Inaugural WaterSC meeting brings together statewide collaborators to plan for the preservation and management of South Carolina’s water resources
October 31, 2024
Representatives from multiple state agencies and stakeholder groups joined Gov. Henry McMaster for the first meeting of the WaterSC Water Resources Working Group. WaterSC is a newly launched statewide initiative bringing together a variety of collaborators from around the state to guide planning for South Carolina’s water resources.
This significant effort comes as our state continues its unprecedented growth, looks towards our future water needs, and commits to continued environmental protection.
Gov. McMaster established WaterSC on Sept. 24, 2024, through Executive Order 2024-22. The initiative is led by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) and is chaired by SCDES Interim Director Myra Reece.
During today’s meeting, WaterSC participants convened for the first time and to finalize a stakeholder engagement plan with the objective of ensuring South Carolinians will have ample opportunity to provide input for this effort.
Governor Henry McMaster, SCDES Interim Director Myra Reece and several participants of the WaterSC Water Resources Working Group held their first meeting Oct. 30. WaterSC is a new statewide initiative that brings together collaborators from around the state to guide development of a plan for preserving and managing South Carolina’s natural water resources.
“There is nothing more important for the future of our state than to understand, protect, and defend our water. Without it, there is no life,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “With the expansion that is coming and the pressure with new development, we are in the right place at the right time to take steps to ensure South Carolina remains the most beautiful state in the country.”
A State Water Plan was first developed by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) in 1998 as a guide for managing South Carolina’s surface and ground water. It was updated in 2004. In 2019, SCDNR published the South Carolina State Water Planning Framework under the guidance of the Planning Process Advisory Committee.
This framework developed regional water plans for eight basins in the state: Broad, Catawba, Edisto, Lower Savannah-Salkehatchie, Pee Dee, Saluda, Santee, and Upper Savannah. These regional water plans will provide important water management data for WaterSC to build upon.
“Thanks to the work that the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has already performed over the past several decades, we have an incredible foundation of science and data that WaterSC will utilize,” said SCDES Interim Director Myra Reece. “We know more about water today in this state than ever before, which is why the timing of the establishment of WaterSC couldn’t be better.”
WaterSC is comprised of representatives from five state agencies, in addition to SCDES, as well as individuals representing 25 various sectors, including academia; public water suppliers; conservation, water and land; agriculture; forestry; industry; energy; tourism and hospitality; historic preservation; and individuals with relevant professional expertise.
The complete list of WaterSC participants is available on the WaterSC website, des.sc.gov/WaterSC.
WaterSC will hold monthly meetings, with meeting details, agendas, recordings of the meetings and additional information regularly updated at des.sc.gov/WaterSC.
Public engagement will be an essential part of WaterSC. The public is asked to be an active participant in WaterSC by watching meetings, reading the WaterSC Stakeholder Engagement Plan, and providing comments to the WaterSC Resource Working Group by emailing [email protected] or using the online form at des.sc.gov/WaterSC.
