Coneross Creek advisory repealed

In recent days, test samples indicate bacteria levels have returned to normal levels in Coneross Creek near Seneca. Sampling was extended through Monday to confirm that the levels have remained low. And yesterday the Joint Regional Sewer Authority announced that South Carolina DHEC approved the removal of the precautionary advisory that alerted people and their pets to avoid contact with the creek downstream from Return Church Road to the Coneross cove of Lake Hartwell. The emergency was caused when Coneross Creek rose 12 feet after the 50-year storm April 19. Electrical and mechanical equipment inside a pump station at the treatment plant became submerged. Since then a contractor completed an emergency connection as part of repairs to the damaged facility. It’s estimated that 3.6 million gallons of untreated water was released. That calamity was just one of the after effects of the flash flooding that took down trees, closed roads, and wreaked damage to a small hydro electric plant on SC 59.