We aren't guaranteed much as adults, but if there's one thing we can count on, it's that our bodies change as we get older. For men, that's especially true. One day you're lifting heavy weights and nailing your cardio regimen without having to stretch before or after. And then, in what seems like the blink of an eye, you start to slow down a little. You begin to notice aches and pains in places that weren't there before. You can't just go out for a night on the town, imbibe until your heart is content, and expect to wake up refreshed.
And while headaches and achy joints can be treated with ice and anti-inflammatory medicine, other aspects of aging aren't as easy to treat. You've probably guessed at this point what we're talking about: erectile dysfunction, or ED for short. When brought up to most men, those are two words that cause a guttural reaction of fear and trepidation.
While just about every man fears ED, millions suffer from it - almost 10% of the male population between the ages of 40 and 70. So, if you're beginning to have trouble performing in the heat of the moment, you're definitely not alone. You may be experiencing symptoms like:
Trouble Achieving an Erection
Trouble Maintaining an Erection
Lower Libido
Less Sexual Pleasure
Premature Ejaculation
Inability to Achieve Orgasm
However, at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, we understand that stats won't do anything to address the stress and anxiety you're facing in relation to erectile dysfunction. You need a viable solution - a science-backed treatment that doesn't require strange pills or invasive surgeries. As a fully integrated multidisciplinary clinic in Mount Pleasant, we have what you've been searching for: softwave therapy for ED in Awendaw, SC.
To fully grasp the benefits of using soft wave therapy for erectile dysfunction, you must first understand what causes ED to begin with. Put simply, erectile dysfunction is the inability to get an erection and keep it throughout sexual intercourse. You should know that it's not uncommon if you have erection trouble. However, if your inability to "get it up" becomes a common occurrence, you may be suffering from ED.
Erectile dysfunction doesn't just affect your penis - it also affects your wellbeing and relationships. It can lower your confidence, cause a large amount of stress that affects your ability to work, and may even cause contention with your partner.
You hear it all the time - as men get older, they often lose the ability to get erect. But why? As men age, the blood vessels in their penis start to fill up with micro-plaques, causing them to deteriorate. When these blood vessels deteriorate, it's more difficult for them to have steady blood flow. And that's the key to ED - having the constant blood flow to get and keep an erection. That's where the science-backed effectiveness of Softwave therapy swoops in to save the day.
Shockwave technology has been around for decades. It has been used at the highest-level research and medical facilities like the Cleveland Clinic and Memorial Sloan Kettering. However, Softwave therapy is a more refined, effective way to treat erectile dysfunction and also advance tissue healing.
Softwave therapy works by using electrohydraulic spark gap technology at its core. Its innovative design features a parabolic reflector applicator that produces very effective, low-intensity shock waves that are unfocused. Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine's Softwave applicator spreads energy to a large area of both superficial and deep tissue, creating a biological response that kickstarts your body's natural healing process.
For men suffering from ED, it is a revolutionary breakthrough treatment that doesn't require harmful surgeries or side effects from pills. In fact, it has been FDA approved for many uses, including improved blood flow, which is often the root cause of erectile dysfunction.
Book AppointmentUnlike some more traditional treatment options, Softwave therapy gets right to the crux of the ED issue. It uses shock wave technology on a cellular level, helping to naturally heal body parts, like the penis. Some of the most common benefits of Softwave therapy include:
Additionally, Softwave treatments don't require much prep, don't have any sketchy side effects, don't require any numbing agents or anesthesia, and result in little-to-no recovery time. Sound too good to be true? Contact Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine today to learn just how effective Softwave therapy is for our patients!
Softwave therapy works by using efficient, effective shock waves that cause biological regeneration processes that heal your body using its own healing factors. It works like this: Softwaves are created via a high-energy electrical discharge in water. The voltage is discharged between the plus and minus tips of an electrode. The spark gap or arching causes an equalization of voltage between the opposing tips of the electrode, which causes a hot plasma bubble. This bubble explodes and distributes in every direction, compresses the surrounding water, and generates a pressure > 10 MPa within nanoseconds.
To sum up, Softwave therapy uses low-intensity, unfocused energy that is delivered by a reflector in parallel waves. These waves help open up the blood vessels in your penis, allowing more blood to flow. At Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, our team of expert physicians will develop a personalized Softwave therapy plan based on your body and needs. With the right number of treatments, you should be able to achieve and maintain firm erections as you did in your prime.
