Staff, Expertise Shortages Hinder State’s Access to Water Funds

Many wastewater systems in South Carolina don’t understand how to access federal infrastructure funding, and a lack of state staff prevents the systems from obtaining those dollars, the EPA Office of Inspector General said in a report published Wednesday.

South Carolina has the financial resources to tap bipartisan infrastructure law money available through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund. But many of the state’s communities can’t participate because they can’t meet state financial audit requirements because of a lack of resources, according to the report.

“If South Carolina does not take steps to address its ...