Islands to share water for a while

A broken water main beneath Charleston Harbor has forced Sullivan's Island to tap into the Isle of Palms system.

The two islands could be sharing drinks for about a month.

Engineers with the Charleston Water System discovered the leak after a surge in flow through the 20-inch line that runs from Fort Johnson to Fort Moultrie near the mouth of the harbor.

The problem, they found, was a hole near a bend in the pipe, where a fitting had been welded.

It was not easy to find — water leaking into water isn't exactly easy to detect — and fixing it will not be much easier.

This one's going to take a while to repair, maybe four weeks.

"To make it safe for the divers, we had to shut down the line," said Jenny Hagan, public relations manager for the water system. "The good thing is that we were able to shut down in a controlled situation."

Charleston Water System supplies water to Sullivan's, and sells some to the Isle of Palms Water and Sewer Commission, although the IOP mainly uses its own well water.

George Gross, general manager at Isle of Palms Water and Sewer said the island's system is largely self- sufficient but buys some water from Charleston Water System during the summer months to handle all the irrigation.

Helping Sullivan's will not have any long-term effect on the island's water supply, but officials are still asking folks to conserve.

"We have enough water to supply both islands, but to be on the safe side, we're asking residents to be mindful of how much water they're using until Charleston Water System completes

its repairs," Gross said.

About the only difference that anyone will notice, officials say, is the taste of the water.

Charleston Water System uses surface supplies, while the Isle of Palms groundwater has a higher mineral content.

"Water is a lot like wine in that its taste, smell and texture varies according to where it comes from," said Andy Fairey, CEO of Charleston Water. "Our water comes from surface water, so some people may notice a difference while the islands are using well water."

Reach Brian Hicks at 937-5561 or bhicks@postand courier.com.