Table 1 Population Projections Year Population 2,320 2,325 2,330 Percent Increase 0.22% 0.43%

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1 EXEMPLFYING SHARED COMMITMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA: A PROACTIVE SOLUTION FOR A TOWN UNDER A FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE Olivia O. Flynn, PE Senior Project Manager, CDM Smith, Inc. ABSTRACT Few things are worse for a community than the impacts that raw sewage overflows and lack of potable water can have on public health, the environment, and the economy. The City of Florence, SC (City) understands these immediate and secondary impacts, and is taking the initiative when it comes to caring for the Pee Dee area of South Carolina. For the past few years, the Town of Timmonsville, SC (Town), located approximately 11 miles southwest of the City, has been unable to operate and maintain their water and wastewater assets within the requirements of their permits. Due to the lack of proper resources and operations, the Town has experienced recurring SSOs within the sewer collection system, bypasses at the WWTP, and drinking water treatment and distribution issues, resulting in subsequent state consent orders and the current federal CD by the EPA and SCDHEC. Due to lack of capital, the Town has been unable to resolve these issues on their own, presenting a threat to the health and viability of the community. After evaluating available options, CDM Smith, the Town, the City, the EPA, and SCDHEC were able to identify a solution for the betterment of the Town and surrounding Pee Dee area: conveyance of ownership of the water and sewer utilities to the City. The citizens of the Town approved a referendum measure on June 25, 2013, and by the end of November, the City will accept ownership of the Town s water and sewer assets, including the responsibility for the short- and long-term system improvements that will be required by the CD and that are necessary to provide reliable water and sewer service in accordance with federal and state regulations. To date, the City and CDM Smith have initiated tasks related to bringing the Timmonsville POTW and PWS into compliance including: negotiating an acceptable CD, preparing CIPs, and completing a PER and EA for the purposes of pursuing potential grant and loan funding. Currently, the City and CDM Smith are preparing various CD program engineering reports, updating CMOM program procedures, and designing critical Timmonsville WWTP improvements. KEYWORDS Florence, Timmonsville, Consent Decree, EPA, SCDHEC, Conveyance INTRODUCTION Location and Planning Area The Town of Timmonsville is located in Florence County, South Carolina approximately 10 miles to the southwest of the City of Florence and two miles west of Interstate 95. In the 2000 census, the Town of Timmonsville had a population of 2,315 people. The 2010 census information showed the Town population to be 2,320, an increase of five people, or 0.22%, over the 10 year period. Based on a lack of new growth drivers, it can be assumed that the population will continue to increase at this rate for the next 10 to 20 years, as shown below in Table 1. Table 1 Population Projections Year Population 2,320 2,325 2,330 Percent Increase 0.22% 0.43% Per the 2010 census, the median household income (MHI) for the Town of Timmonsville is $19,886. The income level is also expected to remain relatively stagnant over the next years. Regulatory Summary The Town of Timmonsville PWS currently consists of two permanent wells, one emergency well, and one stand-by well. The PWS has two water plants, three elevated tanks, and one ground storage tank. The Town has approximately 37 miles of water mains, including two emergency water connections with the City of Florence water

2 system. The Town has been issued multiple SCDHEC consent orders related to the PWS system since In August of 2007, the Town received a fully executed SCDHEC Consent Order ( DW) in response to two surveys of the PWS system performed in March 2006 and March During these surveys the town was found to have multiple deficiencies, including inadequate fire flow, leak detection, valve and hydrant maintenance and facility maintenance. In November 2010, SCDHEC performed an additional survey of the system and determined that the PWS had deteriorated further. The 2010 consent order noted that all previously identified deficiencies still required improvement; in addition, protection from contamination and cross connection control was also noted as an additional deficiency. SCDHEC issued the Town of Timmonsville a consent order ( DW) in March 2011 as a result of the November 2010 survey. A Corrective Action Plan (CAP), submitted by Weaver Engineering on behalf of the Town and approved by SCDHEC in May 2011, was completed in conjunction with the March 2011 consent order. In March 2013 SCDHEC performed a follow-up survey of the system. The survey found that many of the issues to be addressed by the CAP had not been completed or addressed. The Town of Timmonsville POTW consists of one wastewater treatment plant and its wastewater collection system. The wastewater treatment plant primarily treats domestic wastewater. The wastewater collection system consists of fifteen pump stations, gravity