The Reedy River Water Quality Group has one mission. We want to protect, preserve, and improve water quality in the Reedy River. To do this, we’ve gathered local city and county agencies, utilities, homeowners groups, conservation groups, and area citizens to work together toward reducing the amount of nutrients flowing into the river.
There is a little known section of the Clean Water Act known as 5(r). This is the section of the CWA that makes a new process that uses a “bottom-up” approach to protect our rivers and lakes. Instead of the Government creating a regulatory plan, this process encourages local involvement and citizen action to reduce pollutants in water. This approach, sometimes also called 5(alternative), means that pollution reduction in the Reedy River watershed is not being driven by a State-created plan. Just the opposite – the watershed stakeholders are creating the water quality improvement plan for the watershed. For the Reedy River, the primary aim is to reduce nutrient levels like nitrogen and phosphorus.
Following this new process established by USEPA and SCDES, the Reedy River Water Quality Group has become a national leader in water quality restoration by working with the public to reduce the amount of pollutants flowing into the river.
A kick-off meeting was held in March 2015, and 75 people attended to learn about the project, ask questions, discuss ideas, and join one of the committees that had their first meetings that day. These committees will developed the plans for protecting and preserving the Reedy River.
The Group has monitored water quality, modeled the river system, taught the public about pollution prevention, reviewed successful practices, and analyzed economic impact. We are choosing programs that will have the highest benefit to the community and the environment in the most cost friendly way.
Come join us!
