Déjà vu all over again

Several years ago the Town of Pageland faced a problem with its water quality. The Town of Pageland could continue to pour money into their old system or purchase water from Chesterfield Rural Water. The same players then on the Town Council, that are now opposed to having Alligator Rural Water take over the town’s sewage system, were adamantly opposed to purchasing water from Chesterfield Rural Water.
The citizens of Pageland passed a referendum to do away with the town’s water treatment plant and for the Town to purchase the water from Chesterfield Rural Water. Today the price per gallon of water that the town purchased has not changed!
The water quality today is very good and there is a lot of it. There were no water restrictions as in the past because of the draught. We can only imagine whether there would have been any water in Lake Terry this past summer.
The citizens of Pageland made an outstanding decision. Unfortunately, this decision should have been made by the Town Council.
Last year I approached the Town Council and shared with them the difference between a growing town and a town that is dieing. The primary difference is that a growing town works together for the best interest of the town. They put aside their egos and prejudices. All stakeholders are involved in the decision process. Decisions are made with the best information available, not with emotion or politics.
It is interesting that the population of Pageland has declined over last several censuses. Is this an indication of a growing town?
Just recently, I wrote a letter to the Town of Pageland and County Council that the sewage capacity in Pageland was about to run out and jobs are by passing Pageland. I suggested a committee be set up to address the best way of solving this problem.
The Town Council created a committee of 3 people from the Town Council to look into the sewage treatment options. The committee brought in local industry, the County Economic Developer, DHEC, Chesterfield County Water and Alligator Water to address this issue. The committee used data from engineering study that the Town of Pageland engaged in looking at this issue last year
Based on this information, the committee issued its report to the full Town Council. Unfortunately the Mayor refused to hear this report and made the motion to do nothing. Had the Town Council heard the presentation it would have been obvious that their only choice was to allow Alligator Rural Water to take over the sewage treatment system for the Town of Pageland. The sewer rate that the citizens of Pageland would pay today would not change with Alligator Rural Water taking over Pageland’s sewage treatment facilities. The Town of Pageland will enter into a contract with Alligator Rural Water for sewer, just like the contract the Town of Pageland has with Chesterfield Rural Water for water, with the same guarantees that the rate to you will not change arbitrary.
For you the citizens of Pageland you can look to have your sewer rate double in the future because of Town Council decision in November. Your taxes will rise to cover the higher cost of the town’s operation. There will be limited opportunities for your children to have good paying jobs and the quality of life for Pageland will not improve.
The Town Council chose to do nothing at this time and to continue as usual. This decision will place a higher financial burden on Conbraco and Pageland Screen Printers. Conbraco would like to expand to Pageland but with these higher costs they can not even consider to expand in Pageland. Also new industry will continue to bypass Pageland because of the lack of sewer capacity. In fact Old Castle is moving its corporate headquarters from Pageland to Monroe.
It appears to me that you the citizens of Pageland can make a difference again. Please let your Town Council representative and your Mayor know that you disagreed with their November decision and urge them to have Alligator Rural Water take over the town’s sewage treatment system.
Yes it is déjà vu all over again.

Ed Drozd is president of the Pageland Chamber of Commerce.