Clemson University, State Crop Pest Commission
Chapter 27
Statutory Authority; 1976 Code Section 46-1-140
Article 17. Chemigation Regulations
These regulations are written to supplement the Backflow Prevention Act, also called the Chemigation Act. They will help
limit the threat Of ground water contamination that may potentially occur when using chemicals in irrigation water. The proposed
regulations eliminate duplication of effort by deferring regulation of potable water chemigation to existing regulations of the
Department of Health and Environmental Control and allow for automatic federal exceptions.
Section 27-1090 Definitions
A. "Anti-Siphon Device" means any equipment designed to prevent back flow of chemicals into any water supply.
B. "Check Valve" means a device effectively designed and constructed to provide an absolute closure which prohibits, when
operation of the irrigation system pump ceases, the flow of material past the closure point of the valve in the opposite direction of the
pumping of water.
C. " Chemical" means any pesticide or fertilizer or any other substance defined as a chemical under Chapter 13 and under
Chapter 25 of Title 46 of the 1976 S. C. Code or under appropriate federal statutes, or any other chemical applied to agricultural crops,
nursery, turf, golf course, greenhouse sites, or land through irrigation equipment.
D. "Chemigation" means any process whereby chemicals are applied to land and/or agricultural commodities including but
not limited to: agricultural crops, nursery, turf, golf course or greenhouse sites, through an irrigation system. Irrigation systems
connected to public water supplies are regulated under the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control's State
Safe drinking Water Act and State Primary drinking Water Regulations and must meet the requirements in these statutes in lieu of the
Chemigation Law or regulations. Exceptions or alternative chemigation safety equipment approved in writing by the Environmental
Protection Agency or the Director are the only substitutions allowed.
E. "Chemigator" means any person owning and/or operating a chemigation system.
F. "Director" means the Director of Regulatory and Public Service Programs, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources,
Clemson University.
G. "Low Pressure Drain" means a self-activated device designed and constructed to automatically drain that portion of the
irrigation pipe when the water pressure drops due to check valve malfunction. This prevents contamination of the water source.
H. "Injection Pump" means the equipment used to pump chemicals into the irrigation line.
I. "Interlock" means a mechanical or electrical connection between the injection pump and the irrigation pump such that, if
the irrigation pump should cease to function, the injection pump also ceases to function.
J. "Irrigation System" means any device or combination of devices that convey water from any source of ground or surface
water through hoses, pipes, or other such methods to agricultural crops, nursery, turf, golf course, greenhouse sites, or land.
K. "Vacuum Breaker" means a device designed and constructed to automatically relieve the vacuum in an irrigation pipeline.
Section 27-1091 Enforcement
A. Regulatory and Public Service Programs, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Clemson University,
hereafter referred to as Regulatory Programs, has responsibility for enforcement of the provision of the Act and the
regulations promulgated herein. The Director hereby designates the Department of Fertilizer and Pesticide Control for
implementation of the Act and these ensuing regulations.
B. The Director, after an opportunity for a hearing, may assess a civil penalty of not more than five hundred
dollars ($500.00) for each offense, per day of non-compliance against anyone violating this statue or these regulations as
provided by Section 46-1-140 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976. Any person aggrieved by such action may
obtain review thereof under the Administrative Procedures Act.
C. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act and these regulations, the Regulatory Program's agents
may enter upon any site, public, or private, where chemigation equipment is utilized at reasonable time, by consent or
warrant, in order to inspect the chemigation equipment, sample water reported to be exposed to chemicals, and sample
chemicals being applied by chemigation.
D. The Regulatory Program's agents may, if denied access to any land or premise, obtain a warrant from an
appropriate court to inspect the chemigation equipment.
Section 27-1092 Specifications and Records
A. The anti-siphon devices required by these regulations and the Act to be installed: check valve, vacuum breaker,
low pressure drain, and mechanical or electrical interlock, cannot be altered in any way that negates their effectiveness.
They must be constructed of materials resistant to chemicals and maintained functionally free of corrosion or other build up
and must remain operative at all times when chemigating.
B. The low pressure drain and the vacuum breaker must be placed upstream, oriented by the direction of water
flow, from the check valve. Therefore, the low pressure drain and the vacuum breaker must be placed between the check
valve and the water source. The relative position of the vacuum breaker and the low pressure drain to each other is
unimportant.
C. Regulatory Programs must be notified of any actual or suspected contamination of the water source resulting
from chemigation.
D. Records of chemigation applications shall be maintained for a period of two years, and must be shown to
Regulatory Program's agent upon request. These records will include: type chemical applied, date, rate of chemical applied,
site and water source. These records can be met as notations on the chemical purchase invoice or production logs.
E. All chemical label requirements for chemigation must be followed when chemigating.
F. The low pressure drain should be connected to a hose or pipe which will prevent contaminated water from
draining into the water source. The outlet of this drain system must be at least twenty (20) feet from the water source. The
low pressure drain outlet on the irrigation pipe line should be at least two inches above grade, to facilitate connecting the
drain line. The low pressure drain must be constructed so that the top of the drain is flush with the bottom of the irrigation
pipe to properly drain all contaminated water in the irrigation pipe.
G. Check valves must be positive closing. They must be flanged and bolted onto the irrigation pipe or otherwise
constructed in order that they can be removed for servicing: welded in check valves which cannot be removed for inspection
and servicing are not permitted. Maintenance shall be as necessary to insure proper performance of the check valve The
Regulatory Programs agent's determination of the need for replacement of the seals, discs, or other portion of the check
valve prone to maintenance will be final and adhered to by the Chemigator, or the equipment will be considered ineffective
and in violation of the Act.
H. Where chemigation is accomplished by gravity flow or venturi systems, one of the following must be
accomplished to prevent continued chemigation should the system shut down:
(1) Check valve that requires positive head for opening at least ten (10) psi cracking pressure should be
installed on the chemical supply line on the discharge side of the chemical injection pump such that the valve opens only
when the irrigation line is adequately pressurized When head is lost on the irrigation pipe this check valve will shut
preventing further passage of chemicals. The chemical pump, if operating this device must be installed.
(2) An automatic operated valve installed on the chemical supply line on the intake side of the chemical
injection pump. This valve must open when the irrigation line is adequately pressurized; it must prevent leakage from the
chemical supply tank upon system shutdown. If the valve is electrical and power is lost at the irrigation pump, it must be
shut down preventing further passage of chemicals.
(3) An elevated loop of the chemigation pipe must be installed between the irrigation pipe and the
chemigation tank such that the top of the loop is higher than the top of the chemigation tank. A vacuum relief valve must
be installed at the top of this loop which would prevent flow of materials in either direction should be venturi draw on the
chemigation tank be stopped.
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