage on Hilton Head Island. 

In 2003, the PSD adopted a 10-year, $19.3 million Sewer Master Plan, which outlined the requirements for sewer system access for the nearly 20 percent of properties within the PSD’s service area that lacked sewer access at that time. Since 2003, the PSD and its community partners, such as the Town of Hilton Head Island, have made significant progress toward fulfillment of the Sewer Master Plan. This rapid progress was achieved without an increase in customers’ water and sewer rates. The PSD’s partnership with the Town of Hilton Head Island has seen the Town commit more than $2 million to installing sewer service to its facilities such as parks. The Town also was successful in receiving a Community Development Block Grant that will assist more than 30 homes in the Squire Pope Road area with connection to the sewer system.

 To address the community need for sewer service, the PSD and community partners such as the Town, Project SAFE (Sewer Access For Everyone), the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, The Deep Well Project, and the Native Island Business and Community Affairs Association (NIBCAA), have united in an effort to ensure that low income residents on the island have an opportunity to connect to the sewer system. These groups have launched a concerted effort to identify and pursue alternative funding sources to support the expansion of sewer infrastructure to low income communities and the connection of households to the system. So far, more than $2.5 million in grants has been applied for as a result of this effort.

 Since January 2006, PSD customers have raised more than $65,000 through the PSD’s utility bill round-up program, Bucks for a Better Island. Funds from Bucks for a Better Island are channeled to Project SAFE, which assists low-income property owners in covering the cost of sewer connection.

             The PSD also has made use of improved technology such as low-pressure sewer systems that allow the utility to serve existing neighborhoods without the need for costly and disruptive road reconstruction. Recent low-pressure sewer projects have connected entire neighborhoods to the PSD’s sewer system, including Oak Marsh off Spanish Wells Road, Blue Heron Pointe, and the Sylby Tub apartments off Union Cemetery Road.

             “We are pleased with the significant progress that has been made toward fulfillment of the Sewer Master Plan’s vision,” said PSD General Manager Richard Cyr. “The PSD and its partners will continue to work toward our goal of 100 percent connection to the sewer system, as it represents a key tool in the protection of both public health and our island environment.”

6/28/07

Four candidates file for PSD Commission special election

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (June 28, 2007) – Four candidates have filed for the August 28 special election to fill a seat on the Hilton Head Public Service District Commission from PSD District 3.

The candidates are:  

• Bob Gentzler of Palmetto Hall Plantation. Gentzler spent 25 years with E.I. Dupont in various technical and business management positions. He also served as general manager of new business development for BP Amoco, and worked as an independent consultant. He holds a PhD from the University of Massachusetts, and degrees from Dartmouth College, and Bucknell University.

• Hank Heslop of Port Royal Plantation. Heslop was superintendent of schools in Western, N.Y., for 30 years. He was a guidance counselor, teacher and coach in Central, N.Y., and also had a private consulting practice. He also served as a football official in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. He holds degrees from Ithaca College, Cornell University, and Penn State University.

• Nick Sharr of Port Royal Plantation. Sharr was a senior vice president and director of project management for a national real estate investment trust. He retired as a captain from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He served on the planning and zoning commission for the City of Boca Raton, Fla. He holds a degree in civil engineering from Norwich University in Vermont.

• James R. Wolf of Tabby Walk. Wolf retired as a skilled trade’s electrician from TRW Automotive in Lafayette, Ind. He was an adjunct faculty member of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, teaching electrical and manufacturing processes. He holds an associates degree from Ivy Tech and is completing a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University.

The August 28 special election is being held to fill the PSD Commission seat vacated by the resignation of Frank Durand, who is moving out of the PSD service area. The following precincts will take part in the election: Hilton Head 6A, Hilton Head 6B, Hilton Head 3 (part thereof), and Hilton Head 2 (part thereof).

The PSD Commission is comprised of seven members elected from four districts within the PSD service area. The Commission’s duties include establishing policies, setting long-term goals and strategic plans, adopting the utility’s budget, and selecting and monitoring the performance of the general manager. Hilton Head PSD is the drinking water and reclaimed water utility serving about 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island.

6/21/07

PSD’s new budget holds the line on customer rates

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (June 21, 2007) – The Hilton Head Public Service District Commission on Tuesday approved a fiscal year 2008 budget that contains no customer rate increases. Hilton Head PSD has not raised customer drinking water rates since 1999. The PSD’s 2008 budget calls for $10 million in operating revenues and expenses. Hilton Head PSD is the drinking water and reclaimed water utility serving about 17,000 customers in the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island. 

