The Liquid Letter

Warm temps don't mean it's time to start irrigating again

2012-01-23T07:43:00.000-08:00

The PSD and The Greenery Inc. are teaming up to educate residents about smart water use on their landscapes. Below is some advice from The Greenery's Stuart Grant:

By Stuart Grant, General Manager for Residential Accounts, The Greenery

Does the unseasonably warm winter mean you should turn your sprinkler back on?

This winter has given Hilton Head Island residents lots of ups and downs in terms of temperatures. There have been days you just want to stay indoors and days you step out in flip flops. Should that change your watering strategy for your lawn?

The answer is no. Don't be fooled by the warmer temps and think that means you should turn on your sprinkler system. This is the dormancy period for most turf grass and woody ornamentals. Watering your lawn now could cause fungal problems once it really gets hot outside. Warm days and cool nights spell trouble!

The only parts of your yard needing water now are new plantings and annuals such as pansies, violas and snap dragons. Water new plantings two days per week for 15 to 20 minutes max to ensure they are well established. Water your annuals only once a week for the same 15 to 20 minutes.

So remember even though it feels like spring, don’t treat your lawn like it is.

PSD on WHHI-TV

2011-12-22T05:20:00.000-08:00

The PSD's Pete Nardi joined host Earl Yates on WHHI-TV's "Lowcountry View" local news show. Pete and Earl discuss the PSD's sewer extension efforts and future water supply planning.

Lawn winterizing tips from The Greenery

2011-11-17T05:07:00.000-08:00

Check out these lawn winterizing tips from the landscape pros at The Greenery on Hilton Head Island, and look for more ideas from The Greenery in the next edition of "On the Waterfront," the PSD's customer newsletter:

Hilton Head Island is known for its plush, eye-catching landscape during the warmer months. But what you do to prepare your lawn for cooler weather is what will ensure your lawn will be healthy and green come spring.

thegreeneryinc.com

Around now, the middle of November you should fertilize your lawn one last time. Be sure to look for a fertilizer low in nitrogen and phosphorus, but high in potassium. The goal of fertilizing the grass during the fall is not to create a lush, green lawn, but to nourish the roots.

The last step in the lawn treatment process is to put down a fall pre-emergent weed control. Do this within a week after you fertilize. The pre-emergent will deter winter weeds from establishing in your lawn. Make sure you have these steps in the proper order: fertilize and then pre-emergent weed control. If you perform the treatments out of order, your lawn could end up looking like a checkerboard of weeds.

Year-round green

If you wish to keep your lawn looking green over the winter months, consider over-seeding with rye grass in mid November. We only recommend overseeding if you have Bermuda or zoysia grass. You can find a basic drop spreader at most home improvement stores.

It is not a good idea to overseed if your turf is centipede or St. Augustine because those two grass types are highly susceptible to fungus. The rye grass will compete with the centipede and St. Augustine for moisture come spring, and do more harm than good. If you are unsure of what type of grass you have, you can contact The Greenery and someone will come identify the turf.

If you do overseed your Bermuda or zoysia grass, water your lawn every day for 10 to 15 minutes for the first two weeks. Then cut back to watering for 10 to 15 minutes only twice a week. Once the grass is established, water only once a week for the same 10 to 15 minutes.

Sewer Summit III

2011-10-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

The Hilton Head PSD Commission and the Hilton Head Town Council got together this week for Sewer Summit III -- a joint meeting to discuss the two organizations' continued partnership in providing sewer service to the approximately 1,200 PSD customers who remain without access to the public sewer system.

The partnership so far has involved joint funding of projects, locating sewer pump stations on Town properties, right-of-way acquisitions for sewer projects, and policies aimed at discouraging the use of septic systems that are ill-suited for the island's high groundwater table.

Hilton Head Mayor Drew Laughlin, second from left, speaks with members of the Hilton Head PSD Commission following Sewer Summit III this week.

Spruill talks aquifers

2011-10-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

Dr. Richard Spruill of East Carolina University has played a critical role in the understanding of the Upper Floridan Aquifer saltwater intrusion issue on Hilton Head Island. Spruill and his associate in the firm of Groundwater Management Associates, Chris Foldesi, have worked on monitoring the intrusion and assisting the PSD in planning its use of the Upper Floridan groundwater source.

This week, Spruill updated local utility leaders on the state of the aquifer during a presentation at the PSD. The future, Spruill said, remains "conjunctive use" -- optimizing groundwater withdrawals while continuing the use of Savannah River surface water for drinking water on Hilton Head Island.

Now showing: surface water treatment

2011-09-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

The Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) has produced a video about how it treats Savannah River surface water to become drinking water. Check it out here.

