DHEC Environmental eNews

June 2022 | {View as Webpage}

This monthly electronic newsletter from DHEC's Environmental Affairs will keep our customers and stakeholders informed of important events, legislation, meetings, permitting information, and compliance information.

PFAS Drinking Water Health Advisories Updated

On June 15, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated the lifetime drinking water health advisories for Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate or Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS). The EPA also published final lifetime drinking water health advisories for GenX and PFBS. The EPA states, “lifetime health advisories identify levels to protect all people, including sensitive populations and life stages, from adverse health effects resulting from a lifetime of exposure to these Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water. In updating these health advisories, EPA also considered other potential sources of exposure to these PFAS in addition to drinking water (e.g., food, air, consumer products, etc.), which provides an additional layer of protection for people.”

DHEC is currently reviewing its strategies and documents to align with EPA’s updated PFAS health advisories.

SC Adopt-a-Stream Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary

The South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream (SC AAS) volunteer water quality monitoring program launched in 2017. It is directed in partnership between DHEC and Clemson University Center for Watershed Excellence. To date, volunteers have conducted over 3,000 sampling events, data from which is publicly accessible through the SC AAS database. The database includes photos of each sampling site and graphs of the sampling data.

Volunteers have an increased awareness of water quality issues and nonpoint source pollution after attending a SC AAS workshop. The program also serves as an excellent platform for encouraging partnerships between residents, communities, and local decision-makers. Volunteer data delivers impressive quantitative results that help us learn about and partner together to protect and restore our waterways. This data has helped us identify broken sewer pipes, broken water lines, and sedimentation issues.

To learn more about the program and the next free workshop, visit scadoptastream.org or contact Sierra Hylton at hyltonsf@dhec.sc.gov.

New Director of the Division of Water Monitoring Assessment

Joe Koon was recently named Director of the Division of Water Monitoring Assessment and Protection in the for the Bureau of Water (BOW). He will oversee the Agricultural Permitting, Groundwater and Surface Water Withdrawals, Underground Injection Control (UIC), Private/Residential Wells, and the Groundwater Protection Programs.

He has spent the last nine years in the Mining and Reclamation Section where he managed activities and staff involved in the permitting and inspections of all mining operations in South Carolina. He was the spokesperson for the State in the Interstate Mining Compact Commission and routinely engaged all stakeholders involved in mining.

Joe began his career at DHEC in 2009 and spent four years in the Federal Facilities Administration Section in the Site Assessment, Remediation, and Revitalization Division working with the Department of Energy on remediation activities at the Savannah River Site.

Prior to DHEC, he spent 10 years in the private sector with industry and consulting.

Joe received his B.S. in Environmental Geology from Clemson University in 2000.

Fight the Bite

June 19-25 was National Mosquito Control Awareness Week. At least 61 different species of mosquitoes exist in South Carolina. DHEC works in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor mosquito populations for diseases that can be spread to humans. The agency also provides information to help individuals and communities take action to reduce mosquito populations in their area and prevent bites.

Visit our Mosquitoes in South Carolina webpage for more resources and information.

Updated Lead Prevention Brochures

In cooperation with DHEC's Division of Children's Health, the Bureau of Water's Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Grant Team updated existing lead prevention brochures by including important WIIN Grant information. The WIIN grant works with schools and child care facilities to sample for lead in water and improve drinking water quality for children in South Carolina.

According to EPA, children six years old and younger are the most susceptible to the effects of lead. Even at very low levels of exposure, health effects can include lower IQ levels, reduced attention span, hyperactivity, poor classroom performance, and other physical and behavioral effects. In 2020, about 53,000 children (age 6 and under) in SC were tested for blood lead elevations. Over 130,000 kids (age 6 and under) attend public schools.

Join Our Team!

As the state agency charged with promoting and protecting South Carolina's public health and environment, DHEC has a legacy of attracting and retaining talented individuals who want to build rewarding and successful careers. DHEC's Environmental Affairs employs a wide range of environmental professionals from engineers and geologists to inspectors and meteorologists.

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