sewers, and sewer force mains. In September 2012, the EPA and SCDHEC conducted a Compliance Evaluation Inspection (CEI) of the POTW. The inspection focused on the environmental impacts caused by the POTW s repeated non-compliance with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) effluent permit limits. The CEI concluded that the Town of Timmonsville s sanitary sewer system is in need of several capital improvement projects (CIP) to prevent hazards to human health and the environment. The CEI also included an evaluation of the PWS and found findings similar to those noted by the SCDHEC surveys. The issues noted included improperly functioning filters at the water treatment plants, a lack of filter media maintenance and inspection, several water main breaks, and low or non-existent residual chlorine in areas of the distribution system. Facilities Summary The March 2013 SCDHEC survey noted that the Town s PWS is considered unsatisfactory and is in need of substantial upgrade and replacement. SCDHEC concluded that the filters at both water treatment plants were not working properly; the filters at the 403 WTP needed to be replaced to provide adequate treatment. SCDHEC has received numerous complaints from customers over the last six months in regard to water quality, including complaints of discolored and foul smelling water. Other needed improvements include replacement of the Town s chemical treatment equipment for lime and chlorination, repair of multiple water main breaks throughout the system, and improvements to residual chlorine concentrations in several areas of the distribution system. Based on the CEI conducted by EPA and SCDHEC, the POTW has several issues that if not corrected in a timely manner will likely result in substantial hazards to the health of humans and the environment. The WWTP has several items of concern including the following: the sand filters are clogged and the filter media is in need of replacement, some sand filters are overflowing, the liners in the lagoons are breached in several locations, and several aerators are out of service. The collection system has multiple collapsed sewer pipes and has caused sewer back-ups into buildings. Several pump stations have only one pump in operation without any backup, and there is evidence of a significant amount of inflow and infiltration into the sanitary sewer system. The Town of Timmonsville s water system is currently supplied by wells that pump from the Middendorf Aquifer. The Town s water system consists of two permanent wells, one emergency well, and one stand-by well. The Main Street Well is located at the intersection of Main Street and Tanyard Street. The well was constructed in 1968 and has a maximum pumping capacity of 325 gpm. The Cale Yarborough Road Well is located on Cale Yarborough Highway (SC-403) and was constructed in The well has a maximum pumping capacity of 525 gpm. Based on SCDHEC s 16-hour pumping day requirement, the total current capacity of the PWS is 816,800 gpd. The PWS has two water plants. One water treatment plant is located on Highway 403, and the second is located on Main Street. The Main Street WTP has a capacity of MGD, and the 403 WTP has a capacity of MGD for a total system capacity of MGD. The Town s treatment process includes aeration, dual media pressure filter vessels, ph adjustment with lime, and gas chlorination.

3 The Town of Timmonsville operates one wastewater treatment plant with a design capacity of 2.0 MGD. The WWTP is located on Buie Drive just south of downtown Timmonsville. The plant consists of influent screenings, grit removal, and pumping; two lagoons operated in series; five sand filters; chlorine disinfection; and chemical dechlorination. Wastewater enters the plant through the WWTP headworks facility. Currently the influent screen and aerated grit removal process are not operational. Wastewater is conveyed using one or more of the three influent pumps to the primary clarification lagoon. From the primary lagoon, wastewater then flows by gravity into the secondary lagoon. In the secondary lagoon, the wastewater is aerated with floating aerators. Following aeration, the wastewater flows by gravity through the sand filters. Due to operation and maintenance issues associated with the sand filters, a temporary pumping system is used to convey some or all of the wastewater from the secondary lagoon to the chlorine contact tank. The filtered wastewater is then chlorinated and de-chlorinated prior to discharge into Sparrow Swamp. The water is ultimately discharged into the Lynches River. The Town of Timmonsville s water distribution system consists of approximately 37 miles of water mains. The mains range in size from 6 to 12 in diameter and provide water to approximately 1,012 customers. The Town estimates that it loses greater than 10% of its treated water to unbilled accounts. This is likely a result of the lack of maintenance and upkeep to the system as well as inaccuracies in the meters used throughout the system. Frequent water main breaks in the water distribution system have been documented contributing to non-revenue water amounts. Non-revenue water and the frequency of water main breaks would likely be reduced if the system was to benefit from a substantial upgrade