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A proposed warehouse development in Effingham County could have dangerous impacts on the drinking water for an estimated 400 thousand people in Chatham, Bryan, and Effingham Counties. ​

HERE'S THE PROBLEM

In the last year, the lower river region has lost hundreds of acres of vitally important wetlands to commercial warehouse developments.  

The US Army Corps of Engineers and local municipalities allow these fundamental areas for flood passages to be turned into concrete pads and giant storage buildings. The communities impacted not only see the effects of the warehouses themselves but the increased commercial truck traffic as well. 
 
These commercial developments in precious wetlands reached a dangerous point last week when Effingham County Commissioners agreed to rezone the property right next door to the drinking water intake for Chatham, Effingham, and parts of Bryan counties. 

Using language like "We trust the clean water act and the feds to protect us" the commissioners chose to go forward with permitting a warehouse development.

Those commissioners attempted to use the reasoning that the warehouses would be downstream from the intake, avoiding the fact that the Savannah River in the area flows based on the tide. 

400,000 people rely on Abercorn Creek drinking water source daily. 

ACTION ALERT

TELL EFFINGHAM COUNTY THAT DRINKING WATER MUST ​BE PROTECTED
EMAIL THE COUNTY MANAGER
Click to set custom HTML
click the button and email Effingham's County Manager.  Tell him you do NOT support a threat to drinking water

THIS IS A CLEAN WATER CRISIS...


Effingham County isn't trying to build a commercial warehouse facility a few miles from a drinking water pumping station, the county is looking a the property right next door. 

Imagine a spill or worse a fire at the warehouse complex. The runoff would impact the delicate waterway of Abercorn Creek likely before the critical water intake system could be shut down. 

The impact of such a vulnerable piece of the water system for so many, being so close to an industrial operation, can not become a reality. 
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the abercorn creek site

This industrial development would put a warehouse facility in the wetlands of Abercorn Creek. 

“There have been a series of warehouse that have been permitted in the swamp surrounding a drinking water intake. That would put this drinking water intake in a very high risk area, which is honestly terrifying." 

-TONYA BONITATIBUS / RIVERKEEPER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

this problem is making news...

WATCH WTOC'S REPORT IN EFFINGHAM COUNTY
READ THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS ARTICLE

Vital wetlands are being traded for commercial development and it's becoming dangerous

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TOGETHER WE CAN PROTECT THE DRINKING WATER FOR CHATHAM, BRYAN, AND EFFINGHAM COUNTIES. THIS DEVELOPMENT ISN'T WORTH THE RISK.

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​​Savannah Riverkeeper, Inc. • Augusta, GA • Allendale, SC • Savannah, GA
P.O. Box 60 Augusta, GA 30903 USA • info@savannahriverkeeper.org
Toll Free 844-263-1415 • Office 706-826-8991 • Fax 706-826-8995
​Savannah or Allendale: 912-454-8048
EIN # 58-2630660
  • Who We Are
    • About Us
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Financials
    • Partners
  • What We Do
    • Our Approach
    • Programs
    • News
    • Issues
    • Swim Guide
    • VFCW
  • Our Watershed
    • The Savannah River
    • Lake Olmstead Dredging
    • Resources
    • Watershed Maps
    • Sturgeon
  • Roast on the River
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer >
      • Volunteer Signup
      • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Get SRK News
    • Host a Cleanup
    • Report An Issue
    • Blue Heron Blog
    • Deep in the River Blog
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Become a Member
    • Business Membership
    • Become a Fundraiser
    • Sponsor an Event
    • Other Ways to Give
    • Shop SRK
  • Know Your River training
  • SWIMGUIDE SPONSOR
  • This River Means To Me
  • Aurubis
  • Savannah Water