On an island in many ways defined by the water, the quest to get it fresh and flowing from Hilton Head’s taps is one with a fraught history.
The closure of International Paper in Savannah led to the overused Floridan aquifer, historically Hilton Head’s main water source, rising about two feet at a Hutchinson Island monitoring well, according to reporting from The Current.
Overpumping of the aquifer in and around Savannah has contributed to a decades-long issue with saltwater intrusion on Hilton Head, as saltwater has slowly crept into the island’s wells. The paper mill was one of the biggest users of water from the Floridan aquifer in the region. As a result, local water utilities have spent millions of dollars to prevent saltwater from flowing out of Hilton Head taps…