Grand Strand Water & Sewer News
DR-4394-SC FEMA Hurricane Florence 16in Sewer Pipe Support Structure Final Public Notice
April 09, 2019
FINAL PUBLIC NOTICE
Grand Strand Water and Sewer has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Program funding through the South Carolina Emergency Management Department (SCEMD) as a sub-applicant.
Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. Under Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990, FEMA is required to consider alternatives to and to provide a public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 also requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority and low-income populations. This notice may also fulfill requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state, and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions.
Sub-Applicant: Grand Strand Water and Sewer
Project Title: 16 Inch Sewer Pipe Support Structure Damaged
Facility and Address |
Latitude |
Longitude |
Date of Construction |
Near intersection of Fred Nash Blvd and Vacation Drive and southeast of water work equipment supplier, Core and Main |
34.693694 |
-78.943102 |
Circa 1970 |
A map showing the location of all properties is available by contacting Jason Poston at
(843) 443-8287 or [email protected].
Special Flood Hazard Area Zone: This project is for the removal and replacement of the damaged, existing concrete support structures located in an AE Floodway (1% annual chance flood elevation), Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Confirmation of location in a SFHA was made by reference to the latest Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), Panel #45051C0704K. The proposed work conforms to all applicable State of South Carolina and local floodplain regulations. The proposed work will be installed within existing bodies of water and wetlands. The proposed work has the potential to be affected by the location in an SFHA.
Proposed Work and Purpose: Surface water flooding caused vegetative debris to strike and become stuck on two sanitary sewer line, concrete support structures. The action is to remove the vegetative debris and the existing concrete supports. A temporary cofferdam is to be utilized during the proposed action. Replacement of the two concrete support structures will return the facility to its pre-disaster design, function, and capacity within the existing footprint. All work including any staging of equipment and materials will be completed within the Grand Strand Water and Sewer right-of-way.
Project Alternatives:
Alternative #1: No action alternative: Not repairing the facility and leaving the facility in its current state was evaluated as an alternative. This alternative is not practicable as the sewage pipe will remain vulnerable, increasing hazards to human life and safety. With the no action alternative, continued negative impacts on the community will be experienced.
Alternative #2: Replacing the concrete pipe structures further away from the mapped regulatory floodway and more into the embankment was evaluated. This alternative was deemed not practicable as the sanitary sewer pipe is butted. Therefore, moving the supports would cause slack and bend in the middle resulting in the loosening of screws leading to a potential sewer pipe structure failure.
Alternative #3: Replacing the concrete support structures with thicker concrete was evaluated. This alternative was deemed not practicable as it would result in the need to elevate the southern portion of the pipe to retain the gravity-fed function of the facility. This would result in more costs and ground disturbing activities.
Comment Period:
Comments are solicited from the public; local, state or federal agencies; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to Grand Strand Water and Sewer. All comments are due within 15 days of this notice. Grand Strand Water and Sewer will forward comments to applicable regulatory agencies as needed.
Interested persons may submit comments, obtain more detailed information about the proposed action, or request a copy of the findings by contacting:
Jason Poston
Engineering Design Manager
(843) 443-8287
POSTED ON: April 9, 2019
End of Notice