South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has issued an executive order establishing the WaterSC Water Resources Working Group.
WaterSC will work with stakeholders and state agencies to develop a state water plan. The plan should balance South Carolina’s economic and environmental interests to ensure the long-term protection of the state’s water resources as demand increases.
WaterSC will create a Stakeholder Engagement Plan by Oct. 31, which should ensure that relevant stakeholders have a voice in shaping the state’s water policy.
The group will then provide a report to the General Assembly’s Surface Water Study Committee by Jan. 31, 2025. The report will inform the committee of the state of surface water in South Carolina and recommend changes to current laws to ensure sustainable surface water withdrawal practices.
A new gubernatorial cabinet agency, the S.C. Department of Environmental Services, will lead this working group. By statute on July 1, 2024, the agency assumed many of the Department of Natural Resources’ responsibilities regarding water policy, including an updated state water plan.
The agency should issue an updated State Water Plan on or before Dec. 31, 2025.
