The impacts of Charleston Water System's operations on the environment are called aspects, and they include everything from the disposal of paper waste to the proper use of water treatment chemicals.
While we manage many environmental aspects, some have a greater potential for substantially impacting the environment, and these are called significant aspects.
Charleston Water evaluates our environmental aspects annually in accordance with our Environmental Management System (EMS). This helps ensure we have adequate control methods to prevent adverse impacts on the environment.
Our 2013 environmental aspects are listed below by department. For more information about our environmental aspects or our EMS program please contact the Executive Office at (843) 727-6856.
Charleston Water System's
2013 Significant Environmental Aspects
Listed by Department - Click to view descriptions
Customer Service
Fuel Usage
Executive Office
Capturing Best Practices
Performance Indicators - Data Use
Fleet Maintenance
Refueling System - Fuel Storage, Handling, and Usage
Water Treatment
Solids Handling/Disposal - NPDES Discharge
Water Distribution
Infrastructure Integrity: Infrastructure Rehabilitation
Wastewater Collection
Infiltration and Inflow (I&I)
Wastewater Tunnel Operations
Wastewater Treatment
Solids Handling - De-watering Holding Tank & Blower
Customer Service
Fuel Usage
Reducing fuel usage and emissions helps Charleston Water System control costs and reduce our impact on the environment. Our meter readers and technicians receive training on Charleston Water's vehicle policies to mitigate the environmental impacts of fuel usage.
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Executive Office
Capturing Best Practices
Identifying, sharing, and implementing best practices in all areas of our operations is key to protecting the environment and providing the best possible service. Charleston Water System's 2013 - 2017 Strategic Plan includes a goal to develop a process for identifying and implementing best practices.
Performance Indicators - Data Use
Charleston Water System uses data to demonstrate regulatory compliance, manage processes, and make decisions. To improve upon data-based decision making throughout the organization, we are in the process of evaluating ways to improve our processes for collecting, storing, sharing, and analyzing data associated with key performance indicators. This is also a goal in our 2013 - 2017 Strategic Plan.
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Fleet Maintenance
Refueling System - Fuel Storage, Handling, and Usage
With a fleet of more than 250 vehicles and construction equipment, ensuring proper storage and handling of fuel, as well as reducing fuel usage is important not only to minimizing cost, but also to reducing our impact on the environment. The Fleet Department has Standard Operating Instructions for fuel island operations and detecting fuel leaks.
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Water Treatment
Solids Handling/Disposal - NPDES Discharge
Effective and efficient removal of solids—the material taken out of the water during treatment—is an important part of the treatment process. These solids are de-watered and trucked to a landfill for disposal, and the excess water is discharged back into the environment. Such discharges are regulated by SC DHEC under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) to protect water quality.
Charleston Water System uses Standard Operating Instructions and real-time process monitoring to ensure effective treatment and regulatory compliance.
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Water Distribution
Infrastructure Integrity, Protection, and Rehabilitation
Rehabilitating aging water infrastructure is necessary to ensure reliable service and water quality. Charleston Water System prioritizes infrastructure upgrades based on need, regulatory requirements, and hydraulic modeling.
Learn more about capital improvement projects
Wastewater Collection
Infiltration & Inflow (I&I)
Groundwater that leaches into Charleston Water System's wastewater collection system is called infiltration and storm water that finds its way into the collection system is called inflow.
This excess water consumes the hydraulic capacity of wastewater collection mains, pump stations, and treatment plants, resulting in higher treatment costs and capital expenditures to increase the size of these facilities.
In extreme cases, infiltration and inflow can cause sewer system overflows, which occur when rainwater floods a sewer line and causes diluted wastewater to overflow sewer manholes. To help prevent such overflows, Charleston Water System has developed detailed standard operating instructions for identifying and removing sources of infiltration and inflow. Charleston Water System crews can identify these sources – cracked manholes, improper connections to the sewer system, etc., through a number of methods, including video inspections, smoke testing, and dye testing.
Wastewater Tunnel Operations
A system of deep tunnels carries wastewater to the Plum Island plant for treatment. The tunnel system was built in the early 1970s and has deteriorated over time due to the corrosive nature of wastewater.
Over the last ten years, CWS has replaced the tunnel system in phases. The last phase is the West Ashley Tunnel Replacement, which is now underway.
The tunnel replacement project and tunnel operations are essential to protecting the environment and public health. If not replaced, the tunnel is at risk of failure, which could result in sewer overflows that would negatively impact the environment.
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Wastewater Treatment
Solids Handling - De-watering Holding Tank & Blower
Removing solids from influent wastewater is an important part of the treatment process. Once removed, these solids are de-watered and transported to a landfill for disposal. The solids handling process is controlled by standard operating instructions.
For more information about Charleston Water System's Environmental Management System or Significant Aspects, please contact the Managers Office at (843) 727-6856.
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Environment>Environmental Impacts |
