Repeal of water quality advisory near Walhalla

Sample results confirm E. coli bacteria levels are back to normal at Duck Pond Reservoir following a sewer spill that occurred on December 23. An advisory was issued by the Oconee Joint Regional Sewer Authority (OJRSA) following the release that alerted those in the area to avoid contact with the creek at Flat Rock Road near Walhalla as a precaution. The emergency was caused when 50,000 gallons of diluted wastewater entered the reservoir following several days of rain in the Upstate. This event, referred to as inflow and infiltration, overwhelmed the pumping facility on Flat Rock Road and limited its ability to process all the stormwater and sewage for treatment at the Coneross Creek Water Reclamation Facility. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental