WQCS00149_NOV-2020-DV-0292 Response_20200715

Lincoln County Public Works
Don Chamblee
{, I' r ,,,
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
Attn: W. Corey Basinger
Regional Supervisor
610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, NC
Ref: Notice of Violation
Tracking Number: NOV-2020-DV-0292
I am writing in response to the Notice of Violation issued on June 25, 2020 (NOV-2020-DV-0292)
The SSO that occurred on 5/29/2020 at 4218 Ashe Hollow lane was the result of work being
performed by a contractor for Duke Energy. The contractor did not verify the depth of the pipe
before boring under the road. This resulted in them striking the low pressure sewer line, causing it to
flow sewage into a nearby storm drain.
As soon as we were made aware that the line was hit, a crew was sent to the location. Our staff dug
a pit and used a pumper truck to contain the flow. The quick reaction limited the amount of flow
that hit Lake Norman. The pipe was repaired and the area was cleaned up.
Lincoln County Public Works will continue to work diligently to fully comply with our NCDEQ Permit
#WQCS00149. We also ask that you consider the following:
1. The spill was not a result of any negligence on the part of Lincoln County.
2. Public Works staff worked quickly to stop the SSO.
3. There were no fish kill.
o. 704.736.8497 [e-mail] ® 115W.NWiSt I LINCOLNTON NC 28092
f. 704.736.8499 w

Lincoln County Public Works
Don Chamblee
:)lic Works Staff and reporting to Mooresville NCDEQ staff.
The attached SSO Report and the above are offered for your consideration in the important matter.
Cor dfd,
Donald V. Chamblee
Director of Public Works
115 W. Main St.
Lincolnton, NC 28092
[e-mail]
o. 704.736.8497 [e-mail] ® 115WMbinSt I LINCOLNTON NC 28092
f. 704. 736.8499

State of North Carolina
,F°° s; ,��:,:rljpartment of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Resources
JUL : _ !
Collection System Sanitary Sewer Overflow Reporting Form
Division of Water Resources WQ R0: Form CS-SSO
PART I:
This form shall be submitted to the appropriate DWR Regional Office within five business days of the first knowledge of the
sanitary sewer overflow (SSO).
Permit Number: WQCS00149 (WQCS# if active, otherwise use WQCSD#)
Facility: Lincoln County Sewer System Incident #: Owner: Lincoln County
Region: Mooresville City: Denver County: Lincoln
Source of SSO (check applicable): ® Sanitary Sewer ® Pump Station / Lift Station
SPECIFIC location of the SSO (be consistent in description from past reports or documentation - i.e. Pump
Station 6, Manhole at Westall & Bragg Street, etc.): 4218 Ash Hollow
Manhole #:
Latitude (degrees/minute/second): 35 31'42.47" N Longitude (degrees/minute/second): 80 58' 21.55"W
Incident Started Dt: 05-29-2020 Time: 4:01 pm Incident End Dt: 5-29-2020 Time: 5:35 pm
(mm-dd-yyyy) (hh:mm) AM/PM (mm-dd-yyyy) (hh:mm) AM/PM
Estimated volume of the SSO: 600 gallons Estimated Duration (round to nearest hour): 2 hour(s)
Describe how the volume was determined: Visual observation of the amount of flow mulitpied by the time
Weather conditions during the SSO event: clear
Did the SSO reach surface waters? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ Unknown
Volume reaching surface waters: 600 gallons Surface water name: unnamed tributary of Lake Norman
Did the SSO result in a fish kill? ❑ Yes ® No ❑ Unknown
If Yes, what is the estimated number of fish killed?
SPECIFIC cause(s) of the SSO:
❑Severe Natural Conditions ❑ Grease
❑Pump Station Equipment Failure ❑ Power Outage
®Other (Please explain in Part II)
❑Roots ❑Inflow & infiltration
❑Vandalism ❑ Debris in line ❑Pipe Failure (Break)
24-hour verbal notification (name of person contacted): Jerry Belcher
❑DWR ZEmergency Management Date (mm-dd-yyy): 5-29-2020 Time: (hh:mm AM/PM): 7:23 pm
Per G.S. 143-215.1 C(b), the owner or operator of any wastewater collection system shall:
In the event of a discharge of 1,000 gallons or more of untreated wastewater to the surface waters of the State, issue
a press release to all print and electronic news media that provide general coverage in the county where the
discharge occurred setting out the details of the discharge. The press release shall be issued within 24 hours after
the owner or operator has determined that the discharge has reached surface waters of the State.
In the event of a discharge of 15,000 gallons or more of untreated wastewater to the surface waters of the State,
publish a notice of the discharge in a newspaper having general circulation in the county in which the discharge
occurs and in each county downstream from the point of discharge that is significantly affected by the discharge. The
Regional Office shall determine which counties are significantly affected by the discharge and shall approve the form
and content of the notice and the newspapers in which the notice is published.
WHETHER OF NOT PART II IS COMPLETED, A SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED SEE PAGE 13
Form CS-SSO Page I

In order to submit a claim for justification of an SSO, you must use Part II of form CS-SSO with additional documentation as
necessary. DWR staff will review the justification claim and determine if enforcement action is appropriate,
PART II:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR EACH RELATED CAUSE CHECKED IN PART I OF THIS FORM AND
INCLUDE THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION AS REQUIRED OR DESIRED
COMPLETE ONLY THOSE SECTONS PERTAINING TO THE CAUSE OF THE SSO AS CHECKED IN PART I
(In the check boxes below, NA = Not Applicable and NE = Not Evaluated)
A HARDCOPY OF THIS FORM SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATE DWR REGIONAL OFFICE UNLESS
IS HAS BEEN SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH THE ONLINE REPORTING SYSTEM
Form CS-SSO Page 2

Severe Natural Conditions (hurricane, tornado etc.)
Describe the "severe natural condition" in detail:
How much advance warning did you have and what actions were taken in preparation for the event?
Comments:
Form CS-SSO Page 3

Grease (Documentation such as cleaning inspection enforcement actions past overflow reports educational
material and distribution date, etc. should be available upon request.)
When was the last time this specific line (or wet well) was cleaned?
Do you have an enforceable grease ordinance that requires new or retrofit of
grease traps/interceptors? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ NA ❑ NE
Have there been recent inspection and/or enforcement actions taken on near-
by restaurants or other nonresidential grease contributors? ❑ Yes ❑ No [:]NA ❑ NE
Explain:
Have there been other SSOs or blockages in this areas that were also caused
by grease ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
When?
If yes, describe them:
Have cleaning and inspections ever been done at this location? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
Explain.
Have educational material about grease been distributed in the past? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
and to whom:
Explain:
If the SSO occurred at a pump station, when was the wet well and pumps last checked
for grease accumulation:
Were the floats clean? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
Comments:
Form CS-SSO page 4

Roots
Do you have an active root control program on the line I area in question? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
Describe:
Have cleaning and inspections ever been increased at this location because
of roots? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
Explain:
What corrective actions have been accomplished at the SSO location (and
surrounding system if associated with the SSO)?
What corrective actions are planned at the SSO location to reduce root intrusion?
Has the line been smoke tested or videoed within the past year? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
If Yes, when?
Comments:
Form CS-SSO Page 5

Inflow and Infiltration
Are you under an SOC (Special Order by Consent) or do you have a schedule
❑ Yes
❑ No
❑NA ❑ NE
in any permit that addresses Ill?
Explain if Yes:
What corrective actions have been taken to reduce or eliminate I & I related overflows this spill location
within the last year?
Has there been any flow studies to determine III problems in the
❑ Yes
❑ No
❑NA ❑ NE
collection system at the SSO location?
If Yes, when was the study completed and what actions did it recommend?
Has the line been smoke tested or videoed within the past year?
❑ Yes
❑ No
[:]NA ❑ NE
If Yes, when and what actions are necessary and the status of such actions:
Are there lil related projects in your Capital Improvement Plan?
❑ Yes
❑ No
❑NA ❑ NE
If Yes, explain:
Have there been any grant or loan applications for Ill reduction projects?
❑ Yes
❑ No
❑NA ❑ NE
If Yes, explain:
Do you suspect any major sources of inflow or cross connections
❑ Yes
❑ No
[-]NA ❑ NE
with storm sewers?
If Yes, explain:
Have all lines contacting surface waters in the SSO location and upstream
❑ Yes
❑ No
❑NA ❑ NE
been inspected recently?
If Yes, explain:
What other corrective actions are planned to prevent future Ill related SSOs at this location?
Comments:
Form CS-SSO Page 6

Pump Station Equipment Failure (Documentation of testing records etc should be provided upon request)
What kind of notification/alarm systems are present?
Auto-dialer/telemetry (one-way communication) ❑ Yes
Audible ❑ Yes
Visual ❑ Yes
SCADA (two-way communication) ❑ Yes
Emergency Contact Signage ❑ Yes
Other ❑ Yes
If Yes, explain:
Describe the equipment that failed:
What kind of situations trigger an alarm condition at this station (i.e. pump failure, power failure, high water, etc.)?
Were notification/alarm systems operable? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
In no, explain:
If a pump failed, when was the last maintenance and/or inspection performed?
What specifically was checked/maintained?
If a valve failed, when was it last exercised?
Were all pumps set to alternate?
❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
Did any pump show above normal run times prior to and during the SSO event? ❑ Yes ❑ No DNA ❑ NE
Were adequate spare parts on hand to fix the equipment
Was a spare or portable pump immediately available?
If a float problem, when were the floats last tested? How?
If an auto -dialer or SCADA, when was the system last tested? How?
Comments:
❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
❑ Yes ❑ No RNA ❑ NE
Form CS-SSO Page 7

