The Summerville Commissioners of Public Works on May 19 filed its complaint and request for a jury trial as its part of a federal class-action lawsuit that at least a dozen South Carolina cities are pursuing in an effort to hold corporate America financially responsible for chemical contaminants in public drinking water and wastewater systems.

The lawsuit references “aqueous film-forming foams products liability litigation.” Named as defendants are many manufacturers of the consumer products that are responsible for 80 to 85 percent of pollutants known as per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Manufacturers named as defendants includes Dupont, Amerex Corp., Buckeye Fire Equipment Co., Chemguard, Clariant Corp. and 3M, which makes everything from household and office supplies like Scotchguard and Scotch tape to dental products, insulation, packaging labels, medical equipment, electronics components and building materials.

Most PFAS contaminants come from household cleaners, frozen food packaging, cosmetics, dental floss, firefighting foams, popcorn bags and non-stick cookware, etc.

The 60-day public comment period on the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is up at the end of May. The MCLs establish testing levels for only six of 9,000 contaminants, but once those levels are finalized, public wastewater systems like the CPW have three years to ensure they meet compliance.

CPW General Manager Chris Kahler has been working since the department joined the legal fray in February to find a workable solution that would, as he put it in March, “extract something from the water body that we didn’t put in it.”

One possible solution may come from Reformer, a German company whose technology for breaking down PFAS is being sought for purchase by the owner of Harvest, LLC – a Texas company that is building the new solar dryers at the CPW wastewater plant.

“Currently, the only way they know of to break down PFAS is to super-heat it to hundreds of degrees. This technology takes the biosolids and incinerates them. The fluorine and chlorine chemical bonds are broken down and weakened, which means that they are no longer ‘forever chemicals’ at that point, and no longer toxic,” said Kahler.

“Harvest is trying to partner with other investors to bring this to market. They’re still trying to do the acquisition and get the equipment here. It isn’t official yet, but the first facility they want to build is a test plant at our site. With the small-to-medium plant size we have, it makes a good test study. We don’t know the time table yet, but because we’d be a guinea pig test site, it would free of charge.”

The proposed MCLs for PFAS represent chronic or long-term health hazards and assume that a person drinks 2.5 liters of impacted water daily for 70 years. Health hazards include immune system damage, increased cholesterol levels, decreased vaccine response in children, higher blood pressure and risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, liver enzyme changes and a higher risk of testicular and kidney cancers.

Filters certified to remove PFAS compounds can be installed on home faucets to reduce risk of exposure to PFAS, PFOAs and PFOS, and consumers are encouraged to buy PFAS-free products. For the most current information regarding PFAS regulations, visit scdhec.gov/PFAS.

SUMMERVILLE — There will soon be a new sculpture right outside of Saul Alexander Playground, and it’s going to be absolutely bananas.

Town Council accepted the Sculpture in the South’s donation of a 350-pound, 7-foot half-peeled banana with feet reclined on a 6-foot-long bronze bench.

Sculpture in the South is an organization formed in 1999 to add art to public spaces throughout Summerville.

The group is in the process of fundraising to purchase the sculpture, which costs $50,000.

Otis Engelman, chairman of Sculpture in the South, said every sculpture the organization has purchased to place in Summerville has been paid for by donations from Summerville residents and no town funds.

The banana sculpture will be placed between the Miracle League field and the playground, near the horseshoe. Town Council accepted the sculpture during its Jan. 12 meeting.

The banana is a work of Jack Hill, who is based out of DeLand, Fla. Dora Ann Reaves, a member of Sculpture in the South, said the banana is one of Hill’s favorite forms, adding that he has other sculptures of bananas on roller skates.

“He’s got a real interesting sense of humor,” Reaves said. “The idea that a banana could sit on a bench or roller skate is of interest to him.”

Sculpture in the South has already placed a variety of sculptures around the town, many of which are in Summerville parks. The organization helped facilitate the sculpture of the late John McKissick and his wife, Joan.

