(A) Upon proper application, the department shall issue a permit for surface water withdrawals to nonconsumptive users. The application only must require that information necessary for the department to determine that the proposed withdrawals will result in no or minimal changes in water quantity.

(B) Permits issued pursuant to this section must identify the surface water withdrawer, the point of withdrawal, the maximum withdrawal amounts, and the point of return. A permit for a nonconsumptive use is subject only to the reporting requirements of § 49-4-50.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 49-4-40

  • Department: means the Department of Health and Environmental Control. See South Carolina Code 49-4-20
  • Minimal changes in water quantity: means that greater than ninety percent of the water withdrawn by a surface water withdrawer, based upon the previous twenty-four months of historical data, is returned to the waters of origin; provided, that either the amount of water not returned to the water source does not:

    (a) exceed three million gallons during any one month; or

    (b) significantly reduce the safe yield at the withdrawal point. See South Carolina Code 49-4-20
  • Nonconsumptive use: means a use of surface water withdrawn in such a manner that it is returned to its waters of origin within the boundaries of contiguous property owned by the surface water withdrawer with no or minimal changes in water quantity. See South Carolina Code 49-4-20
  • Surface water: means all water that is wholly or partially within the State, including the Savannah River, or within its jurisdiction, which is open to the atmosphere and subject to surface runoff, including, but not limited to, lakes, streams, ponds, rivers, creeks, runs, springs, and reservoirs, but not including water and wastewater treatment impoundments, off-stream supplemental operations related impoundments, or water storage structures constructed by the surface water withdrawer to provide adequate supplies of surface water during low flow conditions. See South Carolina Code 49-4-20
  • Surface water withdrawer: means a person withdrawing surface water in excess of three million gallons during any one month from a single intake or multiple intakes under common ownership within a one mile radius from any one existing or proposed intake. See South Carolina Code 49-4-20
  • Withdrawal: means to remove surface water from its natural course or location, or exercising physical control over surface water in its natural course or location, regardless of whether the water is returned to its waters of origin, consumed, transferred to another river basin, or discharged elsewhere. See South Carolina Code 49-4-20
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