WQ0000020_RespToLtr08122019_20190826

heville
R E GIONAL AIRPO RT
Take the easy way out.
August 26, 2019
NCDEQ
Mr. Brett Laverty
2090 U.S. Highway 70
Swannanoa, NC 28778
Dear Mr. Laverty:
- AUG 2 9 2019
Water Quality Regional Operations
Asheville Reqional Office
The Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority is in receipt of your letter to Mr. Paul
Draovitch of Duke Energy Progress and Mr. Lew Bleiweis dated August 12rh, 2019.
Please accept the following information from the Airport Authority in response to your
request for a remedial strategy specifically concerning the plan to stabilize the 60-inch
RCP and annually evaluate its condition. All other information you have requested will
be provided under a separate response from Duke Energy Progress.
1. As discussed with you last week by phone, to clarify your intent concerning the
terminology "stabilize the RCP", you confirmed to me that the current actions
(noted below) being undertaken by the Authority are acceptable and satisfactory
in response to your letter.
2. As previously discussed with and documented to Mr. Landon Davidson, the
Authority objected to the method used by Duke Energy in its 2018 assessment of
the condition of the RCP. The method utilized a standard intended for small
diameter water and sewer pipes, not large-scale storm water pipes. Exhaustive
research on the Authority's part ultimately determined that NCDOT itself did not
have a documented standard for assessing the condition of large RCP, but rather
relied upon the experience and qualifications of consultants to determine pipe
condition, and appropriate repair means and methods.
3. The Authority hired the consulting firm of Kimley-Horn, which has significant
experience evaluating the condition of large RCP on behalf of the NCDOT.
Kimley-Horn conducted a review of the previously provided CCTV inspection
provided by Duke Energy. Furthermore, Kimley-Horn conducted an on -site
inspection of the pipe and the manholes, which were not included in Duke's
report.
61 Terminal Drive, Suite 1 • Fletcher, NC 28732 • 828-684-2226 • flyavl.com

Mr. Brett Laverty
August 26, 2019
Page 2
4. Kimley-Horn's condition report identified certain deficiencies in the pipe, as well
as in the manholes. Each was categorized by severity, and recommendations
were provided for repair. A copy of this report was provided to your office shortly
after receipt.
5. The Authority subsequently engaged Kimley-Horn for design of the repairs and to
produce bid documents for this project. Additionally, upon completion of the
project, they will re -inspect the pipe and submit a report that documents the
condition of the pipe post -repair as a baseline for future comparison.
As also indicated to you when we spoke, Kimley-Horn's investigation also
concluded that a prior sediment basin within the existing slope of Area 1, which
was filled in as part of the CCB project, and west of where the 60 inch pipe
daylights, may not have been closed properly. This may be contributing to water
logging of the area upstream of this location and impacting the RCP. The plans
for repair of the pipe are intended to address this issue as well to remediate this
situation.
6. The plans and specifications for the repair of the pipe are scheduled to be
complete in early September 2019, followed immediately by a public bid process.
Once bids are received, the Authority intends to award a contract for the work at
its next meeting of the Airport Board.
7. As noted above, a subsequent inspection of the pipe after the repairs are
complete is intended to establish a new baseline condition for future reference.
The Authority intends to undertake an annual inspection of the pipe thereafter
and produce a report that documents its condition, relevant to the new post -
repair baseline condition.
Over the past several months, I have occasionally informed Landon Davidson via email
of the current status of this project, most recently on July 12th, 2019. Please contact
me with any questions, or if you require any additional information.
Sincerely,
//". C. a t;-Lv- --
Michael A. Reisman, A.A.E.
Deputy Executive Director