MURRELLS INLET – Republican state House candidate Lee Hewitt Tuesday applauded the team that developed the Murrells Inlet watershed plan for winning an Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations.

“The Murrells Inlet watershed plan is a great example of a cooperative community effort to improve water quality to benefit shellfish harvesting and our other fisheries,” Lee Hewitt said. “I was privileged to be able to serve on the steering committee in the development of the plan with many others and saw the dedication and hard work that went into this important plan.”

Initiated in 2012 by Murrells Inlet 2020 and completed last year, the plan was funded by a S.C. Dept. of Health and Environmental Control grant administered by the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments. Other participants in the plan were Georgetown and Horry counties, Coastal Carolina University, and numerous community volunteers.

The plan identifies sources of fecal coliform bacteria in the water and guides implementation of best management practices that can significantly reduce sources of pollution.

“The estuary is what attracts visitors to Murrells Inlet and supports our commercial and recreational fisheries. We need to do the best job we can in protecting this valuable natural resource,” Hewitt said. “The watershed plan is one of the most important tools we can have for that protection.”

NADO announced the award in August and the projects were recognized at an October conference in New Orleans.

The watershed plan was also considered for the S.C. Association of Counties’ Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Regional Cooperation Award.

Hewitt is a Murrells Inlet realtor, SC-DHEC board member and former Georgetown County Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals chairman.

He announced his candidacy for state House District 108 last month. His campaign website is www.hewittforhouse.com.