South Carolina Rural Development Council

1
South Carolina Rural Development Council

• Regional Wastewater Demonstration Project

2
Objective

• Demonstrate Consolidation of Infrastructure for
  Development in Three Rural Counties Using Federal
  Funds as a Catalyst

3
Infrastructure Needs

• 1. National Assessment (Section 208 (c)(2) Clean
  Water Act
• 2. SC Infrastructure Study(est.1.6 Billion for
  20 year growth)

4
Area Profile

• 3-County Population 155,792
• Workforce
• Aiken County 55,268
• Edgefield County 8,324
• Saluda County 5,427

5
SituationAiken, Edgefield, Saluda Counties

• Existing waste water facilities have reached
  capacity
• Industrial growth/economic development has been
  deferred
• Schools on septic tanks
• Federal and state prisons scheduled to be built
• Treatment plant on the Savannah River has excess
  capacity
• Funding for infrastructure is limited

6
Rural Development Council Infrastructure
Committee

• EDA
• Rural Development
• SC Budget Control Bd Office of Local Government
• SC Dept of Health Environmental Control
• SC Department of Commerce (CDBG)

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Funding

• EDA
• Rural Development
• SC Department of Commerce CDBG
• SC Department of Corrections
• Budget and Control Bd Office of Local
  Government
• Total cost 9,962,400

8
EvaluationClemson U Strom Thurmond Institute

• Edgefield County
• -1360 business and industry jobs announced
• -Two prisons opened (state and federal)400 jobs
• -High school connected to system
• -Schools in 3 towns put on sewage system
• Aiken County
• -1800 jobs announced
• Saluda County
• -223 jobs created
• -312 jobs saved
•  
• Projected 15 years of waste water capacity for
  development

9
Population Changes 1990-2000

• Aiken 21,561
• Edgefield 6,235
• Saluda 2,740

10
Policy Implications

• Regionalization of infrastructure for economy of
  scale in rural areas
• State and Federal incentives to promote
  regionalization of infrastructure
• Uniform federal regulations for efficiency
• Assessment of potential regional systems (208
  Plans)
• Share best practices

11
Thank you

• Frank Garcia
• 803-737-0449