WQCS00016_NOV-2020-DV-0296 Response_20200720

P 704.984.9605 2 gp
UF 704.984.9606
ALBEMARLE
NORTH CAROLINA
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July 7, 2020
North Carolina Department of Environment Quality
Mooresville Regional Office
610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville NC 28115
ATN: W.Corey Basinger, Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Mooresville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
RE: Notice of Violation
Tracking Number: NOV — 2020 —DV - 0296
Sanitary Sewer Overflows — May 2020
Collection System Permit No. WQCS00016
Albemarle Collection System
Stanly County
Dear Mr. Basinger,
www.albemarlenc.gov
PO Box 190
Albemarle, NC 25002
The purpose of this letter is to provide additional information for the consideration in the above
referenced matter in accordance with your letter dated June 251", 2020 and received by the City of
Albemarle Collections ORC on July 6, 2020. This matter relates to the sanitary sewer overflows that the
City of Albemarle experienced during the month of May. These overflows are associated with heavy rain
events and storms. Also by tropical storm Bertha and its aftermath. During these events the City of
Albemarle experienced flooding as if it were a larger named Hurricane. The system stalled over us
bringing lots of rain and flooding.
05/19/2020
Incident number 202001399 was associated with a low laying manhole (MH#1252) in the parking lot of
1313 N. 61h St. this was a heavy rain event that dumped 2.5 inches of rain in this area of the system in a
very short amount of time. Upon arrival by the Collections System ORC crew were called out to bring a
Vactor truck to set up at a manhole located upstream to lessen the impacts and help stop the SSO event.
Crews arrived shortly after the call from ORC. Vactor truck crews were able to pump 2 loads from
upstream manhole approximately 4,200 gallons to stop SSO. When SSO had stopped city crews followed
Spill Response Procedure and used city equipment to wash parking lot and clean up debris is outlying
ditch.
05/21/2020
Incident number 202001473 was associated with a low laying manhole (MH#879) in the area of Vickers
Store Rd lift station. This event was caused by heavy rains totaling 7 inches in a 12 hour period. This also
caused heavy flooding in this area. Upon dispatch of back-up ORC by Smart Cover Systems. Crews were

dispatched on site with the Vactor truck to try and lessen the impacts of the SSO and stop the event.
Crews knew that this would take time due to the rain event and the flooding that was caused. Due to the
amount of rain crews were unsuccessful at getting SSO to stop .After the flooding had subsided the SSO
stopped and crews were able to walk area and no debris were found due to the flooding. Crew did
however lime around MH# 879.
05/21/2020
Incident number 2020001474 was associated with a low laying manhole outside of Vickers Store Road
lift station. This SSO was associated with the same rain event as mentioned above. This manhole (MH#
1196 is right outside the fence of the lift station. Crews were on site with this SSO at the same time as the
above mentioned SSO. Details are the same as above also.
05/21/2020
Incident number 202001475 949 Old Charlotte Rd is associated with a manhole (#1877). This SSO was
caused by heavy rains of 7 inches in a 12 hour period and localized flooding in this area. This SSO was
caused by a capacitated downstream collection system. Crews were able to set barricades in area and
when SSO had stopped crews then followed the City's spill response procedure and washed down area
with Vactor truck and walked area down steam to look for debris. No debris were found due to the flood
waters.
05/21/2020
Incident number 202001476 567 Salisbury Ave is associated with a manhole (#1139). This SSO was
caused by heavy rains of 7 inches in a 12 hour period and localized flooding. This SSO was caused by a
capacitated downstream collection system. Crews were able to barricade of area of SSO. When SSO had
stopped crews were sent out with the Vactor truck to wash down road way and clean up debris. Crews
also walked creek banks and found no debris.
05/21/2020
Incident number 202001479 503 US HWY 52/ HWY 52 at Efird St is associated with a manhole (#1516).
This SSO was caused by heavy rains of 7 inches in a 12 hour period. This SSO was due to a capacitated
collection system downstream and localized flooding. Crews were dispatched to barricade area. When
SSO had stopped crews were dispatched with city vactor truck to clean up and wash down roadway.
05/21/2020
Incident number 202001480 1201 Concord Rd is associated with HWY 73 lift station. This SSO was due
to 7 inches of rain in a 12 hour period. During times of rain the City of Albemarle at this lift station gets a
lot of I&I flow from the county via Hwy 73 towards Milingport area. This lift station can keep up with
daily demands of our system and the counties but not during heavy rain event's. This rain event was so
heavy that the Vcator truck wouldn't handle the flows coming in from the county. Crews were dispatched
after SSO had stopped to clean up debris around lift station and check wooded area where SSO was
associated with. Crews found no debris but put out lime in the areas affected by SSO. The county is
currently working to resolve some of their I&I issues.

