Tega Cay water, sewer improvements coming

Long asked for improvements to the Tega Cay utility systems are coming.

When Tega Cay residents pushed the city to purchase Tega Cay Water Service in 2014 they were concerned about the cost of water and maintenance of the system. Sewage spills and overflows into homes created problems in the older parts of the city. The state health department found violations and required fixes from the private utility.

Residents said that despite regular cost increases for service, they seldom, if ever, saw infrastructure improvements to the aging system. The company said system upgrades were made, thus warranting the cost increases.

When the city spent $5.85 million for the system leaders warned residents not to expect an overnight fix, telling them they would improve the system in time.

“I am very excited to see that the city has begun planning and implementing their improvement plan,” said resident Linda Stevenson, one of a group of residents who pushed for city control of the utility.

Prism Contractor & Engineers will spend this week week cleaning, videoing and repairing the sewer collection system. Crews will spend five days on Molokai, Heron Run, Pago Pago and Tara Tea drives, Taku Court and Tana Tea Circle. Residents will see work only during the daylight hours.

“From the video information we will be able to identify which pipes need to be replaced, which ones need a simple point repair and which ones we need to just do a cast in place lining on,” said city manager Charlie Funderburk.

City Council asked to have a utility Facebook page established to keep residents aware of the repairs being made. The city also plans to update repair work on its website.

Councilwoman Dottie Hersey said she wants updates on the work. “What are the repairs being done? What’s coming up next? How many spills have we had, if any? How many gallons of sewage are being taken out by truck?

The transition from private to city-owned infrastructure has not been easy. There have been some sewage overflows and heavy rains still bring concerns for residents.

“There have been many complaints about the truck traffic in and around the beach club area where the trucks dumped the sewage into a manhole,” Stevenson said. “I am in hopes that this new improvement plan will prevent this type of action in the future.”

The city still provides regular updates on construction and maintenance to the health department, Funderburk said, so passing information to residents and Council won’t be a problem.

“We spent a heck of a lot of money a year ago buying the utility system,” Hersey said, “and we know that there is a whole lot of work being done.”

Coyote sightings

Coyotes are becoming an issue in Tega Cay. The city sent an email to residents Jan. 19 noting sightings on residential properties and streets. The police department called the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and private wildlife contractors on recommendations to remove the coyotes.

Residents who see a coyote should call 911. Residents are advised to keep pets they allow outside under supervision – especially at night – and keep food, water and garbage inside or well secured.

This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Tega Cay water, sewer improvements coming."