and maintenance program. The Town of Timmonsville currently operates three elevated storage tanks and one ground storage tank. The Main Street tank is an elevated tank located at the intersection of Main Street and South Hill Road. The Main Street tank has a storage capacity of 250,000 gallons and was built in The Highway 403 tank is an elevated tank located along Highway 403 on the southwestern end of the Town. The Highway 403 tank is a 200,000 gallon tank and was built in The Honda tank is an elevated storage tank located on Honda Way just north of Interstate 95. The Honda tank was built in 1997 to serve the Honda facility and has a capacity of 500,000 gallons. The ground storage tank is located along Main Street at the intersection with Tanyard Street and has a capacity 80,000 gallons. The Town of Timmonsville s total storage capacity is 1,030,000 gallons. The Town of Timmonsville s wastewater collection system consists of fifteen pump stations, approximately 19 miles of gravity sewer, and approximately seven miles of force mains. Pipe sizes of the collection system range in diameter from 6 inches to 12 inches. Per the CEI performed by EPA and SCDHEC, the wastewater collection system was found to have multiple issues, including a collapsed sewer pipe that has caused the adjacent roadway to be eroded, three pump stations without an operable backup pump, and a high rate of inflow and infiltration into the collection system. Pump run-time logs entered by the operators support the infiltration findings. Financial Status of any Existing Facilities The information provided below was compiled based on data provided by the Town of Timmonsville and the City of Florence and includes data from the most recent financial information available (fiscal year 2013). The Town of Timmonsville currently provides water to approximately 897 residential users (inside and outside the town) and 115 commercial businesses (inside and outside the town). In addition to water service, the Town also provides sewer services to approximately 811 residents (inside and outside the town) and 106 commercial businesses (inside and outside the town). Per US Census Bureau 2010 data the population of the Town of Timmonsville, SC is 2,624, and the median household income (MHI) is $19,886. EPA Guidelines for combined water and sewer rates, based on MHI, state that a rate greater than 2.5% is unaffordable. When the guideline 2.5% rate is applied to the Town s MHI, the maximum reasonable combined water and sewer bill per customer is calculated to be $ per year or $41.39 per month. The Town is currently averaging a combined water and sewer bill of $57.79 per month for residential customers inside the Town limits and an average bill of $70.08 for residential customers outside of the Town limits. Therefore the current rates are not within the EPA Guidelines and would have to be reduced by 28% for residential customers inside the Town limits and by 41% for residential customers outside the Town limits to reach the maximum reasonable charge of $41.39 per customer per month. In calendar year 2010 (fiscal year 2011) the town raised water and sewer rates 15% for customers both inside and outside the town. The City of Florence is seeking favorable financing for the Consent Decree required POTW and PWS improvements in order to minimize further impacts to the water and sewer rate as a percentage of MHI.

4 The Town of Timmonsville s fiscal year begins in March and runs through February. The annual operating budget provided is for fiscal year 2013, running from March 2012 through February An examination of the Town s annual finances must include an analysis of long-term debt service and its impact on the Town s finances. The Town of Timmonsville currently has five USDA bonds totaling $5,541,008. The total market value of taxable property within the town is $53,521,811. EPA Guidelines state that debt service of 2% of total market value is rated strong, 2% to 5% is mid-range, and 5% or greater is considered weak. The Town s debt service is currently 10.35% of the total market value, more than double the weak rating guideline of 5%. The town defaulted on the USDA loans two years ago and, after discussions with USDA, began to resume paying regularly as agreed upon, but never paid the defaulted amounts. The Town again discontinued payment to USDA in November of 2012 and started devoting all revenue to the operations and maintenance of the water and sewer systems until a more sustainable solution becomes available. The Town continues to honor a BB&T series 2003 bond totaling $325,428. As shown in Table 2 below, the Town s debt and annual expenses outweigh annual revenues and therefore has produced a system that is unsustainable. Annual Revenues Table 2 Annual Operating Budget (FY 2013) Water Sales $406, Sewer Sales $576, Water and Sewer Fees $6, Miscellaneous Fees $1, Interest $ Total Annual Revenues $992, Annual Expenses Annual Operations & Maintenance: Insurance $10, Accounting $15, Operators Salaries $212, Office Salaries $25, Office Supplies $4, WWTP Electricity $73, Pumps & Lift Stations Electricity $72, Telephones $11, Licensing $8, Lab & Testing $60, Equipment Rentals $20, Vehicle Maintenance $6, Machinery & Equipment Maintenance $6, Buildings Maintenance $3, Water & Sewer Maintenance $120, Supplies $120, Other $12, Sub-total $780, Annual Debt Payments: BB&T Bond Series 2003 (totaling 3.99%) $62, USDA Bond #9 (totaling 3.25%) $48, USDA Bond #10 (totaling 4.50%) $55,668.00

