Board of Public Works Manager Bruce Ellis said he wants to put an end to the rumor that the BPW was terminating service to the Bamberg County Memorial Hospital. “That is not true,” Ellis said at Monday night's meeting. “I have not called the hospital to cut them off. We are working with the hospital.”

Ellis noted that he did meet with the County Administrator and a Council member to get a “confirmation or commitment” on how the hospital was going to pay its bill. “I have not threatened to cut them off. That’s how rumors get out, they are paid up with us for now, I know they are having a tough time,” Ellis said.

Ellis informed BPW Commissioners that he has received “lots of questions” about the quality of the City’s water since an episode of the popular daytime program “Dr. Oz” ran a segment on water quality. Ellis stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that local water systems issue a regular Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) outlining what is in the water supply and what is not in the water supply.

Ellis said BPW mails out a copy of the report and posts a copy to its website and regularly monitors for lead and copper. “Our water is fine,” Ellis said, “Our water is safe and more than meets the tests,” Ellis added, noting the BPW’s water won an award in 2003 from among small, medium and large utility companies throughout the Southeast.

Also during the meeting:

In his General Manager’s Report Ellis gave an update on the BPW’s part in the renovation of the Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle and High School and the construction of the new elementary school. As to the middle school and high school, Ellis said the BPW “will have to do some work there and it will cost a little money,” so the two schools will have the “correct fire flow” they will now need. On Monday the BPW assisted the City of Bamberg and the South Carolina Department of Transportation in removing an old tree on Azalea Street to put in a new power line to the school.

As to the new elementary school to be located on Highway 301 north of Bamberg, the BPW is working to design waterlines, waste water discharge, electrical and gas. Ellis noted that it will cost the BPW $450,000 to get the site of the new school ready for construction, but in the end it will benefit all parties. “After the work is complete it will be a two-fold benefit for the school, but we will get the benefit out of it too,” Ellis said, noting that “all towns cannot do the labor. We have the ability and the license to do it. We have the permit from the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to put in water and waste water lines,” Ellis said noting that those two items are “very expensive.”