HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0088307_Draft Permit_20171101Water Resources
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
November 1, 2017
Mr. James R. Flechtner, PE, Executive Director
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
235 Government Center Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403
Dear Mr. Flechtner:
ROY COOPER
Govemor
MICHAEL S REGAN
Secs elary
S. JAY ZIMMERMAN
Du eclot
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NCO088307
Ogden Nanofiltration WTP
Class PCNC
New Hanover County
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Please review this draft
carefully to ensure your thorough understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements
it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
➢ Section A. (5) has been added to require electronic submission of effluent data, and a
footnote has been added in Section A. (1). Federal regulations require electronic
submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs).
➢ Regulatory citations have been added to the permit.
➢ Outfall map has been updated.
➢ The facility name and address have been updated on the cover sheet per the permit
renewal application and to match the Division's records.
➢ Language has been updated and added to the Supplement to Permit Cover Sheet based on
current NPDES permit formatting.
➢ Components list has been added on the Supplement to Permit Cover Sheet.
➢ Section A. (2) has been removed from the permit as redundant as the flow expansion is
no longer relevant under the current water treatment plant strategy, therefore there is no
longer a need for a second effluent table.
➢ Parameter codes have been added to Section A. (1).
➢ The flow limit in Section A. (1) has been removed and the sampling location has been
changed to effluent per the current water treatment plant strategy.
➢ Monitoring for temperature has been removed from Section A. (1) per the current water
treatment strategy.
➢ Instream sampling has been removed for dissolved oxygen and total suspended solids as
monitoring was only required between June 2013 and September 2013.
➢ Limits for pH have been moved from the footnotes to the effluent table in Section A. (1)
and the measurement frequency has been changed to weekly per the current water
treatment plant strategy.
State of North Carolina I Environmental Quality I Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
919 807 6300 919-807-6389 FAX
https //deq nc gov/about/divisions/water-resources/water-resources-permits/wastewater-branch/npdes-wastewater-permits
➢ Limits and the associated footnote for turbidity have been removed in Section A. (1) per
the current water treatment plant s-Lrategy.
➢ Monitoring for Total Fluoride has been removed in Section A. (1) as there are no
saltwater standards for fluoride.
➢ NH3-N has been changed to read Ammonia Nitrogen in Section A. (1).
➢ Monitoring for Total Arsenic has been added to Section A. (1) per the current water
treatment plant strategy.
➢ Limits have been added for Total Copper to Section A. (1) based on a reasonable
potential to exceed water quality standards.
➢ Monitoring for Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus has been changed to quarterly in
Section A. (1) per the current water treatment plant strategy.
➢ Language "Monitor & Report" has been added in the effluent table in Section A. (1) for
toxicity monitoring per the current water treatment plant strategy.
➢ The footnote for total suspended solids (TSS) in Section A. (1) has been removed as the
TSS limit is now in effect.
➢ Footnote for aquatic toxicity has been updated in Section A. (1).
➢ Footnote for sample location has been removed in Section A. (1) as instream monitoring
is no longer required.
➢ Conditions under the effluent table in Section A. (1) have been updated.
➢ Aquatic toxicity language in Section A. (2) has been updated.
Thank you for submitting comments with your permit renewal application. Monitoring for
temperature has been removed as it is no longer required per the current water treatment plant
strategy. Monitoring for total suspended solids (TSS) and dissolved oxygen (DO) will remain in
the permit as North Carolina statute 15A NCAC 02B .0224 requires TSS and DO monitoring
when discharging into High Quality Waters.
With this notification, the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing
a notice in newspapers having circulation in the general New Hanover County area, per EPA
requirements. Please provide your comments, if any, to me no later than 30 days after
receiving this draft permit.
Following the 30 -day public comment period, the Division will review all pertinent comments
and take appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit. If you have questions concerning the
draft, please contact me at 919-807-6333, or via e-mail [Bnanna.Young@ncdenr.gov].
Sincerely,
Brianna Young
Compliance and Expedited P itting Unit
cc- NPDES Files
ec Wilmington Regional Office
WSS/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
DMF/Shellfish Sanitation
Permit NCO088307
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
In compliance with the provisions of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended,
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from an outfall located at the
Ogden Nanofiltration Water Treatment Plant
637 Groundwater Way
Wilmington
New Hanover County
to receiving waters designated as the Intracoastal Waterway in the White Oak River Basin in accordance
with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I, II, III and IV
hereof.
This permit shall become effective.
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on January 31, 2023.
Signed this day.
S. Jay Zimmerman, P.G.
Director, Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 8
Permit NCO088307
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to th_s facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked. As of this permit issuance, any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer
effective. Therefore, the exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the
permit conditions, requirements, terms, and provisions included herein.
The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate a Water Treatment Plant with a discharge of concentrated waste from Reverse
Osmosis units. This water treatment plant currently has a design potable flowrate of 6 MGD and a
maximum, monthly average wastewater discharge of approximately 1.03 MGD. This facility is
located at 637 Groundwater Way in Wilmington, in New Hanover County. Water treatment consists
of:
• Two (2) 1.3 MGD nanofiltra-don treatment trains
• Two (2) 1.5 MGD nanofiltration treatment trains
• Anit-scalant
• Cartridge filtration
• Tray aeration
2. Discharge said wastewater through an extended discharge pipe with diffuser, at the location
specified on the attached map, into the Intracoastal Waterway [Stream Segment: 18-87-(11.5)], a
waterbody currently classified SA; ORW in subbasin 03-06-24 [HUC: 0302030204] within the
White Oak River Basin.
Page 2 of 8
Permit NCO088307
A. (1) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
During the period beginning on the effective date of the permit and lasting until expiration, the Permittee
is authorized to discharge from outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored' by the
Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS
Parameter codes
DISCHARGE LIMITATIONS
Monthly Daily
Average Maximum
MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
Measurement Sample Type Sample
Frequency Location
Flow
50050
Continuous
Recording
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen
00300
2/month
Grab
Effluent
Salinity
00480
2/month
Grab
Effluent
Conductivity
00094
2/month
Grab
Effluent
H
00400
Not < 6.8 s u or > 8 5 s.u.
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids
C0530
20 m /L 30 m /L
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
Total Dissolved Solids
70295
2/month
Grab
Effluent
Turbidity
00070
2/month
Grab
Effluent
Total Arsenic
01002
Monthly
Grab
Effluent
Total Copper
01042
185 /L 2.90 /L
Monthly
Grab
Effluent
Total Chloride
I
Monthly
Grab
Effluent
Total Zinc
01092
Monthly
Grab
Effluent
Ammonia Nitrogen
C0610
Monthly
Grab
Effluent
Total Nitrogen
C0600
Quarterly
Grab
Effluent
Total Phosphorus
C0665
Quarterly
Grab
Effluent
Acute Toxicity 2
TGE3E I
Monitor & Report
Quarterly
Grab
Effluent
Footnotes.
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the NC DWR's eDMR application
system [see A. (5)].
2 Acute Toxicity 24 -hr Pass/fail Monitoring: January, April, July, and October Permittee shall use mysid shrimp
as the test organism unless another organism of equal or greater sensitivity is deemed more appropriate based
on the characteristics of the discharge and receiving stream. See Special condition A (2) for details.
ALL SAMPLES COLLECTED SHOULD BE FROM A REPRESENTATIVE DISCHARGE EVENT.
THERE SHALL BE NO DISCHARGE OF FLOATING SOLIDS OR VISIBLE FOAM IN OTHER THAN TRACE AMOUNTS.
Page 3 of 8
Permit NCO088307
A. (2) ACUTE TOXICITY PASS/FAIL MONITORING ONLY (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B .0500 et seq.]
The permittee shall conduct acute toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in the North
Carolina Procedure Document entitled "Pass/Fail Methodology For Determining Acute Toxicity In A
Single Effluent Concentration" (Revised -December 2010 or subsequent versions). The monitoring shall
be performed as a Mysid Shrimp (Mysidopsis bahia) 24 hour static test. The effluent concentration at
which there may be at no time significant acute mortality is 90% (defined as treatment two in the
procedure document). The tests will be performed during the months of January, April, July, and
October. These months signify the first month of each three month toxicity testing quarter assigned to
the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained during representative effluent discharge
and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent discharge below all treatment processes.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent
Discharge Monitoring Form (MR -1) for the month in which it was performed, using the parameter code
TGE3E. Additionally, DWR Form AT -2 (original) is to be sent to the following address:
Attention: North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1621
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than 30
days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be complete and accurate and include all supporting chemical/physical measurements
performed in association with the toxicity tests, as well as all dose/response data. Total residual chlorine
of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if chlorine is employed for disinfection of
the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is
required, the permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity (AT) test
form indicating the facility name, permit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report
with the notation of "No Flow" in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted to the
Water Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, then
monthly monitoring will begin immediately. Upon submission of a valid test, this monthly test
requirement will revert to quarterly in _he months specified above.
Should any test data from either these monitoring requirements or tests performed by the North Carolina
Division of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re-
opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid test and will
require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than the last day of the month following
the month of the initial monitoring.
