NC0064726_CORRESPONDENCE_19970124

NPDES DOCYl4EMT SCAMMINC COVER : MEET
NPDES Permit:
NC0064726
East Bend Industrial Park WWTP
Document Type:
Permit Issuance
Wasteload Allocation
Authorization to Construct (AtC)
Permit Modification
Complete File - Historical
Correspondence V'
Instream Assessment (67b)
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Permit
History
Document Date:
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State of North Carolina
Department of Environment, ILTI.R?FA
Health and Natural Resources `
Division of Water Quality
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Jonathan B. Howes, Secretary p E H NJ F�
A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director
January 24, 1997
Mr. John Pruett
2440 Butner Mill Road
East Bend, NC 27018
Dear Mr. Pruett:
Subject: Request for reclassification of an Unnamed Tributary to the Yadkin River (Butner
Mill Pond) in the Yadkin River Basin
In July 1992 the Classifications and Standards Group received your request to investigate whether
an unnamed tributary to the Yadkin River in Yadkin County would qualify for reclassification for
primary recreation use, or Class B waters.
Primary recreation is defined in Division of Water Quality (Division) rules as "swimming, skin
diving, skiing, and similar uses involving human body contact with water where such activities
take place in an organized or on a frequent basis." Several criteria must be met before waters can be
classified for primary recreation. These are: 1) the area must be of sufficient size and depth to
support primary recreation; 2) fecal coliform concentrations must be less than 200 colonies per 100
milliliters; 3) there must be no sources of water pollution which could result in a hazard to public
health in close proximity to areas where recreation occurs; and 4) primary recreation must take
place in an organized or on a frequent basis. Wastewater dischargers to waters classified for
primary recreational activities must comply with reliability standards set forth in 15A NCAC 2H
.0124. Reliability standards require facilities to insure continued treatment of wastewater during
instances of power failure.
As we discussed in our recent telephone conversation, the Division will not be proceeding with the
reclassification of the unnamed tributary to the Yadkin River to Class B waters. Studies were
conducted by the Division's Winston-Salem Regional Office (WSRO) to determine if the waters
requested for reclassification qualified. Sampling results show that the fecal coliform standards fell
within acceptable limits in the area requested for reclassification. However, since 1989, the fecal
coliform concentrations required to meet the standards for Class B waters as noted above are
applicable to all surface waters of the state. Of the area requested for reclassification, the area found
to qualify based on size, depth, and use was limited to Butner Mill Pond. As the pond is on your
private property it is unlikely that there will be any facilities permitted to discharge wastewater to
those waters. Additionally, it has been indicated that there is a problem with the pond having filled
over the years with sediment, which may have left much of the pond unsuitable for primary
recreation use.
As you requested, I have checked into the recent compliance history of the East Bend Industrial
Park Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). The WWTP is located approximately three miles
upstream of Butner Mill Pond. For the one year period between December 1995 and November
1996, compliance reports show that the facility did not meet its fecal coliform limit of 200 colonies
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per 100 milliliters in September 1996. While values for the rest of the year show fecal coliform
samples ranging between 0 and 26.3, in September it was reported at 277.5 colonies per 100
milliliters. The compliance report also indicates that the facility failed to meet its limit for ammonia
in February and March of 1996. I have enclosed a copy of the compliance report with this letter
and have discussed these anomalies with the WSRO. While the Region intends to continue to
monitor this facility closely, they do not feel the numbers indicate that additional measures are
required at this time. For more information on the discharge status of this facility you can contact
Corey Basinger or Steve Mauney at the WSRO at [phone].
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to call me at [phone], extension
572.
Sincerely,
Liz Kovascldtz
Classifications and Standards
cc: Corey Basinger, DWQ, Winston-Salem Regional Office
Steve Mauney, DWQ, Winston-Salem Regional Office
Don Safrit; DWQ, Technical,Support Branch
Coleen Sullins, DWQ, Permits and Engineering