Hilton Head PSD purchases treated Savannah River surface water from BJWSA on a wholesale basis. The PSD recently has built an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) well that we will use to store the treated surface water in the winter months of lower demand, and withdraw it for re-treatment and distribution in the summer months of higher demand.

The ASR Well injects treated water into a limestone aquifer for storage during periods of low demand, displacing the native brackish groundwater. The same well then is used to withdraw the water from the center of the storage zone during periods of high demand.

Treated Savannah River surface water is one of our three sources of drinking water, along with brackish groundwater treated by Reverse Osmosis (RO) in our plant across from Windmill Harbour, and fresh groundwater treated at our well sites. These diverse sources of drinking water are critical for recovery from a hurricane or other disaster. The PSD has diversified its sources as a result of ongoing saltwater intrusion into our traditional source of groundwater, the 150-foot-deep Upper Floridan freshwater aquifer.

Water day at Island Rec

2011-08-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hilton Head PSD and the Hilton Head Island Fire Department teamed up for an equipment demonstration last week for summer campers at Island Rec. Kids and counselors alike were cooled off on a scorching day.

Marianne Ballantine's photos take you inside island wetlands

2011-08-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

Todd and Marianne Ballantine of Ballantine Environmental Resources perform biological monitoring of the wetlands inside Palmetto Hall and Hilton Head Plantation. The wetlands are sustained with Hilton Head PSD reclaimed water.

Marianne's photos give us a rare and beautiful glimpse inside these vital wetlands ...

An endangered Wood Stork sits on a branch in Whooping Crane Pond Conservancy in Hilton Head Plantation. Todd Ballantine tells us that reclaimed water has preserved the Wood Stork's shallow-pool habitat in the wetlands.

Reclaimed water sustains this shallow pool in Cypress Conservancy in Hilton Head Plantation --
vital habitat for the endangered Wood Stork.

A Yellow-Bellied Turtle in Whooping Crane Pond Conservancy in Hilton Head Plantation.

Manne rain garden update: beauty in bloom

2011-07-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

The rain garden planted this spring by Clemson Master Gardener Betty Manne and PSD Commission Chairman Bob Manne at their home in Hilton Head Plantation is bursting!

Here are photos of the garden from this week...

Check out these photos showing the garden's progress from the ground up ...

November 2010

March 2011

April 2011

July 2011

Now scroll down to learn what Betty planted in the rain garden ...

PSD recognized for excellence in financial reporting

2011-07-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

The PSD's first-ever Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) was recognized this month for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada.

Check out our PSD CAFR.

Tap water cooling the kids

2011-07-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

PSD tap water cools the kids during an equipment demonstration by the Hilton Head Fire Department at Hilton Head Plantation's Kids Kamp last week.

A "mystery field trip" to the Reclaimed Water Plant

2011-07-07T05:37:00.000-07:00

Residents of the TidePointe took a "mystery field trip" to the PSD's Reclaimed Water Plant recently. They toured the plant, following a presentation about the reclaimed water process, and got to check out some sludge with PSD chemist Lee Barnard.

ASR Well looking spiffy

2011-07-07T05:34:00.000-07:00

Our new Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) Well is looking good in its fresh coat of blue ...

The ASR Well will provide Hilton Head Island with 2 million gallons of fresh drinking water a day.

PSD, Town awarded energy-efficiency grant

2011-06-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

Honey Horn rain garden going strong

2011-06-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

Members of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Leadership Class of 2010 this week spruced up the rain garden the class planted at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Plantation. Hilton Head PSD sponsored the rain garden planting.

The rain garden contains:

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)

Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida)

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Little Henry')

Variegated Acorus Grass (Acorus gramineaus variegata)

Blue Flag Iris (Iris virginica)

Butterfly Weed (Asclepis curassavica 'Blood Flower')

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia fulgida)

Lantana (Lantana 'Miss Huff')

Sedum (Sedum 'Matrona')

Check out the Leadership Class' informative blog about its rain garden projects at: Lowcountry Rain Gardens

PSD Xeriscape bed planted

2011-06-03T05:38:00.000-07:00

The PSD and our landscape partner, The Greenery Inc., have planted a xeriscape bed at the front entrance to the utility, on Oak Park Drive off Mathews Drive. Xeriscape is a water-efficient landscape design concept that involves plants that demand less water and are more drought tolerant.

The bed contains:

9, 1-gal. rudbeckia
9, 1-gal. galardia
6, 1-gal. sedum
3, 3-gallon agave
3, 1-gal. lantana

Learn more about xeriscape here: Clemson University Xeriscape Guide

What's in your tap water?

