(A) In establishing regulations, procedures, and standards under § 44-55-30 and in exercising supervisory powers under § 44-55-40 the board or department must not prohibit or fail to include provisions for recreational activities including boating, water skiing, fishing, and swimming in any reservoir without first making and publishing specific findings that these recreational activities would be injurious to the public health and assigning with particularity the factual basis and reasons for these decisions.

(B) If the board or department determines that these recreational activities would be injurious to the public health it shall cause to have published at least once a week for six consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or area affected a summary of its findings. Any citizen of this State who objects to the findings of the board or department is entitled to request a public hearing, which the board or department shall conduct within thirty days after the request. The public hearing must be a formal evidentiary hearing where testimony must be recorded. After the hearing the board or department shall review its initial findings and shall within thirty days after the hearing affirm or reevaluate its findings in writing and give notice to known interested parties. The findings of the board or department may be appealed to the circuit court, which is empowered to modify or overrule the findings if the court determines the findings to be arbitrary or unsupported by the evidence. Notice of intention to appeal must be served on the board or department within fifteen days after it has affirmed or reevaluated its initial findings and copies also must be served on known interested parties.

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Terms Used In South Carolina Code 44-55-50

  • Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Board: means the South Carolina Board of Health and Environmental Control which is charged with responsibility for implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. See South Carolina Code 44-55-20
  • Department: means the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, including personnel authorized and empowered to act on behalf of the department or board. See South Carolina Code 44-55-20
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Public water system: means :

    (a) any publicly or privately owned waterworks system which provides water, whether bottled, piped, or delivered through some other constructed conveyance for human consumption, including the source of supply whether the source of supply is of surface or subsurface origin;

    (b) all structures and appurtenances used for the collection, treatment, storage, or distribution of water delivered to point of meter of consumer or owner connection;

    (c) any part or portion of the system, including any water treatment facility, which in any way alters the physical, chemical, radiological, or bacteriological characteristics of the water; however, a public water system does not include a water system serving a single private residence or dwelling. See South Carolina Code 44-55-20
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

(C) A public water system utilizing a fully owned and protected watershed as its water supply is exempt from this section.