5 USDA Bond #12 (totaling 3.25%) $32, USDA Bond #13 (totaling 4.50%) $30, USDA Bond #14 (totaling 4.125%) $156, Sub-total $386, Reserve Accounts: Debt Service Reserves (Town of Timmonsville) $0.00 Sub-total $0.00 Total Annual Expenses $1,167, Net Annual Income -$175, METHODOLOGY Need for the Project The Town of Timmonsville s POTW has violated the CWA by failing to comply with the requirements of the NPDES permit and by previous operations and maintenance activities that have resulted in an unacceptable frequency of Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs). The violations of the permits include operations and maintenance practices, pretreatment program implementation and reporting, effluent monitoring and reporting, effluent limit violations, and the release of untreated and partially treated wastewater. The Town of Timmonsville s PWS has violated the SC SDWA and the State Primary Drinking Water Regulations (SPDWRs). SCDHEC has performed multiple investigations and found additional deficiencies with each inspection. The EPA and SCDHEC issued a Federal Consent Decree due to the non-compliance of the town s POTW and PWS. The Town of Timmonsville realizes that it does not have the resources to operate the POTW and PWS in a way to be complaint with the CWA, the SC SDWA and the SPDWRs. Therefore the City of Florence has agreed to receive conveyance of the town s POTW and PWS as well as the responsibility of bringing the systems back in compliance with the CWA, SC SDWA, and SPDWRs. Substantial improvements to the Town s water and sewer systems are needed in order to bring the systems into compliance and reduce operation and maintenance related expenses. As shown in the annual operating budget, the Town cannot currently provide the necessary system maintenance and existing debt service obligations. Due to recent budget shortfalls, maintenance related items, both immediate and long term, have been delayed, causing further deterioration of the existing system. Collapsed gravity sewer replacement, wastewater treatment plant upgrades, water treatment plant upgrades, and water meter replacement are examples of improvement projects which will provide immediate improvements to the Town s systems. All proposed improvements are designed to provide permit compliance and infrastructure asset life renewal of the existing system and are not intended to provide additional capacity or expansion of existing water and sewer service areas. As the current census data projects negligible growth, the required POTW and PWS improvement projects noted below will meet the projected population or demand growth in the Town of Timmonsville service area. However, the primary purpose of the projects is to renew the asset service life of the existing water treatment, water distribution, sewer collection, and wastewater treatment systems and to bring the systems into compliance with the requirements of the CWA, South Carolina Pollution Control Act (SCPCA), and the SC SDWA. Alternatives Considered Alternative No. 1 - Planned CIP Improvements Alternative 1 includes upgrades and improvements to both the POTW and PWS systems. The projects chosen for this alternative were carefully selected to provide compliance with the regulations in a timely and cost-effective manner. While other projects were considered to improve or upgrade the systems these projects were determined to be the most efficient in meeting the needs of the Town. Potential projects which were ultimately not selected included various upgrades to the Main Street WTP, which is in need of substantial improvements to meet regulatory requirements. Due to the involvement of the City of Florence in maintaining the Town s water system a water main interconnection between the City and the Town along US 76 became a separate viable option. The Main Street WTP would require extensive, costly, and time-consuming work to provide the needed capacity and quality of

6 drinking water required. The interconnection will provide the Town with additional capacity while creating a more reliable and cost effective water system that will be easier to maintain and operate. Alternative No. 2 POTW Conveyance to the City of Florence The proposed conveyance of the current Town of Timmonsville s POTW system to the City of Florence WWTP will include upgrades and new additions to each entity s sanitary sewer systems. There will not be any improvements to the Town s water distribution system or water treatment facility. Sanitary sewer system improvements will include: Upgrade of City of Florence WWTP to handle all flow from the Town of Timmonsville Upgrade of Honda pump station to handle all flows from the Town of Timmonsville Upgrade City of Florence pump station to handle all flows for the upgraded Honda pump station. Construct new force main from the existing Town of Timmonsville Honda Pump Station to City of Florence pump station. Construct new gravity and force main lines to convey all the Town of Timmonsville s flow to the newly upgraded Honda Pump Station All improvements