Power outage Documentation of testing, records tec., should be provided of alternative power source upon
request.)
What is your alternate power or pumping source?
Did it function properly? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
Describe?
When was the alternate power or pumping source last tested under load?
If caused by a weather event, how much advance warning did you have and what actions were taken to prepare for the
event?
Comments:
Form CS-SSO Page 8

Vandalism
Provide police report number:
Was the site secured? ❑ Yes ❑ No
If Yes, how?
Have there been previous problems with vandalism at the SSO location?
If Yes, explain:
What security measures have been put in place to prevent similar ❑ Yes ❑ No
occurrences in the future?
Comments:
EMM
❑ NA
S
Form CS-SSO Page 9

Debris in line (Rocks, sticks, rags and other items not allowed in the collection system, etc,)
What type of debris has been found in the line?
Suspected cause or source of debris:
Are manholes in the area secure and intact?
When was the area last checked/cleaned?
Have cleaning and inspections ever been increased at this location
due to previous problems with debris?
Explain:
Are appropriate educational materials being developed and distributed
to prevent future similar occurrences?
Comments:
❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA
❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA
❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA
❑ NE
❑ NE
❑ NE
Form CS-SSO Page 10

Other (Pictures and police report, as applicable, must be available upon request.)
Describe:
Were adequate equipment and resources available to fix the problem? ® Yes ❑ No ❑NA
If Yes, explain: The service truck was stocked with all necessary parts to make the repair.
If the problem could not be immediately repaired, what actions
were taken to lessen the impact of the SSO?
❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA
FO®
Sm
Comments: On May 29, 2020 at 4:01 pm an electrical contractor hit a 2" low pressure sewer line while doing a bore.
Staff arrived at 4:55pm and identified the problem and dug a pit to contain the sewage, a pumper truck was on scene at
5:29pm and started pumping up the sewage. Flow was contained at 5:35pm. The section of damaged pipe was cut out and
replaced. The Lincoln County Health Director issued a no swim advisery at 7:30pm on Friday, May 29, 2020.
Form CS-SSO Page I I

Pipe Failure (Break)
Pipe size (inches)
What is the pipe material
What is the approximate age of the line/ pipe (years old)
Is this a gravity line?
Is this a force main line?
Is the line a "High Priority" line?
Last inspection date and findings
If a force main then,
Was the break on the force main vertical?
Was the break on the force main horizontal?
Was the leak at the joint due to gasket failure ?
Was the leak at the joint due to split bell?
❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
❑ Yes ❑ No [:]NA ❑ NE
❑ Yes ❑ No [_]NA ❑ NE
❑ Yes ❑ No
❑NA
❑ NE
❑ Yes ❑ No
❑NA
❑ NE
❑ Yes ❑ No
❑NA
❑ NE
❑ Yes ❑ No
❑NA
❑ NE
When was the last inspection or test of the nearest air -release valve to determine if operable?
When was the last maintenance of the air release performed?
If gravity sewer then,
Does the line receive flow from a force main immediately upstream ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
of the failed section of pipe?
If yes, what measures are taken to control the hydrogen sulfide production?
When was the line last inspected or videoed?
If line collapsed, what is the condition of the line up and down stream of the failure?
What type of repair was made?
If temporary, when is the permanent repair planned?
Have there been other failures of this line in the past five years? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑NA ❑ NE
If so, then describe
Form CS-SSO Page 12

System Visitation
ORC
I
Name: Michael Paul Simmons
Certification Number: 997855
Date visited: 5-29-2020
® Yes
❑ Yes
Time visited: 5:37 pm
How was the SSO remediated (i./e, Stopped and cleaned up)?
The broken piece of pipe was cut out and replaced. A pumper truck was used to clean up the area. Lime was
placed on grass surfaces,
As a representative for the responsible party I certify that the information contained in this report is true and accurate to the
best of my knowledge.
Person submitting claim: Michael P. Simmons
Date: 6-03-2020
f Signature: Title: Ul'f:#u 0VQf0Lj:0A5 �U f-At`"JeAt
� —r—
Telephone Number: 704-736-8497
Any additional information desired to be submitted should be sent to the appropriate Division Regional Office within five
business days of first knowledge of the SSO with reference to the incident number (the incident number is only generated
when electronic entry of this form is completed, if used).
Form CS-SSO Page 13