A Softwave therapy procedure averages 10-15 minutes but may be longer depending on treatment area and diagnosis. A gel is applied to the surface area to be treated. The applicator produces pulses as the clinician moves around the treatment area. During therapy, communication with your provider is necessary to identify treatment areas and monitor progress.
Once treatment is over, you may resume your normal day-to-day activities. In fact, most patients can have Softwave therapy while on their lunch break. You don't have to worry about recovery time, side effects, or any downtime at all.
More than 50% of men will experience erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives. If you're over the age of 30, have been suffering from ED, and don't want to rely on pills or surgery, Softwave therapy may be for you. That's doubly true if you've tried traditional treatments like Viagra and even surgery but didn't get the results you hoped for. Many academic studies about shockwave therapy for ED state that this revolutionary technology is successful where PDE5 inhibitors fail.
In fact, many urologists consider Softwave therapy the most promising ED treatment on the market. The truth is, even if you're not battling ED, men can use Softwave therapy as a preventative way to keep the magic flowing in the bedroom. Some of the key reasons to choose Softwave therapy over less effective, traditional treatments include:
If you're curious why Softwave treatments are so popular for ED, the answer is simple. Prescription drugs like Cialis and others that "treat" ED often come with less-that-savory side effects. At best, these effects are just something patients have to deal with. At worst, they can disrupt your day-to-day schedule and may prevent you from enjoying a healthy life. Sure, some men swear by the "little blue pill," but most guys aren't aware of the hidden risks with drugs like Viagra. The following side effects can be common in both short and long-term circumstances:
If you're suffering through erectile dysfunction, it's crucial to understand why it's happening. The primary reason for ED is a lack of blood flow to the penis, which makes erections difficult to get and keep. Rather than relying on prescription and gas station pills for a quick fix, more men are using softwave ED treatment in Awendaw, SC for an all-natural solution minus the side effects. With Softwave therapy, you don't have to live with ED, and you don't have to suffer from scary side effects from popping too many pills.
Book AppointmentSoftwave therapy is often a more effective solution for men with ED than similar but less effective treatments using pressure waves. Softwave therapy from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine uses acoustic pulses or unfocused shockwaves with fast and steep rise times and high positive pressure. Our unfocused wave design makes it possible to spread energy to a larger area, which affects deep and superficial tissue. By targeting a larger area, a more potent biological response is often achieved, initiating your body's natural healing factors.
By comparison, radial pressure waves use acoustic pneumatic pulses with low steeping effects, slow rise times, and large negative pressures. Radial waves are shallower than the shockwaves used in Softwave technology and focus energy and pressure at the surface of the applicator.
Here's a quick breakdown of the differences between softwave therapy for ED in Awendaw, SC, and radial pressure waves:
If you're new to the world of Softwave therapy, chances are you've got some lingering questions you need answered. We'll do our best to answer a few of those questions here for your convenience.
Q. Has the FDA approved softwave therapy for ED in cityname, state?
A. Yes - Softwave therapy is FDA 510(k) approved for:
Q. Is softwave therapy painful?
A. Softwave therapy does not require surgery or any invasive form of treatment. With that said, some patients describe minimal discomfort or pain during our softwave treatments. Should this occur, your medical specialist will make necessary adjustments. Usually, patients do not have to endure any pain at all and only experience a pulse or tapping feeling on their skin.
Q. How long is a Softwave treatment session?
A. An individual session only takes five to fifteen minutes. It's typically recommended that patients have treatment once a week for three to five weeks. The length and frequency of your Softwave therapy sessions will be determined after you visit our medical clinic for a comprehensive evaluation.
Q. How long does it take for Softwave therapy to work?
A. Every patient we treat is different, and as such, will have different treatment recommendations. Often, patients notice the results of Softwave therapy after the first session. However, for the longest-lasting effects, most patients need between three and four treatments, with a week of non-treatment after every session.
Q. Can I combine Softwave therapy with other treatments from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine?
A. It's hard to give a definitive answer to this question since every patient is different. It's important for you to have a full evaluation to determine the scope of your needs and the appropriate therapies. However, Softwave therapy often works very well with other treatments. In fact, other therapies offered at our medical clinic like massage therapy and chiropractic care can make Softwave treatment even more effective.
Remember - our team at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine is always happy to answer any questions you may have about ED or our ED treatments. Give us a call today - it would be our pleasure to get to know you better!