            The PSD’s new budget provides for several key projects in the upcoming fiscal year, including: construction of a new drinking water well in the Spanish Wells area; implementation of a Disaster Recovery Plan and revaluation of all PSD assets; completion of several sewer system extension projects; improvements to the utility’s reclaimed water system; and an array of maintenance and replacement projects for the PSD’s water and sewer systems. Replacement projects include switching the disinfectant method used at the PSD’s drinking water wells from chlorine gas to liquid chlorine, as a public safety measure. 

            The new budget anticipates 200 new drinking water customers and more than 300 new sewer customers, while at the same time holding the line on customer rates. Sewer customer growth outpaces water customer growth due to recent opportunities for existing drinking water customers to connect to the public sewer system and end their usage of septic systems. Septic systems have been found to be ill-suited for the island’s high groundwater table and sandy soils. Both the Hilton Head Town Council and the PSD Commission have adopted goals of eliminating septic system usage on the island. 

            The PSD in 2008 will be constructing a reverse osmosis drinking water treatment facility to provide water from a new groundwater source – the 600-foot-deep Middle Floridan Aquifer. Construction of the new facility, which is expected to be use in 2008, will be funded through the PSD’s property tax rate, not customer drinking water rates. 

            “The upcoming year presents a new set of challenges for the PSD,” said General Manager Richard Cyr. “I believe the utility has never been in a better position to meet those challenges.”

5/4/07

Clemson lawn care program continues at Hilton Head PSD Thursdays in May and June

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (May 4, 2007) – Hilton Head PSD is playing host to the Clemson Extension Service’s environmentally-friendly garden and lawn care program, “Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods,” every Thursday in May and June, starting at 11 a.m. in the Hilton Head PSD Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. The program, which offers a great overview of Lowcountry landscaping techniques, is free and open to the public. Everyone from homeowners to landscape professionals is invited and encouraged to attend. The program is led by Clemson Horticulture Agent Laura Lee Rose. No reservations are necessary. The next session takes place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 10.

Hilton Head PSD, the drinking water and reclaimed water utility for the north- and mid-island areas, wants to provide its customers with efficient watering and landscaping techniques that both protect our island environment and make yard care fun. Clemson’s Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods program teaches participants about plant selection and placement, efficient watering, mulching, responsible pest control, reduction of stormwater runoff, and attracting wildlife. Participants learn the principles that will help them create and maintain an environmentally-friendly “Carolina Yard.”

For more information, please contact Pete Nardi at Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-0525, or Laura Lee Rose, Clemson Horticulture Agent, at (843) 470-3655.

4/12/07

Hilton Head PSD hosting Clemson lawn care program every Thursday in May and June

               HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (April 12, 2007) – Hilton Head PSD is playing host to the Clemson Extension Service’s environmentally-friendly garden and lawn care program, “Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods,” every Thursday in May and June, starting at 11 a.m. in the Hilton Head PSD Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. The program, which offers a great overview of Lowcountry landscaping techniques, is free and open to the public. Everyone from homeowners to landscape professionals is invited and encouraged to attend. The program is led by Clemson Horticulture Agent Laura Lee Rose.

 Hilton Head PSD, the drinking water and reclaimed water utility for the north- and mid-island areas, wants to provide its customers with efficient watering and landscaping techniques that both protect our island environment and make yard care fun. Clemson’s Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods program teaches participants about plant selection and placement, efficient watering, mulching, responsible pest control, reduction of stormwater runoff, and attracting wildlife. Participants learn the principles that will help them create and maintain an environmentally-friendly “Carolina Yard.”

 For more information, please contact Pete Nardi at Hilton Head PSD at (843) 681-0525, or Laura Lee Rose, Clemson Horticulture Agent, at (843) 470-3655.

2/26/07

Hilton Head PSD playing host to Clemson’s Master Gardener course

 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (February 26, 2007) – The Clemson University Extension Service is bringing its Master Gardener Training Course to Hilton Head Public Service District starting April 4 in the Hilton Head PSD Community Room. Interested individuals must submit an application to the Clemson Extension Service no later than March 15. Applications are available by calling Laura Lee Rose, Clemson Horticulture Agent for Beaufort County, at (843) 470-3655.

 Classes will take place Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Hilton Head PSD Community Room, at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. The course runs until mid-July.

 The program trains participants to be general horticulturists, and graduates are asked to volunteer their expertise through the Clemson Extension Service. The program helps Clemson Extension Service better serve the community by training residents to use their skills and talents to share gardening techniques with friends, neighbors and community groups. Hilton Head PSD, the drinking water and reclaimed water utility for the north- and mid-island areas of Hilton Head Island, is partnering with Clemson Extension Service to help residents learn environmentally-friendly landscaping and irrigation techniques for their Lowcountry property.

 Applicants must be approved by the Clemson Extension Service, and the fee for the training is $200, which covers a complete set of Master Gardener reference materials. Spouses can participate by sharing materials and paying an additional $30 fee.