are designed to improve the functioning capabilities and reliability of the Town s sanitary sewer systems and to convey the flows to the City of Florence. Alternative No. 3 - No Change to the Systems This alternative will not include any upgrades to the existing PWS and POTW. The treatment plants will continue to operate in their current states and provide unsatisfactory water and sanitary sewer treatment to the Town of Timmonsville s customers. The Town will not be able to comply with the provisions in the latest consent order and will continue to be in violation of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION After consideration of each potential alternative, Alternative 1 is recommended for implementation. The proposed improvements provide a comprehensive combination of immediate and long-term solutions to the current issues facing the Town of Timmonsville. The proposed improvements noted in the alternative will achieve compliance with the regulatory requirements established by EPA and SCDHEC while also providing long-term cost savings to the Town of Timmonsville utility rate payers on an annual basis. The proposed upgrades will create reliable POTW and PWS systems that will continue to serve the citizens of the Town for many years. Project Design The proposed improvements to the Town of Timmonsville s water and sanitary sewer systems are designed to upgrade the existing systems and will not result in the expansion of service areas. Instead of an expansion, the proposed projects will provide quality drinking water and an efficient wastewater collection system to existing customers currently served by the Town. An update of the Corrective Action Plan (CAP), submitted by Weaver Engineering in 2011, will be required in advance of the other proposed water system improvements. CAP components requiring the submission of updated implementation dates to SCDHEC include elevated tank inspection and upgrades, a water loss report, and water meter replacement. Additional information on the proposed construction projects associated with the tank inspection and water meter replacement is provided below. Upgrades to the water treatment system will take place at the Highway 403 WTP. The upgrades will include improvements to the filter system, chemical feed system, and the chlorination system. The improvements to the filter system include filter piping, the filter media in the four filters, filter nozzles, and filter vessels. The filter system components have either outlived their design life or have failed to perform as necessary to provide clean water to customers. Other improvements include the enhancement of the chlorination and lime feed systems. The Highway 403 WTP improvements will aid in the Town s effort the restore a satisfactory rating in their sanitary surveys while addressing the necessary concerns noted in consent order DW. The Main Street water treatment plant also requires extensive improvements in order to provide quality drinking water to customers. However, the improvements needed at the Main Street WTP are not economically feasible; the

7 Main Street WTP will therefore be closed and removed from service. Water demands previously provided by the Main Street WTP will instead be provided through the US 76 Water Main Connection project. Upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant will be located at the wastewater treatment plant off of Buie Drive. Improvements to the WWTP include the replacement of five sand filters, the disposal of the primary lagoon solids, the replacement of the liner at the primary and aerated lagoons, replacement of floating aerators, the reconstruction of three influent pumps, upgrades to the existing headworks, and treatment operations instrumentation and control upgrades. The five sand filters each measure 100 feet by 420 feet for a total surface area of 210,000 square feet. Sand filter media normally ranges from 24-inches to 36-inches in depth; therefore, the approximate total volume of filter media needed is 420,000 to 630,000 cubic feet of sand. The primary lagoon has approximate dimensions of 900 feet by 750 feet with a water depth of four feet and two feet of freeboard. The aerated lagoon has approximate dimensions of 850 feet by 480 feet with a water depth of four feet and two feet of freeboard. Replacement of the 15 floating aerators will match the existing equipment in order to ensure the system will operate in the manner it was designed. Of the 15 floating aerators in operation, six are 40-HP and nine are 3-HP. The three influent pumps to be reconstructed are Gorman-Rupp T Series Model T10A715-B. Each pump is equipped with a 40-HP motor. The proposed improvements to the water distribution system include a new connection to the City of Florence s water system, the construction of two new booster pump stations, the replacement of water meters with an AMR system, and general transmission main and pipeline upgrades throughout the system. With the elimination of the Main Street WTP the Town will rely on the 403 WTP and an interconnection with the City of Florence to provide quality drinking water to its customers. The proposed interconnection will include the construction of 1,500 linear feet of new 10-inch water main, 800 linear of 12-inch