Residents press county on Savannah Lakes Village water pressure and quality; town hall scheduled

At a McCormick County Council meeting, residents raised continuing concerns about low water pressure and water quality at Savannah Lakes Village and asked the county to pursue immediate, lower-cost fixes and clearer communications.

A resident who spoke at the podium described existing inline pressure reducers in the larger distribution lines at Savannah Lakes Village and urged their removal to restore higher flow. "The pressure reducers were only meant to remain until population grew. Those reducers need to be removed to allow the full flow of water through the water system at SLV," the resident said. She added that installing a water tower would not resolve the problem while the reducers remain in place and warned that removing the reducers "won't cost a dime and seems that it would be worth a try."

The speaker also urged steps to address water quality. She said that Abbeville — the current source/vendor mentioned in the meeting — acknowledged neglected lines in the Kellen Falls/Calhoun Falls area and suggested an inline filtration system be added behind the master meter, with the optimal location on the Calum Falls side of the meter.

During public comment, resident Randy Foss said many residents had expected a town hall on SLV water concerns. The council announced that a town hall will be held Tuesday, July 29 at 6 p.m. at the Savannah Lakes Village Recreation Center and said a public announcement would follow.

Council members and staff also discussed uncertainties about ownership and maintenance of the transmission line that carries water through Calhoun Falls to Savannah Lakes. A council member said it was unclear at the meeting whether that line is owned by the town of Calhoun Falls or Abbeville County and that the county would seek clarification. The transcript shows county staff and council agreed to seek information from Abbeville and CPW (county/public water officials) and to share details with SLV residents, after some residents reported gaps in communications about upcoming hydrant testing.

Why it matters: Thousands of property owners and residents served by the SLV system have repeatedly reported pressure and taste/quality problems; the county and its water vendors' responsibility for maintenance or repairs affects both service reliability and any decisions about larger, multi‑million-dollar replacement projects.

What’s next: The council scheduled the SLV town hall for July 29. At that meeting, officials said residents will be able to ask follow-up questions about ownership, potential short-term fixes such as removing inline reducers or using a filtration system behind the master meter, and any long-term options including alternate vendor ties (a council member suggested Greenwood County as a possible tie-in).