Project to fix faulty lake septic tanks

Contractors with the expertise to repair faulty lakeside septic tanks are invited to submit quotes to do the work to the specifications of an Oconee-Pickens environmental group. The Lake Keowee Source Water Protection Team has a $1 million dollar allocation from Duke Energy, which the electric utility promised as part of the re-licensing of the Keowee-Toxaway project. Septic service contractors should email their proposals to Scottie Ferguson in Pickens. Oconee County planner Adam Chapman serves as his county’s point man on the team. Letters are going out in the mail to selected homeowners on both sides of the lake offering them the chance to benefit from the project which, according to Chapman, is strictly voluntary. Chapman says the quality of Lake Keowee water remains “really great,” but in only a couple of counties away big money has had to be spent to remediate the quality of waterways in those areas. Many people are aware that the waters of Keowee are used for power generation and recreation, but it’s also used as the raw supply for a number of water distribution systems, such as the city of Seneca.