Page 4of8
Permit NCO088307
USE OF A DIFFERENT TEST ORGANISM
The permittee may request the use of a different test organism upon documentation that the alternate test
organism would provide an equal or greater level of protection and is appropriate based on the
characteristics of the discharge and receiving stream. Such documentation would consist of one of the
following:
1. For saltwater classified streams, a fathead minnow may be assigned as the acute testing species if
the salinity of the receiving stream at the point of discharge is <5 ppt throughout the tidally
influenced cycle. This determination may be based on the best professional judgment of DWQ
staff or data collection provided by the permittee and approved by DWQ staff. This evaluation
should include vertical profiles of salinity/conductivity' measurements at both high tide and low
tide over several 24 hr cycles.
2. Three consecutive "side-by-side" tests with results'indicating that the alternate test organism is as
or more sensitive to the facility's effluent. Each test"series would consist of two separate toxicity
tests conducted on the same sample of effluent with the length of exposure specified by the permit,
the only difference between the tests being' the organism used.
3. An alternate plan developed by the permittee and approved by the Aquatic Toxicology Unit that
demonstrates an equal level of protection is offered by the test organism.
For items 2 and 3, it must also be demonstrated that viable and standardized culture techniques are
available for that organism and standardized testing methodologies have been developed and
validated. This demonstration should meet guidance provided by EPA in Section 6 of EPA -821-R-02-
012, Short Term Methods for Estimating the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to
Freshwater Organisms. Fifth Edition, 2002.
A. (3) PERMIT RE -OPENER: TMDL IMPLEMENTATION
[G.S /143-215.1(b)]
The Division may, upon written notification to the Permittee, re -open this Permit in order to incorporate
or modify effluent limitations, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other pen -nit conditions when
it deems such action is necessary to implement TMDL(s) approved by the USEPA.
A. (4) DISCHARGE SPECIAL CONDITION
The effluent diffuser must be designed to prevent surface turbulence and bottom scour. Should the
location of the discharge cause visible turbulence within the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the
Division may require that the discharge be relocated. The diffuser must be submerged during low tide
conditions.
Page 5 of 8
Permit NCO088307
A. (5) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF MONITORING REPORTS
[NCGS 143-215.1 (b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and program
reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December
21, 2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this
permit (Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B. (11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D. (2.) Reporting
• Section D. (6.) Records Retention
• Section E. (5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section/D. (2:) and Section E. (5.) (a)1
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic
Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be,summarized for each month and
submitted electronically using eDMR. The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter monitoring
data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. Until such time that the state's eDMR
application is compliant with EPA's Cros3=Media Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR),
permittees will be required to submit all discharge monitoring data to the state electronically using
eDMR and will be required to complete the eDMR submission by printing, signing, and submitting one
signed original and a copy of the computer printed eDMR to the following address:
NC DEQ / Division of Water Resources I Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail/Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the facility
being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have broadband access,
then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted and
discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms (MR 1, 1. 1, 2, 3) or alternative forms
approved by the Director. Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to the mailing address above. See
"How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Regardless of the submission method, the first DMR is due on the last day of the month following the
issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last day of the month following the
commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21, 2020, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports, when applicable:
Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and
Page 6 of 8
Permit NC0088307
Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 316(b) Annual Reports.
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division (see "How to Request a
Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below).
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9), the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time of
each electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify the initial
recipient for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the entity
(EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program) that is the designated entity for
receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for each
type of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the appropriate
electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES Electronic Reporting
Rule is found at: htWs://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-24954/national-
pollutant-discharge-elimination-system-npdes-electromc-reporting-rule.
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the "Reporting Requirements" section above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an
electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to the
Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to the
Division for written approval at least sixty (60) days prior to the date the facility would be required
under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a temporary waiver
shall not exceed 5 years and shall thereupon expire. At such time, monitoring data and reports shall be
submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re -applies for and is granted a new
temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic reporting waivers are not
transferrable., Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request may submit monitoring data
and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved reporting waiver request is
effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on the
following web page:
htti)://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d)1
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II,
Section B. (I 1.)(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II, Section
B. (11.)(b). A person, and not a position, must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR reporting
purposes.
For eDMR submissions, the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user account
and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North Carolina's eDMR
system, registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit the following web
page:
Page 7 of 8
Permit NC0088307
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification. Any person submitting an elect_onic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall make the
following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION WILL
BE ACCEPTED:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my
direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information. submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons
who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the
information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete I am
aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of
fines and imprisonment for knowing violations. "
5. Records Retention [Supplements Section D. (6.)1
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR submissions.
These records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the date of the report.
This period may be extended by request of she Director at any time [40 CFR 122.41].
Page 8 of 8
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NPDES Permit NCO088307
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NPDES Permit NCO088307
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River Basin: White Oak HUC: 0302030204
County: New Hanover
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