In order to comply with the provisions of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, SC DHEC is authorized to collect a fee from each public water system based on the number of taps through which the system provides water to its customers.

Law

• State Safe Drinking Water Act - [Section 44-55-120 (A) and (B)]

General Information

• The fees collected must be returned to SC DHEC for the purposes of implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act Regulatory Program. The fees are used to provide for engineering plan review, compliance inspections, and enforcement activities. Additionally, technical assistance, water quality monitoring and laboratory analytical services are also provided for public water systems.

Billing Information​

Penalty Information

• All fees remaining unpaid thirty (30) days after billing will be issued a late notice with no penalty due, however, it will contain advisement of penalty for non-payment after sixty (60) days. Fees remaining unpaid after sixty days will be assessed a ten percent (10%) penalty. Fees remaining unpaid at the end of ninety (90) days will be assessed a twenty-five percent (25%)penalty in addition to the sixty day penalty. The sum of both penalties may not exceed five thousand dollars. Persons delinquent under this paragraph will be notified by the SC DHEC Bureau of Water by certified mail at their last known address.
• All returned checks will be subject to a returned check fee as outlined in the DHEC Administrative Policy and Procedures Manual. This penalty will be in addition to those outlined in the above paragraph.
• No monitoring will be conducted on systems with fees unpaid at the end of ninety (90) days.

Contact Information

• Marty Chaney , Drinking Water Fees, (803)898-3554