S.C. Code Regs. § § 61-113.L

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024

Section 61-113.L - Unreasonable Adverse Effects on Other Water Users

1. To protect against or abate unreasonable adverse or potential unreasonable adverse effects on other water users within a designated capacity use area, including but not limited to adverse effects on public use, the Department shall consider the best available information on the geologic and hydrologic characteristics of the aquifer or aquifers and the groundwater withdrawals of the area, and shall require groundwater users to take such action as the Department deems necessary and appropriate for its control.

2. Types of control measures which the Department may require applicants, permit holders, and groundwater withdrawers to take may include, but not be limited to, the following:

a. Requirement of selective withdrawal from other available freshwater aquifers than those currently used;

b. Pumping arrangements to reduce groundwater withdrawal in areas of concentrated pumping;

c. Selective curtailment or reduction of groundwater withdrawals where it is found to be in the public interest or general welfare or to protect the water resource;

d. Conjunctive use of aquifers, or waters of less desirable quality where water quality of a specific character is not essential;

e. Construction and use of observation or monitor wells;

f. Abandonment of wells, in accordance with Section N, that have penetrated zones of undesirable water quality where such wells are determined by the Department to be causing contamination of freshwater aquifers;

g. Prohibiting the hydraulic connection of aquifers that could result in deterioration of water quality in a freshwater aquifer(s);

h. Abandonment of wells, not covered under Section L.2.f., in accordance with Section N below;

i. Require the applicants, permit holders, and groundwater withdrawers to cooperate with the Department and other groundwater users in the affected area, in determining and implementing reasonable and practical methods to conserve and protect the water resources and to avoid or minimize adverse effects of the quantity and quality of water available to persons whose water supply has been materially reduced or impaired as a result of groundwater withdrawals; and

j. Such other necessary and appropriate control or abatement techniques as are technically feasible and have proven to be successful in other areas.

S.C. Code Regs. § 61-113.L