The 20-inch pipe that brings water from Rock Hill to the Fort Mill and Tega Cay is barely keeping up with needs. York County officials worry that if the drought ends and water restrictions are lifted, demand could rise sharply and customers might run dry.

The water supply system for the Fort Mill area is something of a hodgepodge. Rock Hill sells water to Fort Mill and York County. Fort Mill owns the 20-inch pipe that crosses the Catawba River. But that means the county must pay Fort Mill for water that runs through the pipe to its customers in unincorporated areas.

The county could eliminate the need to buy water from Fort Mill by installing its own 30-inch supply pipe. County officials are considering two primary options for doing that: Cross where an existing pipe is located at U.S. 21 when the S.C. Department of Transportation replaces the bridge, or lay the pipe at India Hook Road on a lower part of the dam and up S.C. 160.

The county would not have to look far to find the money to pay for the project. County Manager Jim Baker said there is enough money in the county's water and sewer system to fund the estimated $7 million cost.

Once the water study is complete, the county will meet with Rock Hill, Fort Mill and Tega Cay officials to discuss the options. The plan then would have to be approved by the County Council.

This project could take more than a year to design and build. The sooner officials can settle on a plan and council members can give the go-ahead, the better the chance Fort Mill can avoid a real water crisis.

IN SUMMARY

York County officials are smart to be looking at new pipeline for the Fort Mill area.

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