2011-06-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

Our Annual Water Quality Report is ready. It will be mailed to customers this month. You can check it out here: Hilton Head PSD Annual Water Quality Report

Free Clemson landscape classes at PSD in May

2011-04-29T05:04:00.001-07:00

The PSD is presenting Clemson University’s Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods landscape classes from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday in May in the PSD Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive, off Mathews Drive. The classes are free and no reservations are required.

Clemson Extension Agent Laura Lee Rose will lead these classes that teach the water-smart, environmentally-friendly way to care for your Lowcountry yard and garden.

Topics covered include: landscape design, efficient watering, plant selection and placement, 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.

Checking in on the Manne rain garden

2011-04-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Betty Manne, Clemson Master Gardener, and Bob Manne, Chairman of the Hilton Head PSD Commission, have been sharing the story of the rain garden they've planted at their home in Hilton Head Plantation. The above photo shows the rain garden this week. Rain gardens are a great way to capture stormwater runoff before it enters our waterways, making them a beneficial and water efficient landscape feature.

Betty sent along the following list of plants she has used in the rain garden:

Plants in Manne Rain Garden

Plants in base of garden	*Botanical Name*	Used for
Paryus	Cyperus papyrus	Water Plant
Canna	Canna hybrids	Water Plant
Canna	Canna varigata 'Phasion'	Water Plant
Creeping Jenny	Lysimachia nummularia	Water Plant/Groundcover
Texas Star	Hibiscus coccineus	Water plant
Elephant's Ear	Colocasia esculenta	Water Plant




Plants around the perimeter	*Botanical Name*	Used for

Walking Iris	Neomarica gracilis
Confederate Rose	Hibiscus mutabilis	Nectar Plant
Cassia	Cassia bicapularis	Host plant for Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly
Lantana	Lantana camara	Nectar Plant
Africian Iris	Dietes
Firecracker Plant	Russelia equisetiformis	Nectar Plant
Bronze Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	Host plant for Monarch Butterfly
Bay Leaf Tree	Laurus nobilis
Citrus	Papilio demodocus	Host plant for Giant Swallowtail
Butterfly Weed	Asclepias spp.	Host plant for Monarch Butterfly
Blackeyed Susan	Rudbeckia hirta	Nectar Plant
Ironweed	Veronica baldwinii	Nectar Plant
Sleepy Hibiscus	Malvaviscus penduliflorus	Nectar Plant
Musk Mallow	Malva moschata	Host plant for Painted Lady Butterfly
Joe Pyrweed	Eupatorium purpureum	Nectar for Giant Swallowtail
Hollyhock	Alcea rosea	Nectar for Painted Lady Butterfly
Beautyberry	Callicarpa americana
Mexican Bush Sage	Salvia leucantha	Nectar Plant
Bottlebrush	Callistemon
Milkweed	Asclepias curassavica	Host for Monarch Butterfly
Mexican Heather	Cuphea hyssopifolia	Nectar Plant
Gaura	Gaura lindheimeri	Nectar Plant
Crosmia	Crosmia masoniorum
Zinnia	Zinnia	Nectar Plant
Ajuga	Ajuga reptans	Groundcover
Mexican Petunia	Ruellia brittoniana	Nectar Plant
Forsythia Sage	Salvia madrensis	Nectar Plant
Swamp Sunflower	Helianthus angustifolius	Nectar Plant

PSD talks RO with Edisto Beach

2011-03-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Hilton Head PSD in March hosted officials from the Town of Edisto Beach on a tour of the PSD's Reverse Osmosis Plant and our new Aquifer Storage & Recovery well. Edisto Beach is faced with a significant saltwater intrusion problem in its drinking water supply wells and is considering Reverse Osmosis (RO) as a solution. The PSD's RO Plant has been providing 3 million gallons of fresh drinking water a day since the spring of 2009. It is a key tool in the PSD's ongoing work to replace drinking water supply lost to saltwater intrusion in our traditional groundwater source, the Upper Floridan Aquifer. In the photo above PSD General Manager Richard Cyr, second from left, discusses the operation of the Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) well, which stores water in the underground aquifer during the winter months of low demand, and withdraws it during the summer when demand increases. Below, the group tours the RO Plant.

Hilton Head High kids get dose of reality

2011-02-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

PSD staff member Connie Whitehead, seated, assists a Hilton Head Island High School student with her utility bill payment during the school's "Reality Store" day on Feb. 16. Students were given occupations and incomes based on their g.p.a., and then had to visit each of the 20-plus local businesses on hand to pay for items like groceries, insurance, child care, and -- of course -- water!

