FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, June 5, 2023
Results from water samples taken in the Gilder Creek area indicate that the area has returned to ambient conditions following a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) that Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) said occurred on Wednesday, May 31. Ambient conditions are defined by a return of water quality indicators downstream of the incident matching natural upstream conditions.
The water quality monitoring efforts were conducted over a five-day period as part of ReWa’s environmental protection protocols, which include multi-point sampling and laboratory analysis.
The proper notifications were made to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) and intakes downstream of the reported overflow. ReWa officials said the SSO stopped at approximately 4:30 p.m., a little more than an hour after crews were notified of the issue at 3:13 p.m.
Wednesday’s SSO resulted from a break in the Gilder Creek Gravity Main, a 15-inch line. ReWa’s collections team was able to move quickly to ensure bypass operations were in place to redirect flows from the damaged pipe. An investigation identified erosion along the creek as the cause of the line failure, officials said.
This event will NOT affect ReWa’s ability to provide sewer service to the area and will also NOT affect the drinking water. Pending further review, ReWa will continue to post updates regarding progress and new details as they become available.
For additional information, please contact our hotline at (864) 299-4004. Any updates will be posted as a “news alert” at the top of our homepage at www.ReWaonline.org.
ABOUT RENEWABLE WATER RESOURCES (ReWa):
Since 1925, Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) has been committed to providing high-quality wastewater treatment services to the Upstate of South Carolina while promoting a cleaner environment, protecting public health and the water quality of Upstate waterways, and developing the necessary sewer infrastructure to sustain our community and growing economy. With nine water resource recovery facilities and more than 350 miles of pipe, we serve a broad geographic area, including Greenville County and portions of Anderson, Laurens, Pickens and Spartanburg Counties. Each day an estimated 42 million gallons of water passes through our trunk lines and reclamation facilities before being cleaned and returned to our area rivers and streams. To learn more about ReWa, visit
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