Sculpture in the South was looking to add a more whimsical piece to its collection, Amy Evans, parks and recreation director, said.

Reaves spoke for the banana at the standing committees meeting on Jan. 9, where the Parks and Recreation Committee voted unanimously to accept the donation.

Reaves said she likes the banana sculpture because it’s a more fun piece, and has a unique look.

Town Councilman Aaron Brown spoke in favor of the sculpture after Reaves gave her endorsement.

“I think it would be a good idea if we try to be more broad-based with the sculptures that we approve,” Brown said at the meeting. He then suggested getting a sculpture at Wassamassaw Community Park to represent Native Americans’ heritage.

Town Councilwoman Kima Garten-Schmidt said she believes the banana is the perfect sculpture for the park.

“It’s not supposed to be anything serious,” Garten-Schmidt said. “The kids are going to absolutely love it. They’re going to love climbing on it, getting their picture taken with it — even adults are going to love getting a selfie taken with it.”

While it was board of the Sculpture in the South’s decision to choose the banana to place in Saul Alexander Playground, Reaves said she was pleased with the choice.

“Most of our other pieces are memorials or animals,” Reaves said. “We don’t have any other bananas.”

If anyone is interested in donating or contributing to the fundraiser for the banana sculpture, email sculptureinthesouth@gmail.com.

Summerville Fire and Rescue will have a new leader starting next month.

Published: Wed May 03 2023

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Summerville Fire & Rescue will have a new leader starting next month.

Deputy Chief Brent Melcher will be taking over for current Fire Chief Richard Waring IV retires after 30 years of service.

Melcher’s 23 years of service started and will continue in the town of Summerville. Since being hired in 2000, he has moved up the ranks through various positions.

Melcher was promoted in 2020 to his current position of deputy chief of operations, which he says allowed him to shadow Waring often and learn what it takes to lead the department.

He was promoted to battalion chief in 2016 and then to deputy chief of administration in 2019.

The new chief says it is a role he is honored to have.

“The rewarding part for a chief-level officer is seeing his men and women grow throughout the department,” Melcher says. “Everything that I know, I want to be able to show them and lead them in the right direction. This is not about me, this has nothing to do with me. This is all about the men and women that we work with and bettering them along the way, that’s all I’m here for, honestly.”

Melcher says he is passionate about keeping what he calls a “strong family atmosphere” within the department.

“I want to continue that culture,” Melcher said. “We’ve had some cultural changes over the years, and we want to continue that. We strive to be the absolute best we possible can for the citizens of Summerville, not only for people who live here, but for the people who visit here all of the time.”

As far as making any improvements once taking over, Melcher says they’ve sketched out a plan over the past 11 years and will continue to build on that.

“We’re constantly evolving,” Melcher said. “We’re constantly looking to push forward. I would say we are very innovative, and we want to make sure we’re giving the best to the public for sure.”

He anticipates having to add a station in Nexton in the near future, as the town continues to grow.

Melcher says he has great shoes to fill, but by working closely with Chief Waring the past two years, he believes he’s ready for this leadership role.

“Never would have thought that I would be in this position, but I am truly honored and truly grateful to serve the Town of Summerville,” Melcher finished.

Melcher will take over as Summerville Fire and Rescue’s chief on June 23.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Many families are waiting to find out where their child will now go to school after a early-morning fire at a Summerville childhood development center.

Published: Thu Mar 23 2023

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Many families are waiting to find out where their child will now go to school after a early-morning fire at a Summerville childhood development center.

Summerville Fire Department officials said they responded just after 5 a.m. Thursday to Archway Academy on Miles Jamison Road. They deemed the building “a total loss” and are still investigating the cause of the flames.

RELATED: ‘A total loss’: Crews battle fire at Summerville school

Hours after the flames were extinguished, the roof and most of the building remain completely charred. All that is left are a few tables, chairs and an outside play table of toys that the kids could have played with just hours before.

