Special to the Chronicle
Almost 1.4 million gallons of sewage was spilled in the Congree, Broad and Saluda rivers last year.
The City of Columbia spilled almost 1 million gallons, according to the Congaree Riverkeeper.
The city operates the largest municipal sewage system in the state. 
In 2020, it had 114 spills, accounting for more than 934,000 gallons. 
That was up from 2019, when Columbia had 60 spills of 262,720 gallons.
Richland County was 2nd with more than 222,000 gallons spilled in 23 incidents.
3rd was Blue Granite – formerly Carolina Water Service – which serves Lexington County customers.
It spilled more than 179,000 gallons in 6 incidents.
Riverkeeper director Bill Stangler revealed the increase from 2019 in his annual sewer spill report.
The watchdog group advocates for the rivers and tributaries. 
The report includes Department of Health and Environmental Control sewer overflow data.
According to the report, 12 water and sewage utilities combined for 168 spills in 2020. 
That’s up from 693,000 gallons in 2019.
Last year's spills were the most since 2016, when 2.4 million gallons were spilled.
2015 had the most spilled sewage – 5.6 million gallons – the year of a deadly October flood.
“The trend is moving in the wrong direction,” Stangler told The State newspaper. “We had gotten the numbers under a million in each of the previous few years.”

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