SANTEE - Lake Marion Regional Water Agency officials say the drought won't stop development of the massive system to provide water to municipalities in six counties.

Contingency plans are in place to help offset the drought's impact on the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency, the LMRWA Board was advised during its January meeting.

The LMRWA is working to create the system which includes a $30 million water treatment plant on the shores of Lake Marion with the state-owned utility Santee Cooper. The project was designed to provide water to municipalities in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Dorchester, Clarendon, Sumter and Berkeley counties.

System Manager Darla Barnette of Santee Cooper reported at the recent meeting that the LMRWA would deliver approximately 8 million gallons of water a day once fully operational.

Barnette said an emergency pumping system has already been installed at Lake Moultrie in the event of low lake levels and that Lake Marion would have a backup plan as well.

LMWRA Chairman Johnnie Wright said Tuesday he has been asked about the impact of a possible water shortage on the system, but he said he remains confident the service area will be adequately served. Drought is a reality, but not a concern, he said.

"We were being told that's not a concern unless there would be complete diminishing of all water. As dry as it is, we will get water. Nothing stays the same, and that's why I'm optimistic. It's a process, and you've got to ride the tide," Wright said.

Project Manager Pat O'Donnell of the Army Corps of Engineers reported that painting, installation of cabinets and landscaping is nearing completion at the plant site. Testing will be completed by the end of March, O'Donnell said.

Wright said a ribbon cutting to officially open a fully operational water plant will likely take place in April.

"Pipes have been run out into the town of Santee, but the plant will be flushed and checked out. We'll do the ribbon cutting from there, pumping water to Santee and on to wherever else," Wright said.

The Lake Marion Regional Water Agency received a $6.7 million funding boost in the federal omnibus appropriations bill recently signed by President Bush. Wright has said the agency will get up to $80 million with federal money and with the authorization bill being coupled with local match money.

Also during the meeting, the board approved the Technical Advisory Group Committee's recommendation for work priorities.

"The plant will be completed, and the line to Santee will be completed. The next thing is running the water line to the tank in Santee. From there, we will start in three directions: Berkeley County, the (John W.) Matthews Park and the Elloree/Calhoun reach," Wright said.

In other business, the LMWRA discussed an objection from Dwight Stewart, LMWRA Board member from Clarendon County, regarding a vote taken during the board's Nov. 1 meeting. During that meeting, the board approved amending its by-laws to adopt a weighted voting system despite objections from some counties, including Clarendon.

"They felt that every member should have the same amount of votes whether you're taking two gallons of water (from the system) or two million gallons of water," Wright said. "They felt that an entity like Berkeley could probably try to dominate because they got more votes."

Stewart's concern regarding the Nov. 1 meeting, however, involved Colin Martin, who was allowed to vote as a representative from Berkeley County without a written proxy. Stewart alleged the action was erroneous and illegal.

"It was researched by our legal counsel from Columbia," Wright said Tuesday. "They came and explained that it was all legal and done right: the board has a right to vote, the majority of people voted to allow the representative from Berkeley County to vote with the agency, ... So it was all legal."

The Technical Advisory Group Committee approved letting the vote stand.

"At the December meeting, he (Stewart) presented a letter of objection. From that meeting, the issue was put on the TAG committee to come back with a recommendation. They discussed it at the TAG meeting with the lawyers, but the majority of them came back with a recommendation that the vote should stay because everything was legal and above board," Wright said.

T&D Correspondent S.W. Shoptaw can be reached by e-mail at Swsx5@aol.com. T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton also contributed to this report. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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