Santee Utility Commission

Treatment Technique Violation, health-based: 2 violations, open since Jul 2025. The system did not carry out a required treatment process or corrective action.

Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, health-based: 1 violation, Sep 2025 to Sep 2025. A sample exceeded the maximum contaminant level EPA allows in drinking water.

Monitoring Violation: 3 violations, Jan 2024 to Feb 2025. The system did not complete required monitoring. This does not show that a contaminant was found.

What the rule requires: The 2013 RTCR (effective 2016) replaced the original TCR. It triggers automatic E. coli testing whenever total coliform is found. A single E. coli-positive sample is an acute MCL violation. It also requires systems exceeding 5% total coliform-positive samples to conduct a formal assessment and correct any deficiencies, helping prevent contamination before it escalates.

Health effects: Total coliform bacteria indicate that the disinfection barrier has been breached or fecal contamination is entering the system. E. coli specifically indicates fecal contamination and the possible presence of disease-causing pathogens (norovirus, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter). Illness can be severe in elderly, young children, and immunocompromised individuals. Limit: Zero E. coli; ≤5% of monthly samples total coliform-positive

Treatment Technique Violation, health-based: 7 violations, 5 still open, Aug 2025 to open. The system did not carry out a required treatment process or corrective action.

Monitoring and Reporting: 2 violations, open since Mar 2025. The system did not complete required monitoring, or did not report the results on time. This does not show that a contaminant was found.

Contaminants on the record: Groundwater Rule (GWR), E. coli (Escherichia coli).

Groundwater Rule (GWR), health effects: Protects against enteric viruses, which can contaminate groundwater via cracked well casings, failing septic systems, or animal waste. Viruses persist longer in groundwater than in surface water. Hepatitis A and norovirus are the primary pathogens of concern. Limit: Treatment technique: 4-log virus treatment required when source water has fecal indicators or significant sanitary deficiencies

E. coli (Escherichia coli), health effects: Most E. coli strains cause diarrheal illness. Some strains (e.g., O157:H7) produce toxins causing severe bloody diarrhea, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS — a form of kidney failure), and death — especially in children under 5 and the elderly. Even non-pathogenic strains in drinking water indicate that disease-causing organisms may also be present. Limit: Zero (one confirmed positive sample = acute MCL violation)