Unlike some wellness clinics, our experienced providers work together to optimize treatment for men suffering from ED. We always strive to make sexual wellbeing an accessible part of your everyday lifestyle.
That's why, at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, our mission is simple: to correct the root cause of your erectile dysfunction by taking a comprehensive, total body approach to healing and treatment. We want to address your ED problem without having to resort to chemical-based medications or unnecessary surgeries. Instead, we focus on all-natural, effective solutions like shockwave therapy for ED in Awendaw, SC.
By discovering what's best for each person's individual body and needs, we can help create a healthier future for those in our community through our holistic physical medicine practices. Contact our office to learn more about Softwave therapy and how we can solve the underlying causes of your unique ED situation.
Book AppointmentA potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled toAWENDAW, S.C. (WCSC) - A potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled to take part in a specialized curriculum.Charleston County School District Board Members and the people of Mount Pleasant got to hear new details about the potential schools on Wednesday. Distri...
A potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled to
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCSC) - A potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled to take part in a specialized curriculum.
Charleston County School District Board Members and the people of Mount Pleasant got to hear new details about the potential schools on Wednesday. District officials told people at the meeting, held at Laing Middle School, that a lot of the plans right now are just ideas with no specific timeline.
This new middle and high school would be located on 107 acres at Highway 17 and Jenkins Hill Road. As part of this plan, district staff presented concept maps with multiple options for rezoning.
Jeff Borowy, the Chief Operating Officer for the district, says this plan will be a challenge.
“Most of the times we build a school, we just build a specific zone of attendance for that school, but in this case, we want to have a number of students to offer the right programs for those students,” Borowy said. “So, we have to look out of the box and look for something different beyond the zone.”
District staff says one of the main challenges is making sure that each school holds a maximum of 500 students. This would pull in kids from D1, the Awendaw-McClellanville area, and some from D2 in the northern Mount Pleasant area.
Staff also say they are continuing to research desirable education options for a partial magnet school to reach that target enrollment.
“It’s going to be very important to let’s build the school from up, but at the same time, let’s figure out what we’re going to be doing inside,” Thomas Colleton, D1 Constituent Board Chair, said. “The curriculum needs a lot.”
There is currently no timeline on construction for the schools because the district does not know if this magnet option will be included. The district says it is possible that the earliest we can start to see construction would be in four years.
Jonathan Mars, a parent of two children at Carolina Park Elementary, says this could be an option for his family when his kids get older.
“But it does sound like they’re going to have very specific programs at the school,” Mars said. “So, for example, if there’s a great art program and my daughter’s really into art that seems like a great option to have.”
As of now, this project is not fully funded and the district says they do not have a price estimate.
They say the next step is to charter a blue-ribbon committee in mid-October that will look at enrollment numbers and look at the best options to make this project successful.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.
AWENDAW — Elliott Summey, head of South Carolina’s largest airport, used the town of Awendaw’s natural resources for personal gain during his private company’s work on an unfinished park here, a new lawsuit by the town alleges.The lawsuit echoes the findings in ...
AWENDAW — Elliott Summey, head of South Carolina’s largest airport, used the town of Awendaw’s natural resources for personal gain during his private company’s work on an unfinished park here, a new lawsuit by the town alleges.
The lawsuit echoes the findings in “Sand Man,” a report last year by The Post and Courier-led Uncovered investigative reporting collaboration.
That report revealed how Summey’s company, Jackson Development, mined millions of dollars in sand and dirt from the park site, then left Awendaw in the dark about how much money he made and how much money taxpayers should have received in royalties.
Filed June 10, the town’s 16-page complaint went a few steps further.
Among its allegations:
Summey, a former Charleston County Council chairman and son of North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey, said his attorney has been trying to resolve disputes through arbitration and mediation.
“Now that the town has filed a lawsuit, this will allow all the facts to be presented in a fair, transparent and public manner,” he said. Summey declined to discuss specific allegations raised by the lawsuit.
Awendaw Town Attorney Toya Hampton acknowledged that “passions are running high” about the park. “The Town is standing up for its rights under the agreement through the lawsuit.”
The lawsuit didn’t specify an amount it’s seeking.
The lawsuit is the latest chapter in the controversial project.
In 2009, Charleston County Council voted to use Greenbelt money to buy 290 acres off Doar Road. On council then, Summey was a deciding vote. Three years later, Summey created Jackson Development — and scored a deal to mine the land’s sand.