05/20/2020
Incident number 202001481 1313 N 6"' St is associated with a low laying manhole (#1252) in the parking
Lot of Madison Place Apartments. This large total was associated with three separate events at this
address in this sub basin of Melchor branch on the same days. Crews were dispatched to these events as
soon as SSO stopped to clean up and wash down parking lot, however other storms popped up causing
more issues. Crews were able to barricade off this area to protect customers. As the last SSO subsided
crews were called on site to clean up area as instructed in the City of Albemarle's Spill Response
procedure hand book. Crews used the Vactor truck to wash parking area and clean up debris due to the
mentioned SSO.
05/27/2020
Incident number 202001580 252 N.5"' St. this SSO is associated with a manhole (#1593) in the back yard
of a resident at 252 N 5th St. This individual called and reported the overflow. Crews were already
dispatched to other places in the collection system due to the heavy rain events associated with Tropical
Storm Bertha. The backup ORC arrived on site and spoke with the customer and told him what we were
facing with the storm and the flooding. After the SSO had stopped crews were called out to rake up all
debris and lime area around manhole. Crews then walked downstream but no debris were found due to the
severity of the flooding. The Backup ORC sent crews out the next working day to wash and camera lines
downstream and found a partial stoppage on this sewer main which caused the back up. City crews
worked for several hours with the Vactor truck and was able to free the line of all debris.
05/27/2020
Incident number 202001581 949 Old Charlotte Rd is associated with a manhole (#1877) this SSO was
caused by heavy rains from Tropical storm Bertha. Most of the areas upstream and downstream were
flooded during this event. After flood waters had subsided and SSO had stopped crews were dispatched
with the vactor truck to wash road and clean up debris.
05/27/2020
Incident number 202001582 is associated with a manhole (#1153) at the intersection of Salisbury Ave and
Hwy 52. This SSO was caused by heavy rains from Tropical storm Bertha. The areas just adjacent to this
manhole were flooded during this event. Crews blocked the road in this area as it was impassable during
this event due to floodwaters. As soon as the flood waters subsided crews were able to get out and clean
up SSO. Vactor truck crews were then dispatched at the stop of SSO to wash down road and walk area
but no debris were found due to the flood waters.
05/27/2020
Incident number 202001583 is associated with a manhole (#1516) at the intersection of Efird St and Hwy
52. This SSO was caused by heavy rains associated with Tropical Storm Bertha. Crews were dispatched
to the area and used barricades to block the area of overflow. When SSO had subsided crews were sent
out to wash the road and clean area as stated in the city's Spill Response Procedure.
05/27/2020
Incident number 202001584 42844 Vickers Store Rd is associated with a manhole (#1196) just right
outside the lift station. This SSO was caused by heavy rains associated with Tropical Storm Bertha. These

rains flooded this area at the lift station causing the wet well to become capacitated. Back up ORC
deemed it unsafe to use Vactor truck during this event due to floodwaters in this area. When SSO had
subsided crews were dispatched on site to clean area of debris, however no debris were found due to the
floodwaters. Crews them limed area around manhole as stated in the city's Spill Response Procedure.
05/27/2020
Incident number 202001585 is associated with a manhole (#879) just upstream of the Vickers Store Rd
lift station. At the call of the smart cover the Backup ORC was on site. This SSO was caused by heavy
rains from Tropical Storm Bertha. These rains caused this area to flood causing the lift station to become
capacitated. The above mentioned issue with Vactor truck applies to this area also. When SSO had
subsided crews were dispatched to area to clean up debris, however no debris were found due to the
floodwaters. Crews were able to lime area around manhole as stated in the city's Spill Response
Procedure.
05/27/2020
Incident number 202001586 is associated with a low laying manhole (#1252) in the parking lot of 1313
N. 6t1' St. This SSO was caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Bertha. The backup ORC was
dispatched to this SSO and at a time where he deemed it safe to get in with the Vactor truck he called out
other crews to set up and evacuate from the upstream manhole to help lessen the impacts of this SSO on
this site. Crews worked around the clock running the city's vactor truck to them and stop SSO. Crews
were able to evacuated 38 loads 79,800 gallons from the upstream manhole to stop the SSO. When SSO
had stopped crews washed down parking lot, raked up debris and cleaned ditch area of debris.
05/29/2020
Incident number 202001702 is associated with a manhole (#1196) just outside of Vickers Store Rd lift
station. This SSO was caused by heavy rains stemming from the remains of Tropical Storm Bertha and
the low pressure system that had stalled over us and continually dumped heavy rain showers in our area.
The backup ORC was dispatched on site by the call of a smart cover. When the SSO had stopped crews
were dispatched to clean up area as stated in the city's Spill Response Procedure. No debris were found
due to floodwaters. Crews lime area around manhole.
05/29/2020
Incident number 202001703 is associated with a manhole (#879) just upstream of Vickers Store Rd lift
station at 31601 Hwy 740. This SSO was associated with heavy rain caused by the remains of Tropical
Storm Bertha and a low pressure system that had stalled over us causing heavy rain storms. The backup
ORC was dispatched on site at the call of the smart cover. When SSO had stopped crews were dispatched
to area of SSO to clean up as stated in the city's Spill Response procedure. Crews raked up debris around
manhole and put out lime in the area.
05/29/2020
Incident number 202001704 is associated with a low laying manhole in the parking lot of 1313 n.6' St.
This over flow was caused by heavy rains and the remains of Tropical storm Bertha and a low pressure
system that had stalled over us causing rain storms. The backup ORC called out crews with the vactor
truck to evacuate water from an upstream manhole to stop or lessen the impacts of the SSO. Crews pulled

40 loads 84,000 gallons from upstream manhole to stop the SSO. When SSO had subsided crews washed
down parking lot and raked up debris and cleaned ditch associated with spill.
All of the above mentioned events were caused by storms and Tropical storm. Most causing more
flooding then we have seen in the last several years.
I would also like to state that the City of Albemarle in the meantime has been working with LKC
Engineering doing several flow studies in these areas and also looking at doing a small project at the
above mentioned SSO sites associated with 1313 N6th St. City crews are looking at replacing a manhole
with a 90 degree turn in it and have found a section of bottleneck pipe to be replaced in all the project will
take out the 90 degree bend and bottleneck and replace approximately 150 foot of pipe.
The City of Albemarle appreciates the opportunity to provide this information for consideration in this
matter. It is hoped that we will be received favorably. If there are any more questions or information that
is needed, please feel free to contact this office.
Sincerely,
gruUG1 vu H%v sov�,, Collection System ORC
704-961-6149
City of Albemarle