“We are pulling from Seneca” — Pioneer

An unwelcome blue-green substance has again penetrated Pioneer Rural water, and the district board of directors this afternoon addressed a customer’s complaint about quality.  The board was told that to avert algae intrusion, Pioneer has begun re-purchasing water from Seneca and blending the Seneca water with its own treated water before distributing it to the district’s Oconee and Anderson customers.  As it has been in past years for Clemson and the Anderson Joint Regional Water Authority, Pioneer has grappled with algae intrusion into the water treated at Pioneer’s second-year plant on highway 59.   Terry Pruitt, Pioneer manager, vowed, “We will get it fixed.”  It prompted board member Eddie Grant to question whether Pioneer should re-locate its Lake Hartwell water intake.