The deal called for Jackson Development to spend $500,000 to help Awendaw build a park. Once it hit that $500,000 mark, Summey’s company was supposed to pay Awendaw an additional 50 cents for every cubic yard excavated from the site — and more if the price of dirt rose, which it did significantly over the coming years.
The town hoped to use these royalties to finish the park.
But Summey’s company turned over far less royalty money than the town expected, about $150,000.
And while the site has a large lake from the sand mining operation, the park itself remains unfinished. The town recently unveiled a new plan featuring disc golf, an amphitheater and space for overnight camping. But it remains unclear how the town will pay for this work.
With the park project in limbo, Summey and the town have been battling over the royalties.
According to the town’s agreement with Jackson Development, Summey’s company was supposed to hand over detailed receipts, canceled checks, invoices and other documentation about his mining progress.
But Summey and his contractor, Robert Collins Co., failed to do so, the lawsuit alleged.
Amid this vacuum of documentation, Awendaw Town Council in October 2020 hired the Greenville-based Wyche firm to challenge Summey.
Summey, meanwhile, left his County Council post for a job as chief executive officer of Charleston International Airport, earning more than $318,000 in salary and perks.
The lawsuit raises new questions about Summey’s mix of public and private ventures.
Summey has created about 20 private corporations, according to state and court records. Most appear to involve real estate ventures, with the notable exception of Jackson Development.
The lawsuit alleged that Jackson Development was a “corporate fiction ... used by Summey as a means of evading legal obligations,” and that Summey should be personally liable.
The lawsuit also discussed a large berm Summey and his company built on the site.
Running parallel to Doar Road, the berm was supposed to protect a nearby neighborhood from dust and noise. A permit from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control required that the berm be made from topsoil from the park site.
But according to the lawsuit, Summey and his company violated the permit by packing the berm with concrete, asphalt, rebar, items of clothing and other trash, earning at least $100,000.
Doing this violated DHEC permit requirements and will force the town to spend at least $150,000 to fix new drainage problems created by the berm, the lawsuit alleged.
According to a DHEC inspection report in 2020, Summey’s company was supposed to remove the berm.
The lawsuit also claimed that Summey and his company sold timber from the Awendaw tract without paying the town.
It concluded by alleging Summey misused and converted the town’s resources “for personal gain to fund Defendants’ own businesses at the expense of the Town and its residents and taxpayers.”
The Awendaw project’s problems have had a ripple effect beyond Elliott Summey.
A North Charleston city employee, DeLisa Reynolds, alleges that Mayor Keith Summey retaliated against her after one of her family members posted a negative comment on Instagram about Elliott Summey’s work in Awendaw. She has filed formal complaints with the city of North Charleston and the S.C. Human Rights Commission.
Thirteen years have passed since Charleston County voted to buy the Doar Road property with public Greenbelt money. But the park site remains empty, save for a few dirt roads, a power pole, a water well and a large berm overlooking a lake.
Beyond what happened and didn’t happen in Awendaw, the project highlights a weakness in the state ethics laws.
In The Post and Courier’s October report, Summey said he was told by the State Ethics Commission that he didn’t have to report the money he made in Awendaw, prompting a government watchdog to say that it was “appalling that millions of dollars are not really accounted for.”
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCBD) -A proposed development, the White Tract Development, in Awendaw has some neighbors calling for a time-out.Pulte Homes, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, is seeking the Town of Awendaw’s approval to build a 200+ home subdivision on approximately 148 acres. The planned location is just down the street from the intersection of Seewee and Bulls Island Roads.Some neighbors say they’re worried a large subdivision could cause future problems for the area.“If you go down Bull...
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCBD) -A proposed development, the White Tract Development, in Awendaw has some neighbors calling for a time-out.
Pulte Homes, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, is seeking the Town of Awendaw’s approval to build a 200+ home subdivision on approximately 148 acres. The planned location is just down the street from the intersection of Seewee and Bulls Island Roads.
Some neighbors say they’re worried a large subdivision could cause future problems for the area.
“If you go down Bulls Island Road right now, it’s very peaceful and tranquil…a pretty little country scene.,” said Greg St. Pierre, an Awendaw resident. “They’re gonna exploit every bit of that.”
St. Pierre and his neighbors understand growth is inevitable, but they’re hopeful Awendaw leaders will do it in what they call “the right way.” St. Pierre says there should be proactive plans for stormwater drainage, traffic mitigation, improved roadways, and more before the neighborhood is built. Additionally, the proposed spot is close to a National Wildlife Refuge and neighbors say it could be harmful to the species that thrive there.
