Water contaminants found in wells in Darlington County

DARLINGTON -- The Darlington County Water and Sewer Authority has taken a well that supplies drinking water to some county residents out of service after tests by state health officials found levels of naturally occurring radioactive contaminants that exceeded the maximum level allowed by the state.

But officials with the agency say the water is still safe to drink.

Tests by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) found violations of the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) at the authority’s water treatment plant on Center Road and three wells associated with that plant, according to a public notice the authority sent to its customers advising them of the findings.

Officials have taken the well with the highest level of contamination out of service, according to the notice. If authority officials are able to reduce the level of contaminants in that well, it may go back into service. If not, it will remain out of service, according to Jerry Stutts, operations manager for the water and sewer authority.

Water from the two remaining wells is being blended with water from two other water treatment plants to reduce the levels of contaminants, Stutts said.

Water and sewer authority officials have submitted a plan for a pilot program to correct the contamination to DHEC and are awaiting approval from the state agency, according to the authority’s public notice. DHEC technicians are scheduled to be in Darlington County Wednesday to conduct additional tests, Stutts said.

Tests by DHEC at the end of December found levels of two radioactive materials, Radium 226 and Radium 228, that exceed the maximum contaminant level set by the state, according to Stutts. Both are naturally occurring elements in the earth, Stutts said. As ground water moves through underground aquifers, the two elements are absorbed in the water, the agency’s public notice to customers says.

The average level of the two elements found in the tests was 6.1 picocuries per liter. The maximum allowable level is 5.0 picocuries per liter, Stutts said.

A picocurie is a small amount of radioactivity associated with about one trillionth of a gram (a picogram) of radium, according to the notice to customers.

The notice to customers said there is no immediate risk from the contaminants but said that some people who drink water containing Radium 226 and Radium 228 in excess of the maximum contaminant level over many years may have an increased risk of cancer.

Had the risk been immediate, the agency would have notified customers immediately, the notice states.

The notice advises customers who have health concerns to consult with their physician.
DHEC tests water in the wells and treatment plants operated by the authority quarterly throughout the year, Stutts said.

The Darlington County Water and Sewer Authority operates and maintains three water treatment plants and 12 wells and serves about 17,000 customers in Darlington County.