Hilton Head PSD sludge free of PCBs

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (October 16, 2013) – Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) sludge samples are free of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), recent testing by a certified, independent laboratory has confirmed. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) required all municipal wastewater treatment plants in the state to test for PCBs in the wake of the contaminant being detected in sewer systems in the Upstate and Midlands regions. Investigations by DHEC have shown that the PCBs were illicitly discharged into grease traps connected to the sewer systems.

PCBs are thick, oily chemicals that were historically used in the electrical industry but were banned from use in the United States in the late-1970s. Wastewater treatment plants in South Carolina do not allow PCB discharges into their systems.

Sludge is the nutrient-rich organic material that results from the wastewater treatment process. Hilton Head PSD’s sludge is deposited in Waste Management’s Hickory Hill Landfill in Jasper County. The PSD’s Recycled Water Plant on Oak Park Drive on Hilton Head treats and recycles an average of 3 million gallons of residential and commercial wastewater a day. All PSD recycled water is put to beneficial use for golf course irrigation or wetlands nourishment and is not discharged into any receiving bodies of water.

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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

PSD HAD A NEW PAYMENT PORTAL

We are excited to launch our new payment portal! When you click the payment portal link, you will be directed to the new site. If you provided us an email, you are pre-registered under that email address; follow the instructions on the page to log-in and re-set your password. Otherwise, just click register and create an account. If you enrolled in re-occuring credit or debit card autopay, this will not transfer and you will need to create an account and re-enroll.