Rock Hill honored with state award for regional watershed effort

The City of Rock Hill received the South Carolina Department for Environmental Services Power of Partnerships Award for leading a regional effort to study stormwater and runoff issues, city officials said Monday.

City staff and Council members said the project, called the Watershed Evaluation Team (WET), brought municipalities, York County and tribal and regional partners together to identify areas for study and to prioritize limited funding for large watershed problems. “This is a first-time award,” city staff member Jimmy Bagley said, noting the Department formerly known as DHEC renamed to the South Carolina Department for Environmental Services.

The WET partnership began in 2020–2021 and included Rock Hill, York County, the city of York, the Catawba Regional Council of Governments, the Catawba Nation, Fort Mill and Tega (as recorded), according to Bagley. Rock Hill city officials said the city “spearheaded the project” to identify study areas where limited funds could have the most impact. Bagley said the group sought to learn from neighboring jurisdictions and to design an approach that could be scaled across the county.

Council members present described the award as recognition of staff work and regional cooperation. City officials credited outreach from residents reporting flooding — particularly in the Southland Park area — as one driver for the WET effort. City staff named David Dixon, Renee Bird and Terrence Neely among employees the council singled out for the project.

Mayor and council members accepted the award and said it will be displayed in the city’s awards cabinet. Council members also said the city has been invited to participate in future boards and regional efforts related to the program.

The recognition was ceremonial; no formal council action was required. City officials said the work on watershed issues will continue, with further studies and project planning to follow.