jack-and-bore water main, and the upsizing of 2,600 linear feet of existing 6-inch City of Florence water main to a 10-inch pipeline. The interconnection will be located within the right-of-way of US76 (E. Smith St) between E. Main St and S. Sally Hill Rd. The two new booster pump stations are to be located at the Honda plant and on Highway 76 near the proposed water main interconnection project. Both booster stations are expected to have a capacity of 350 gpm and will be confirmed during the design phase of the project. The land for the new Highway 76 booster pump stations will need to be acquired; costs related to property acquisition is listed in Table 3 as non-construction cost of the project. The meter replacement project will upgrade 1,000 existing meters, linesetters, and meter boxes with an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system throughout the water distribution system. The new AMR system will provide better water usage readings and contribute to a lower number of unbilled accounts, thereby increasing revenues without the implementation of a rate schedule increase. The AMR system will also provide operational cost efficiencies by eliminating meter reader labor for City of Florence staff for the Town of Timmonsville PWS. General maintenance of the transmission mains and pipelines will be located throughout the distribution system. The extent and locations of the necessary upgrades will be determined by the City of Florence as they gain operational knowledge of the system after conveyance of the PWS from the Town of Timmonsville. The Town of Timmonsville s three elevated water storage tanks will be inspected, upgraded as needed, and painted. The Highway 403 tank is located at the Highway 403 WTP and has a capacity of 200,000 gallons. The Main Street tank has a storage capacity of 250,000 gallons and is located at the intersection of Main Street and South Hill Road. The Honda tank is located on Honda Way just north of Interstate 95 and has a capacity of 500,000 gallons. The proposed improvements will not create a change in the capacity of the tanks. Improvements to the Town s wastewater collection system include upgrades to pump stations as well as the sanitary sewer collection system itself. The improvements to the wastewater lift stations include the installation of a second operable pump in all existing pump stations. The additional pumps will be the same size and horsepower as the existing operating pumps to ensure compatibility. The Industrial PS is located on Sally Hill Road at the intersection of US 76. The White Street PS is situated at the intersection of White Street and Honda Way. The King Pin PS is located on Main Street near Greene Drive. Other pump station improvements include the Major Pump Station Power Loss Evaluation (MPS-PLE), which will include an evaluation of the adequacy of the City s current backup

8 power and emergency procedures for preventing power outages at the Two Mile Creek, Police Cabin, Steel Road, and Middle Swamp pump stations. The City of Florence, upon further assessment, may designate additional pump stations for MPS-PLE evaluation. The improvements to the sanitary sewer collection system include a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Survey (SSES), general upgrades based on the findings of the SSES, and the rehab of three collapsed gravity lines. The three collapsed lines are located at the intersections of Market Street and Foxworth Street, Tanyard Street and Byrd Street, and New Street and Keith Street. The Market and Foxworth sewer as well as the Tanyard and Byrd Street sewer are 10 inches in diameter, while the New and Keith Street sewer is 8 inches in diameter. Since the three collapsed gravity sewers are a critical improvement and pose a threat to human health, the City of Florence will prepare and implement construction packages for these projects at their risk before Rural Development funding is available, with the understanding that this work will be reimbursed for those costs. Other collection system improvements include the update of the City s Sanitary Sewer Overflow Response Plan (SORP) and application of the City s SORP to the Town s POTW. The SORP will also serve to consolidate and update the City s current written policies and procedures. SCADA systems will be installed on the Town s water and sanitary sewer systems. Water system SCADA will be located at a combination of the Hwy 403 WTP, the three elevated storage tanks, and the two new booster pump stations. A final determination of the locations for SCADA installation will be determined during the design of the project. SCADA will also be provided at the wastewater treatment plant. Project Schedule Per the current draft EPA Consent Decree, all construction projects must be complete and the POTW and PWS systems must be in full compliance of all environmental requirements within five years of the effective date of the consent decree. In addition to this requirement, several sanitary sewer projects must be completed within the first year of implementation while all proposed water system projects must be implemented within the approved CAP schedule. Because of the condensed schedule for initial completion, multiple projects will be under design and construction