PSD receives state award for RO Plant; on to nationals

2011-02-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

Members of the PSD and AECOM team hold the award plaque after the PSD's Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Facility won an Excellence in Engineering Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies at its annual South Carolina awards on Feb. 8 at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC. The project also has won a National Recognition Award from the ACEC, which will be presented April 1 in Washington, D.C. Above, from left are: Mike Sutton, Project Manager, AECOM; Bob Manne, Chairman, Hilton Head PSD Commission; Frank Drehwing, Hilton Head PSD Commissioner; Ted Clark, Engineering Manager, AECOM; and Jonathan Lister of Water & Power Technologies.

Richard Cyr on Lowcountry View

2011-02-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

PSD General Manager Richard Cyr, left, gets ready to tape an edition of "Lowcountry View" on WHHI-TV with host Earl Yates.

Cyr and Yates discuss Hilton Head water supply topics on this edition. Future editions of the program will focus on the PSD's reclaimed water program and sewer system extension efforts.

WHHI-TV is TimeWarner Channel 3 and Hargray Channel 200.

Hilton Head High kids job shadow at PSD

2011-02-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

Hilton Head Island High School juniors Amber Hudson, left, and Shanell Wells, center, listen as PSD staff member Connie Whitehead discusses her duties during the students' job shadow experience Feb. 3. Hilton Head PSD is a proud participant in the high school's annual job shadowing program, which gives students real-life examples of local employers.

RO Plant is national award finalist

2011-01-26T06:01:00.000-08:00

The PSD’s Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Facility project has placed as one of the 24 National Engineering Excellence Award winners in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) 2010 competition. As such, the project will be highlighted at the annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala, the black-tie event known as the “Academy Awards” of the engineering industry. This event will be held on April 1 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The project also will be presented at the South Carolina ACEC awards on Feb. 8 at the Columbia Museum of Art.

The PSD's Reverse Osmosis Plant produces 3 million gallons of fresh drinking water a day, about half of our customers' average daily demand.

PSD blood drive held for Johnny Malphrus

2010-12-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile was at Hilton Head PSD on December 17 for a blood drive in honor of our mechanic, Johnny Malphrus, whose recent illness required several blood transfusions. PSD accountant Nick Koulichkov organized the drive, which resulted in 18 donations. Johnny is on the mend and ready to be back under our PSD vehicles, keeping them running strong.

Bald eagles in Palmetto Hall wetlands

2010-11-30T07:28:00.001-08:00

Hilton Head PSD Commissioner and Palmetto Hall resident Bob Gentzler this week took this photo of a nesting bald eagle in the Palmetto Hall wetlands. The nest is in a tall pine just off the Eighth fairway of the Arthur Hills Course. The wetlands are nourished by Hilton Head PSD reclaimed water, and the diverse wildlife population in the ecosystem is proof of the effectiveness of the reclaimed water program. The PSD annually recycles 1 billion gallons of treated wastewater into reclaimed water, which is then sold to golf courses for irrigation or distributed into four different wetlands, two in Palmetto Hall and two in Hilton Head Plantation.

Wetlands tour: It's all about the Reclaimed Water

2010-11-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

The PSD sponsored a Hilton Head Lifelong Learning class and field trip to the Whooping Crane Pond Conservancy in Hilton Head Plantation, which was led by environmental scientist and author Todd Ballantine. The Whooping Crane wetland is a key part of the PSD's Reclaimed Water program, which annually recycles nearly 1 billion gallons of wastewater for reuse as golf course irrigation and wetlands nourishment.

The above photo of a Cottonmouth snake was taken on the field trip, which took place Nov. 20. Ballantine calls the Cottonmouth a "charter member" of the wetlands and said its presence is proof that the Reclaimed Water program is working to sustain a thriving ecology in Whooping Crane.

In the photo above, Ballantine, center, discusses Reclaimed Water's role in the wetlands during a stop on the Whooping Crane boardwalk, which winds through the wetlands.

To learn more about the PSD's Reclaimed Water program, visit: http://www.hhpsd.com/PDF%20Files/Reclaimed_Water.pdf

Group from national conference tours PSD RO Plant

2010-11-19T07:36:00.000-08:00

RO on Tour...

Attendees from the 2010 American Water Works Association's Water Quality & Technology conference that took place November 14-18 in Savannah toured the PSD's Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Facility as part of the conference. The tour included water quality professionals from Utah, Ohio, D.C., Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, and India.

ASR Well site cleared and ready

2010-11-19T07:15:00.000-08:00

The PSD has finished demolition of portions of the former wastewater treatment plant at Royal James Drive and is getting ready to start construction of its Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) Well at the site.

