WQ0004122_Staff Report_20200713

DocuSign Envelope ID: C86E5FF5-09D7-4540-BB12-41F30605A8FC
WK
Division of Water Resources
July 13, 2020
To: Aquifer Protection Section Central Office
Attn: Chloe Lloyd
From: RRa
Milosh
Raleijzh Regional Office
Chatham County
I. GENERAL SITE VISIT INFORMATION
1. Was a site visit conducted? ® Yes or ❑ No
State of North Carolina
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Regional Staff Report
Application No.: WQ0000488
Permittee: Poplar Point
Regional Log -in No.:
a. Date of site visit: June 26, 2020
b. Site visit conducted by: Ray Milosh
c. Inspection report attached? ® Yes or ❑ No
d. Person contacted: William Baker and their contact information: (919) 218 - 6410 ext.
e. Driving directions:
II. FACILITY AND APPLICATION FOR NEW AND MODIFICATION APPLICATIONS
1. Facility Classification: Is this correct? ❑ Yes ❑ No
If no, please explain:
2. Are the new treatment facilities adequate for the type of waste and disposal system? ❑ Yes ❑ No
If no, please explain:
3. Are site conditions (soils, depth to water table, etc.) consistent with the submitted reports? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain:
4. Do the plans and site map represent the actual site (property lines, acreage, wells, etc.)? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain:
5. Is the proposed residuals management plan adequate? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain:
6. Are the proposed application rates (e.g., hydraulic, nutrient) acceptable? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain:
7. Are there any setbacks conflicts for proposed treatment, storage and disposal sites? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If yes, attach a map showing conflict areas.
8. Is the proposed or existing groundwater monitoring program adequate? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, explain and recommend any changes to the groundwater monitoring program:
9. For residuals, will seasonal or other restrictions be required? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If yes, attach list of sites with restrictions (Certification B)
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III. EXISTING FACILITIES FOR MODIFICAITON AND RENEWAL APPLICATIONS
1. Are there appropriately certified Operators in Charge (ORCs) for the facility? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
ORC: William Baker -Certificate #:1003671 Backup ORC: Craig Autry Certificate # 991564
2. Are the design, maintenance and operation of the treatment facilities adequate for the type of waste and disposal
system? ® Yes or ❑ No - If no, please explain below in Section IV. Review Items
3. Are the site conditions (e.g., soils, topography, depth to water table, etc) maintained appropriately and adequately
assimilating the waste? ® Yes or ❑ No - If no, please explain below in Section IV. Review Items
4. Has the site changed in any way that may affect the permit (e.g., drainage added, new wells inside the compliance
boundary, new development, etc.)? ❑ Yes or ® No - If yes, please explain below in Section IV. Review Items
5. Is the residuals management plan adequate? ® Yes or ❑ No - If no, please explain below in Section IV. Review
Items
6. Are the existing application rates (e.g., hydraulic, nutrient) still acceptable? ® Yes or ❑ No - If no, please
explain below in Section IV. Review Items
7. Is the existing groundwater monitoring program adequate? ❑ Yes ❑ No ® N/A
If no, explain and recommend any changes to the groundwater monitoring program below in Section IV. Review
Items
8. Are there any setback conflicts for existing treatment, storage and disposal sites? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, provide comments below attach a map showing conflict areas.
9. Is the description of the facilities as written in the existing permit correct? ® Yes or ❑ No - If no, please
explain below in Section IV. Review Items
10. Were monitoring wells properly constructed and located? ❑ Yes ❑ No ® N/A If no, please explain below in
Section IV. Review Items.
11. Are the monitoring well coordinates correct in BIMS? ❑ Yes ❑ No ® N/A
If no, please complete the following (ex and table if necessary):
Monitoring Well
Latitude
Longitude
O / //
O / //
O / //
O I /I
O / //
O / //
O / //
O / II
O / //
O / II
12. Has a review of all self -monitoring data been conducted (e.g., NDMR, NDAR, GW)? ® Yes ❑ No or ❑ N/A
Please summarize any findings resulting from this review below in Section IV. Review Items.
13. Are there any permit changes needed in order to address ongoing BIMS violations? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, please explain below in Section IV. Review Items.
14. Check all that apply:
® No compliance issues ❑ Current enforcement action(s) ❑ Currently under JOC
❑ Notice(s) of violation ❑ Currently under SOC ❑ Currently under moratorium
❑ Notice(s) of deficiency
Please explain and attach any documents that may help clarify answer/comments (i.e., NOV, NOD, etc.)
15. Have all compliance dates/conditions in the existing permit been satisfied? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain below in Section IV. Review Items.