concurrently. Due to current health, sanitation, and safety concerns as well as the Consent Decree timeline provided by EPA, there are two critical projects that must begin immediately. These projects are the sand filters at the wastewater treatment plant and the three collapsed gravity sewer lines. The City of Florence will take the responsibility of preparing construction packages and funding for these two critical projects at their own risk, with the understanding that these projects will be eligible for reimbursement. All other projects will be bid at the same time in different contracts so funding can be received from USDA under a single loan issuance. Based on the immediate needs of the POTW and PSW and the requirements of the pending Consent Decree, the construction of four water system improvement projects and six sanitary sewer system improvement projects are planned within the first year. Projects scheduled for design and construction within the first year of implementation are as follows: Water System Improvements o Replacement of 1,000 meters, linesetters, and meter boxes with AMR system o Updated Corrective Action Plan (CAP) submitted to SCDHEC o Upgrades to the 403 WTP (filter vessel, replacement of filter media and valves, chlorination system, and chemical feed systems) o U.S. #76 water main interconnection Sanitary Sewer System Improvements o Comprehensive Performance Evaluation (CPE) and Composite Correction Plan (CCP) o Disposal of the primary lagoon solids at the WWTP o Collection system SORP, SSES and rehabilitation o Upgrade of the existing WWTP headworks and MPS-PLE o Improvements to the collection system lift stations to maintain two functioning pumps at each location o Collection system maintenance

9 While a majority of the proposed projects are scheduled for completion within the first year, other projects remain and will be completed in year two. All proposed water and sanitary sewer improvements are scheduled for completion by August 2015 in order to meet the current draft Consent Decree timelines. Through the completion of all proposed construction projects within the first two years of the program, the Town s systems should be able to meet the Consent Decree requirement for full compliance within five years. Project Cost Estimate The costs associated with water and sewer projects have been separated. Additional divisions for construction and non-construction items are also included. Table 3 provides a summary of all costs associated with the proposed improvements. Table 3 Proposed Total Project Improvements Water System Improvements Sub-Total $3,421,550 Sewer Improvements Sub-Total $6,985,000 Non-Construction Costs Land Costs for Highway 76 Booster Pump Station $150,000 Surveying $25,000 Engineering Systems Evaluations POTW and PWS Condition Assessment and System-wide Performance Evaluation $75,000 PWS CAP $20,000 CPE and CCP $47,000 SORP $18,500 MPS-PLE $18,500 Headworks Analysis $20,000 Basic Services: Study and Report $50,000 Preliminary Design $160,000 Final Design $436,450 Bidding and Negotiating $48,000 Construction $305,000 Post-Construction $40,000 RPR $180,000 Legal Fees (0.83%) $100,000 Non-Construction Costs Sub-Total $1,693,450 Total Water and Sewer Improvements Costs $12,100,000 Funding sources for the proposed improvements are noted below in Table 4. It is anticipated that funding from the USDA Rural Development Loan will cover construction and engineering costs while the City of Florence will be responsible for legal costs. Table 4 Total Project Funding USDA Drinking Water Grant $800,000 SCDHEC SRF Drinking Water Loan and APF $2,494,220 SCDHEC SRF Clean Water Loan and APF $8,638,000 EDA Drinking Water Grants $1,006,334 CDBG Drinking Water Grants $792,004 Total Funding $13,730,558

10 CONCLUSIONS The proposed improvements presented in in Alternative No.1 will provide an overall upgrade to the Town of Timmonsville s POTW and PWS systems. The water system projects will provide the customers and residents of the Town with more reliable drinking water and improved water quality, while the sanitary sewer projects will provide the Town s residents with an improved wastewater collection system and an enhanced wastewater treatment plant with upgraded filter media, pumps, liners, and aerators. The water system improvement projects were selected after an analysis of the results of the SCDHEC and EPA sanitary surveys. The projects were specifically chosen to bring the Town s PWS back into compliance with the South Carolina Safe Drinking Water Act (SC SDWA), State Primary Drinking Water Regulations (SPDWRs), and the EPA s Consent Decree as promptly and cost efficiently as possible. The sewer system improvement projects were selected based on the results of the EPA and SCDHEC Compliance Evaluation Inspection (CEI). Once implemented, the improvements will bring the Town s POTW back into compliance with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) effluent permit limits, the Clean Water Act (CWA), and the EPA s Consent Decree in a timely and cost-efficient manner. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The following entities allowed for the success of this project: City of Florence, SC Town of Timmonsville, SC CDM Smith URS EPA Region 4 SCDHEC EDA CDBG USDA