On top of that, he says residents weren’t informed about the possible development until very recently and are now being asked to voice their opinions in a public hearing next week.
“Basically, the people are just asking for a little bit more time to understand what’s happening here.”
“You can’t stop people from selling their land, you can’t stop development from happening. It’s gonna happen, but do the right thing and don’t cram a bunch of cookie-cutter houses on postage-stamp-sized lots,” said St. Pierre.
Another concern by St. Pierre is the town’s lack of a full-time planning director. Currently, the town only has a part-time interim planning director in-house four hours per week.
News 2 contacted the Town of Awendaw with some of the questions posed by St. Pierre. The questions and answers are below.
Q: Are you aware of the concerns of Awendaw residents about the potential White Tract development? If so, what is your response?
A: The Town is aware of the concerns about the White Tract development. The White Tract Development is being developed under the auspices of a Planned Development adopted by Town Council in 2006. The approval of that Planned Development document also raised many of the concerns the Town is hearing today. A Planned Development is utilized in order to allow the Town to allow flexibility in development that will result in improved design, character, and quality of new developments and preserve natural and scenic features of open spaces. The Town of Awendaw provides for the establishment of planned development districts as amendments to a locally adopted zoning ordinance and official zoning map. The adopted Planned Development map is the zoning district map for the property. The planned development provisions must encourage innovative site planning within planned development districts. Planned development districts may provide for variations from other ordinances and the regulations of other established zoning districts concerning use, setbacks, lot size, density, bulk, and other requirements to accommodate flexibility in the arrangement of uses for the general purpose of promoting and protecting the public health, safety, and general welfare.
Q: We are hearing concerns about infrastructure surrounding the area (roads, water drainage, etc.) should a subdivision be built in the listed area. Does the town have proactive plans to address possible future problems (deteriorating roads, a lack of turning lanes leading to traffic safety concerns, water drainage) as a result of a large neighborhood?
In collaboration with the County of Charleston, the Army Corps of Engineers, DHEC and other jurisdictions, the Town is assured that roadways, stormwater drainage and traffic concerns are addressed. The Town may request additional plans and specifications of the developer of the land should they feel that something might need to mitigated in an appropriate fashion. The applicant has submitted plans to subdivide the three parcels of approximate 148 acres in to 204 parcels.
Q: I understand the Town of Awendaw only has a part-time (4 hours per week) Planning Director. Can the town handle a development of this size?
A: This is correct. The BCDCOG is contracting with the Town to provide an experienced Planning Director on an Interim basis. The Director is on-site at Town Hall for 4 hours per week, however, the Director spends upwards of 10-16 hours per week on Awendaw business. The past Town Administrator, Bill Wallace, is also actively working part-time for the Town and has over 4 decades of urban planning experience. Between the two individuals, the Town feels we have more than adequate experience to handle this project.
“If we can’t stop the neighborhood, we’re going to try to push for more green spaces, road improvements, anything that’s gonna help in the community,” said St. Pierre.
A public hearing is set for March 21st at 6 p.m. at Awendaw Town Hall for residents to share their opinions on the proposed development. St. Pierre says many people plan to come out and voice their concerns in hopes that the application for development will be denied.
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AWENDAW, S.C. (WCBD) – A small victory for many Awendaw residents after the town planning commission decided to postpone the vote on a controversial neighborhood proposal.Nearly 100 people packed into Town Hall for a public hearing Monday night. Many made their voices heard leading to eruptions of applause, laughter, and even booing.The packed public hearing stems from many Awendaw residents having concerns about the proposed White Tract Development.It’s slated to go between the intersection of Bulls Island a...
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCBD) – A small victory for many Awendaw residents after the town planning commission decided to postpone the vote on a controversial neighborhood proposal.
Nearly 100 people packed into Town Hall for a public hearing Monday night. Many made their voices heard leading to eruptions of applause, laughter, and even booing.
The packed public hearing stems from many Awendaw residents having concerns about the proposed White Tract Development.
It’s slated to go between the intersection of Bulls Island and Seewee Roads and Garris Landing on Bulls Island Road. Pulte Homes, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, is the applicant.
More than 200 homes would be built on approximately 148 acres.
Many Awendaw residents say there’s a list of problems including heavily increased and potentially dangerous traffic on two-lane roads, water drainage issues, and a harmful impact to Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge which is nearby.