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.

A Rain Garden from the Ground Up (or the Gutter Down)

2010-11-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

Betty and Bob Manne are creating a rain garden from the ground up -- or the gutter down -- at the home they have built on Savannah Trail in Hilton Head Plantation. Betty, a Clemson Master Gardener, and Bob, Chairman of the Hilton Head PSD Commission, have plumbed the home's gutters into a rain garden at the exterior of the home. Rain will flow from the gutters into two buried pipes that then distribute water into the rain garden using diffusers. Betty now is in the process of planning the planting. Check back with The Liquid Letter to watch the rain garden grow!

In the meantime, learn more about planting your own Lowcountry Rain Garden at http://www.lowcountryraingardens.blogspot.com/.

Site of the Manne's rain garden on Savannah Trail. One of the diffusers is visible in the lower-right corner.

Commissioners meet the Monster

2010-09-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

The Hilton Head PSD Commission toured the utility's Reclaimed Water Plant with General Manager Richard Cyr and Operations Manager Bill Davis this week. The Commissioners got to meet the Monster -- the Bandscreen Monster, that is -- the utility's new, high-tech screen system that removes large solids from the wastewater entering the treatment plant. The Monster, at right in photo above, improves efficiency in the wastewater treatment process. The PSD's treatment process yields Reclaimed Water, which is used to irrigate golf courses and keep wetlands wet. In the photo below, you see treated wastewater in one of the PSD's clarifier tanks, on its way to be chlorinated during the final stage of treatment. It's all part of recycling nearly 1 billion gallons of wastewater every year at the PSD.

Demolition time

2010-09-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

The PSD is demolishing the former wastewater treatment plant in Hilton Head Plantation to make way for our new Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) well. Above, a portion of the chlorine contact chamber is removed. In the photo below, a pile of rebar from the concrete tanks on the property awaits hauling and recycling. The PSD's demolition contractor will be salvaging and recycling materials from the site, such as rebar and concrete. The ASR well will store treated drinking water in the Middle Floridan Aquifer during the winter months of low demand, and withdraw it for treatment and distribution during the summer months of higher demand. The well is expected to be operable by the summer of 2013.

Honey Horn rain garden thriving

2010-08-02T11:42:00.001-07:00

The photo at left shows the rain garden at Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Plantation prior to planting in March 2010. The photo at right shows the rain garden as of August 2010. The PSD sponsored the rain garden, which was planted by the Leadership Hilton Head-Bluffton Class of 2010 along with a variety of partners, as a living example of irrigation efficiency. The 80-gallon rain barrel seen at right in both photos collects rainfall from the roof of the Supervisor's House and uses it to irrigate the garden. Low Country Rain Barrel of Bluffton donated the barrel to the garden.

Low-pressure sewer helps environment

2010-08-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

The PSD is installing a low-pressure sewer system for the Old House Creek neighborhood. The low-pressure sewer line, seen at right in photo, is flexible and can be bored underground. That makes it a great system for converting existing neighborhoods from septic sytems to the sanitary sewer system. As we reduce the use of septic systems, we reduce the chance for the environmental problems that can come with septic system failures, such as soil and water pollution.

Hydrogeology expert to speak at PSD July 27

2010-07-21T13:08:00.001-07:00

Dr. Richard Spruill of East Carolina University and Groundwater Management Associates will present an update on the status of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the Hilton Head PSD service area at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27, in the PSD Community Room at 21 Oak Park Drive off Mathews Drive.

Dr. Spruill has been researching and monitoring the rate of saltwater intrusion into the 150-foot-deep Upper Floridan for several years, and is the PSD's consulting expert on the subject.

Recent studies have shown that the saltwater intrusion, caused by the overpumping of the aquifer in the Savannah, Ga., region, is advancing at a rate of 200 feet a year from Port Royal Sound through the PSD's service area. The PSD has lost five Upper Floridan drinking water wells to the intrusion since 2000, and expects to lose six of its remaining seven Upper Floridan wells by the year 2020.

The utility has taken multiple steps to replace the drinking water supply that is being lost to the intrusion. In 2009 it launched a Reverse Osmosis (RO) Drinking Water Treatment Facility that now produces 3 million gallons of fresh drinking water a day, drawing raw water from the 600-foot-deep, brackish Middle Floridan Aquifer. The PSD this year is beginning construction of an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) supply well, where Savannah River surface water will be stored during the winter months for withdraw during the summer months of higher demand.

For more information about Dr. Spruill's presentation, please email the PSD at info@hhpsd.com.