Cashiers group wants its own water samples

By Rose Hooper

TWSA Executive Director Jerry King told the group that engineering plans for the expansion of the plant have been submitted to Raleigh.

The Cashiers group wanted to know if that included an expansion of the 100,000-gallons-per-day plant to 200,000 gallons per day. King responded that a permit for the treatment of additional gallons has already been approved by the state.

The Cashiers Community Water Council was formed partially in response to plans to expand the sewer plant in a joint project with local developers. Though that plan has been abandoned, area residents remain interested in future plans for the plant.

Vanna Montgomery, president of the council, said it was her understanding that a public hearing had to be held in regard to the permit, but King assured her that was not the case.

Buzz Williams of the Chattooga Conservancy told TWSA he did not think the Cashiers plant was functioning properly at present and most certainly would be in trouble with the additional 100,000 gallons.

"I don't think the water table capacity can handle that additional flushing," Williams said.

"We are not violating any permits," King told Williams. "We are in full compliance with the state. If we weren't, we'd be fined."

Williams requested that his group be allowed to do its own water sampling at the plant. When this met with resistance from King, TWSA board member Joe Carter called for point of order.

"This delegation was not on the agenda," Carter said. "They declined to speak during the public comment time. Therefore, we can not take any action on this matter tonight."

Following Carter's comment, the meeting was immediately adjourned.

Before its Nov. 14 meeting, the TWSA board toured the Cashiers sewer treatment plant, which is operating at capacity and limiting future development in the area. Board members investigated allegations of noise, smell and air quality problems at the plant, as well pollution of the stream into which the discharged product is dumped, but found them to be unsubstantiated.

Tuesday night when a resident near the plant asked that it be moved from her neigborhood, King told her the TWSA board had no intentions of moving that plant.

"We plan to keep it there and any expansions will probably take place at that same location," King said.

Back to Archive: 01/18/01.