It’s described by the Fish and Wildlife Service as a rich mosaic of barrier islands with forest and ponds, vast salt marshes and intricate waterways. FWS says this diverse and dynamic system supports over 293 bird species and a myriad of other wildlife.
Additionally, it is a nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles and a fresh source for shrimp and oysters.
Susan Cox and other neighbors say building 200+ septic tanks on 148 acres so close to the refuge would be detrimental.
“We are not against development, we are against poorly planned development. And the density that is proposed for these housing developments here is more than the soil is likely to be able to handle. And it’s too close to the waterways to make any sense at all,” said Cox.
Awendaw does not have a sewer system, so all new development is built on septic tanks. Cox says while her neighborhood is also built on septic tanks, the homes are fewer and further between than the proposed development.
“We have 65 homes on 300 or 400 acres of land,” she said. “It’s our goal to make the town of Awendaw and the Department of Health and Environmental Control in South Carolina understand that septic tanks of this density and in this area are a very bad idea.”
The Town of Mt. Pleasant has been working to decrease the number of septic tanks in town for years due to sewage leaks into waterways such as Shem Creek. James Island residents have also reported problems that Charleston Waterkeeper says are likely due to leaking septic tanks.
That’s one prong of the argument Awendaw residents are making.
Cox and many others in Awendaw say the refuge should be protected and development should be done properly.
Now, the planning commission and town residents will have until the next planning commission meeting to gather information, make proposed alterations of the current proposal to the developer, and attempt to find a plan that pleases a majority of people.
This is a developing story. Count On 2 for updates on air and online.
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCSC) - The coastal waterways are home to activities like fishing, shrimping and hold many of the Lowcountry’s famous oysters. However, a nonprofit environmental law firm and the people of Awendaw say these waterways could be in jeopardy.Charleston Waterkeeper and South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, two environmental organizations of the Lowcountry, want the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to have more of an oversight of septic systems that are being installed by the en...
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCSC) - The coastal waterways are home to activities like fishing, shrimping and hold many of the Lowcountry’s famous oysters. However, a nonprofit environmental law firm and the people of Awendaw say these waterways could be in jeopardy.
Charleston Waterkeeper and South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, two environmental organizations of the Lowcountry, want the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to have more of an oversight of septic systems that are being installed by the entire coastline. Because of this, they filed a complaint in November that is now moving its way through the circuit court.
“DHEC has, no one has, any idea how many septic systems exist in South Carolina because no one’s keeping track of it,” Emily Nellermoe, staff attorney at the South Carolina Environmental Law Firm and one of the lead attorneys representing the plaintiffs, said.
One of the many areas of concern is in the Town of Awendaw. Back in the spring, the town’s planning commission approved two large residential subdivisions, resulting in more than 400 septic tanks coming right next to the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
Susan Cox lives in Awendaw and says she is passionate about saving these waterways.
“The mission statement of the Town of Awendaw says they want to maintain the rural character of the town, but there is nothing about a dense housing development that says rural,” Cox said.
Cox says her and her neighbors believe this area was improperly rezoned years ago. She says these septic tanks are going to do irreversible harm to the wildlife.
Andrew Wunderley, director of Charleston Waterkeeper, says his organization tests the water quality of areas like these.
“There’s evidence that septic tanks, especially clustered at high densities, can discharge pollution by creeks and rivers,” Wunderley said. “So, it’s a huge concern... Any of those activities that make the Lowcountry lifestyle and living here in the Lowcountry so special are put at risk.”
Nellermoe says she doesn’t know why the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is not asking these important questions.
“What are the impacts of 200 septic systems on the watershed overall?” Nellermoe said. “What are the impacts to oyster beds and shellfish harvesting? They’re not asking any of those questions and they should be and that’s a problem.”
The Department of Health and Environmental Control says they do not comment on pending litigation. However, Nellermoe says she heard from them recently and they say they do not have to use their specialized agency to review these permits and they are not breaking any laws.
“This is the largest undeveloped piece of coastline on the East coast in the United States of America and once it’s gone, it’s gone,” Cox said. “You can’t get it back.”
The Town of Awendaw has not responded for a comment. Nellermoe says the timeline on this complaint depends on court scheduling, so there is not a set date of when further action will be taken.
The filed complaint for South Carolina Coastal Conservation League and Charleston Waterkeeper v. South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is below.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.