Kayla Ott’s daughter Amelia has attended Archway Academy for two years. Ott said that just four days ago, the kids took cap and gown pictures for preschool graduation inside the building.

She woke up Thursday morning to many missed phone calls from a friend trying to notify her of the fire. Once she heard the news and saw the photos, she knew there was no way Amelia would be going to school, amongst many other kids.

“We’re just kind of playing the waiting game,” Ott said. “They sent us a message this morning saying they’re trying to figure it out. I mean, they’re doing the best they can in all of this craziness. So, we’re just going to kind of wait and see what goes on.”

She says she is thankful that she has friends and family in the area that can take care of Amelia for the time being.

Ott says Archway Academy let the parents know about the fire and the staff are having a meeting to plan for what is next. She says she has heard rumors that they could be relocated to either one of the other Archway Academy Summerville locations, but nothing has been confirmed.

“Thankfully, my jobs, both of them, are flexible,” Ott said. “I can’t speak for other people. I know one of my friends, he did have to end up taking off the rest of this week and possibly next week as well because we don’t have childcare, you know. And people that are single parents like me. It’s very hard.”

Archway Academy has not yet said where or when the kids will be relocated.

Ott says Amelia is sad that her school is gone, but she is excited to make new friends wherever she ends up.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SUMMERVILLE — Town Council has adopted a new redistricting plan based on 2020 census results.

Located in a rapidly growing area of the Lowcountry, the population increased by more than 7,000 between 2010 and 2020, from 43,392 to 50,915 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The council voted unanimously at a special called meeting March 30 to adopt the redistricting plan, which was proposed by the Summerville chapter of the NAACP.

John Ruoff, who contracts with the South Carolina State Conference NAACP to assist with local redistricting, drew the proposal that council approved. Ruoff said 2020 marks his fifth census working on redistricting.

Town Councilman Bill McIntosh said the council worked to ensure continued minority representation on Town Council. Councilman Aaron Brown, the only Black member on council, said they did so by bringing more African Americans into his district — District 1 — so they could vote and have a minority representative on council.

Brown said that during his time as a councilman, his district has never been over 50 percent African American. The closest it’s gotten was when he was first elected in 2005, with the district’s population being roughly 47 percent African American, he said.

With the redistricting plan, the percentage of minorities in District 1 will be at 38 percent. Brown commended the rest of the council and the mayor for continuing to make sure minority groups are looked out for.

“We achieved a lot,” Brown said. “It’s a bright future for Summerville.”

Ruoff said many of the people moving to Summerville were moving into District 2, parts of which are in both Berkeley and Dorchester counties. It goes from Simmons Avenue past Interstate 26 to Brighton Park Boulevard. The district is broken up, however — from West Doty Avenue to the Berkeley-Dorchester county line is Brown’s district.

Councilman Terry Jenkins, the District 2 representative, agreed with Ruoff; he said his district was the largest per capita. The biggest change for it is the Village at Summerville — a retirement community on West Ninth North Street — going from his district to Brown’s district.

Another district that experienced much of the growth was District 4 — McIntosh’s district. He said he didn’t end up losing a lot in the redistricting plan, just a good portion of the Corey Woods neighborhood to Brown’s district.

He added his district — south to Summerville High School and the Summerville Country Club neighborhood, west into Knightsville and north into the Club at Pine Forest — experienced a lot of growth in the Knightsville area.

After the unanimous vote to approve and adopt the redistricting map, McIntosh congratulated the rest of the council, mentioning how usually the NAACP sues municipalities and counties for passing redistricting plans that disenfranchise voters by diluting minority voices. He commended the council for taking a more cooperative approach with the organization.

“For a town like Summerville, with our demographics, with our size, with our growth, for us to handle a very political matter of redistricting, and to handle it in a way where we worked really arm and arm with the NAACP … we should give ourselves a pat on the back,” McIntosh said.

The redistricting plan went into effect immediately and will be in place for the Nov. 7 election.

More information about the new redistricting plan can be found at summervillesc.gov.