Florence, Darlington counties partner on stormwater initiative

FLORENCE — Representatives from the city of Florence and Florence and Darlington counties gathered Wednesday morning to sign a resolution officially adopting a regional stormwater education strategy through the Florence Darlington Stormwater Consortium.

Darlington County Council Chairman Wesley H. Blackwell, Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela and Florence County Council Chairman K.G. “Rusty” Smith Jr. signed the joint resolution in front of a crowd of conservationists and local officials at Florence Civic Center.

This consortium is partnered with the Clemson University’s Carolina Clear program and is a regional collaborative effort to inform the public about how their behaviors have long-term effects on water quality.

“Our message is that stormwater is not treated and that all of us, whether in our homes, in our workplaces, or in our cars, can learn to reduce our impact on water quality,“ said Katie Giacalone, Carolina Clear coordinator.

The consortium is a forward-thinking step and will yield great results because pollution does not recognize political boundaries, she said.

The partnership will yield different educational programs such as: build your own rain barrel workshops, talks at local fairs and festivals, and presentations to home owner’s associations and garden clubs.

Giacalone also said they are implementing a more hands-on approach by marking storm drains with circular markers that read “Don’t Pollute. Flows to Waterways.”

“It builds a connection that runoff is not treated and it leads directly to pollution,” she said.

According to phone surveys done by the Clemson University Center for Watershed Excellence, Pee Dee residents still think industrial sites have the biggest negative impact on water quality.

“The EPA (Envionmental Proection Agency) recognizes that stormwater pollution is leading threat to our waterways. But the idea that industrial sites have the biggest impact is not true anymore,” Giacalone said.

Through these comprehensive educational strategies, she said she hopes “people pollution” can be significantly reduced because clean water is essential to the health and future of Pee Dee communities.