WQ0018146_NOV-2019-PC-0719_20191031

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ROY COOPER \I'
. Governor �
MICHAEL S.REGAN T `
Secretary
LINDA CULPEPPER NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
October 31, 2019
CERTIFIED MAIL#7012 1640 0001 9605 7041
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Shannon V. Becker
AQUA—North Carolina, Inc.
202 MacKenan Court
Cary, North Carolina 27511
Subject: Notice of Violation
NOV-2019-PC-0719
Permit WQ0018146
The Preserve
Non-Conjunctive Wastewater Treatment and Reclaimed Water Utilization
System
Chatham County
Dear Mr. Becker,
Staff of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR), Water Quality Regional Operations Section
inspected the subject wastewater treatment and reclaimed water utilization system on September
24 and October 25, 2019. I wish to thank Brian Peters and Eric Riggins for their help during the
inspections. The purpose of the visit was to conduct a compliance inspection of the wastewater
treatment and non-conjunctive reclaimed water utilization facility as part of the permit renewal
process.
On the day of the inspection, the wastewater treatment facility was found to be in good working
order. The plant receives 62 to 69 thousand(K) gallons per day (gpd) and is permitted to receive
194 K gpd. One train of EQ basins, clarifiers, sludge basins is in use. The second train is nearly
empty and will be sandblasted and painted. The second train is used for inflow and infiltration
(I&I) during rain events. Caustic is added to the aeration basin to keep the pH at 6.6 to 6.7.
Chlorine tablets are placed near the weirs in the clarifier to control algae growth. The effluent is
clear and odorless. The digester is emptied monthly. The 5 day holding pond is nearly empty and
is not used.
Two aerators were installed in the irrigation pond in 2011 in response to odor complaints.
Complaints stopped after the aerators were installed. On the day of the inspection, neither aerator
was in working condition. Please restore the aerators.to working condition to avoid generating
nuisance conditions.
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
D E Raleigh Regional Office 13800 Barrett Drive I Raleigh,North Carolina 27609
919.7791.4200
n^Tj CI_APW /'

AQUA North Carolina,Inc.
NOV-2019-PC-719
October 31,2019
Page 2 of 3
The irrigation system was in good working order. Variable frequency drive (VFD) pumps keep
the system pressurized. The spray system is operated between 9 pm and 5am and is controlled by
a computer program. Heads operate for 7 or 14 minutes each. Several sprayheads were manually
operated during the inspection and found to be in working order. NDMR's indicate that some
zones are nearing their hydraulic capacity. The following items specify permit conditions and
limitations that were in violation during the time of the inspection. Please also refer to the attached
inspection report.
III. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
Condition 3, which states "Upon the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification
Commission' s (WPCSOCC) classification of the subject non -discharge facilities, in accordance
with 15A NCAC 08G. 0200 the Permittee shall designate and employ a certified operator in
responsible charge (ORC) and one or more certified operator(s) as back-up ORC(s). The ORC or
their back-up shall visit the facilities in accordance with 15A N NCAC 08G. 0200, and shall
comply with all other conditions specified in the previously cited rules."
Burnice Marcom is currently listed as ORC and Eric Riggins is currently registered as
backup. Please submit ORC designation forms for the current ORC and backup of the
wastewater treatment plant.
Condition 14, which states "Gauges to monitor reclaimed water levels in the storage pond and
water levels in the 5- day pond shall be provided. These gauges shall have readily visible
permanent markings at inch or tenth of a foot increments. Prior to December 17, 2014, the gauge
in the 5-day pond shall be installed, and the gauge in the storage pond shall be vertically extended
so as to be visible above the 2- foot freeboard level, and surveyed to verify its accuracy."
The water level in the holding pond read about 7 feet on the day of the inspection. The top
of the gauge ends at the 17-foot mark and appears to be well below the top of the berm.
The ORC was unsure where the top of the berm lies in relation to the gauge. The holding
pond must have a gauge that is visible above the 2-foot freeboard mark and which
indicates the top of berm or the 2-foot freeboard mark.
There does not appear to be a gauge in the 5 day holding pond. The 5 day holding pond
must have a gauge that is visible above the 2-foot freeboard mark and which indicates
the top of berm or the 2-foot freeboard mark.
Condition 15, which states" A protective vegetative cover shall be established and maintained on
all earthen embankments ( i.e., outside toe of embankment to maximum allowable temporary
storage elevation on the inside of the embankment), berms, pipe runs, erosion control areas, and
surface water diversions. Trees,.shrubs, and other woody vegetation shall not be allowed to grow
on the earthen dikes or emiaiktnents. Earthen embankment areas shall be kept mowed or
otherwise controlled and accessible.
On the day of the inspection, sapling trees were growing on the berm. The berm must be
kept mowed.

AQUA North Carolina,Inc.
NOV-2019-PC-719
October 31,2019
Page 3 of 3
IV. MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Condition 5, which states, "Three copies of all effluent monitoring data and reclaimed water
distribution data (as specified in Conditions IV.3, IV—
N.S. and IV.6.) shall be submitted on
Form NDMR for each PPI listed in Attachment A.Reporting forms shall be submitted on or before
the last day of the following month. If no reclaimed water distribution activities occurred during
the monitoring month,monitoring reports documenting the absence of the activity are still required
to be submitted."
Records have not been submitted for zones 5 or 6 on Attachment A. Records must be
submitted for every zone listed on Attachment A.
Permit condition violations have been documented for this permit. Please respond in writing
to this office within 30 days upon your receipt of this Notice of Violation regarding your
plans or measures to be taken to address the indicated violations. Please include in your
response all corrective actions already taken and a schedule for completion of any corrective
actions not addressed.
Failure to comply with conditions in a permit may result in a recommendation of enforcement
action, to the Director of the Division of Water Resources, who may issue a civil penalty
assessment of not more that twenty-five thousand ($25,000) dollars against any "person" who
violates or fails to act in accordance with the terms, conditions, or requirements of a permit under
authority of G.S. 143-215.6A. If you have any questions conceming this Notice, please contact
Ray Milosh or me at [phone].
Sincerely,
44 fe-r
S. Jay Zimmerman, P.G., Chief
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Raleigh Regional Office, Water Quality Regional
Operations Section, Division of Water Resources
cc: Chatham County Environmental Health