16. Are there any issues related to compliance/enforcement that should be resolved before issuing this permit?
❑ Yes ®No❑N/A
If yes, please explain below in Section IV. Review Items.
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IV. REGIONAL OFFICE RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Do you foresee any problems with issuance/renewal of this permit? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, please explain:
2. List any items that you would like APS Central Office to obtain through an additional information request:
Item Reason
3. List specific permit conditions recommended to be removed from the permit when issued:
Condition Reason
4. List specific special conditions or compliance schedules recommended to be included in the permit when issued:
Condition Reason
5. Recommendation: ❑ Hold, pending receipt and review of additional information by regional office
❑ Hold, pending review of draft permit by regional office
❑ Issue upon receipt of needed additional information
® Issue
❑ 1)=V.Q g„state reasons: )
6. Signature of report preparer:
Signature of APS regional supervisor:
Date: 7/13/2020
V. ADDITIONAL REGIONAL STAFF REVIEW ITEMS
Staff of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR), Water Quality Regional Operations Section (WQROS), Raleigh Regional
Office (RRO) inspected the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Division's Poplar Point Wastewater Surface Irrigation System,
Permit # WQ0004122 on June 26, 2020. DWR thanks William Baker for his assistance during the inspection. The purpose of the
visit was to conduct a compliance inspection.
The current permit which was issued June 5, 2015 and expires October 31, 2020 was reviewed. William Baker is designated as
Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) and Craig Autry is designated as Backup-ORC.
The influent flow meter is a v notch weir type. It reportedly works well.
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Much of the park system is closed due to Covid. Irrigation last occurred on June 10.
The three lagoons were as described in the permit. The concrete apron liners were well maintained as were the lagoon banks and
fencing. On the day of the inspection, freeboard in the #1 (stabilization) lagoon was 3' 1", #2 (stabilization) lagoon was 3 feet and
#3 (storage) lagoon was 2' 8" feet. The residuals level in all the lagoons are checked annually. The lagoon levels are maintained
manually by operators. The ORC tries to maintain a 30 day residence time in lagoon 1 and an 18 day residence time in lagoon 2.
The chlorinator was well maintained and working properly at the time of inspection. The effluent flow meter was calibrated
May 1, 2020 and is calibrated annually.
Surface irrigation areas' vegetation and application equipment appeared well maintained and was reportedly operating properly.
The pumps and sprayheads were not tested during the inspection. All 7 fields have been used and repaired as necessary. The
ORC indicated that pressure gauge is observed at time of irrigation to verify that no leaks are present. Low pressure/high flow
rate leads the operator to walk the zones to find the reason for pressure drop. Downed trees are frequently cleared from the
sprayfields. Underbrush and trees that could damage the pipe network are removed as time permits. Fencing and signage is well
maintained for all irrigation areas. There were no evidence of ponding or runoff noted at irrigation areas. Flows are currently well
below the 47,431 gallons per day rate listed in permit. The system design indicates that the current irrigation fields can manage
that daily flow.
All the required operational records, maintenance logs, meter calibration records, copies of reports, lab analyses, NDMRs,
NDARs and GW-59s were in good order. All monitoring meets permit requirements.
There was an exceedance of TDS in March 2019 in MW2 which sits at the foot of a facultative lagoon. TDS levels in this well
were in the 200 mg/1 range from 1990 until sampling stopped in 2007. When sampling resumed in 2011, levels had risen to the
400 range. It is possible the lagoon is leaking wastewater into the ground. TDS levels in the groundwater do exceed TDS levels
in the effluent. TDS levels should be monitored with time.
TDS levels in MW3 were in the 100-200 range from 1990 to 2018 then began to rise to over 800 by March 2020. This data
should also be monitored. The well is deep in the woods at the foot of one of the sprayfields. There was no sign of damage or
vandalism. The TDS levels in the effluent that is applied is in the 150-250 range.
TDS levels in MW4 were in the 500 range in 1993 and have slowly dropped to the 400's. This is a high range for typical
groundwater. Cl has also historically been high in this well.
All the strainers, pumps, controls and floats in all 22 lift stations at Poplar Point, Crosswinds, Park office, Ebenezer and White
Oak have been replaced. Keen grinder pumps have been installed in all lift stations. Power lines and ladders and other equipment
have been replaced where necessary. All lift stations are now equipped with backup power to run wireless autodialers. The park
now owns a mobile device that can pump water from a lift station directly into the force main via quick connect plumbing
installed during the rebuild process. It will reduce the time spent pumping and hauling wastewater during lift station failure and
repair procedures.
This facility appears to be well run and in compliance with permit requirements.
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