NC0024279_Draft Permit_20200825

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ROY COOPER4
Governor C ,\44444:-.)�
MICHAEL S.REGAN
Secretory
S.DANIEL SMITH NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
August 25, 2020
City of Conover
Attn: Brian Bradshaw,Utilities Director
PO Box 549
Conover,NC 28613-0549
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC0024279
Conover Southeast WWTP
Grade II Biological WPCS
Catawba County
Dear Mr.Bradshaw:
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Please review this draft carefully to ensure a
thorough understanding of the information,conditions,and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
> The Supplement to Cover Sheet page has been updated to include the facility address, stream index,and
the HUC code.
➢ Quarterly monitoring for Hardness has been added to the Effluent table in Section A. (1)per current
permitting strategy for dissolved metals.
> Section A. (2)has been updated regarding the submission of aquatic toxicity test results.
➢ Section A.(4)and Footnote#1 in Section A. (1.)have been updated regarding electronic submission of
effluent data.Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports(DMRs).
> Total Mercury monitoring has been added to the effluent table in Section A. (1.),with further details in
Section A. (3.),as per current permitting strategy.
The NC 2007-2014 Water Quality Standard(WQS)Triennial Review was approved by the NC Environmental
Management Committee(EMC)on November 13,2014. The US EPA subsequently approved the WQS revisions
on April 6, 2016 with some exceptions.The NC Division of Water Resources NPDES Permitting Unit is required
to implement the new dissolved metal standards in all permits public noticed after April 6,2016.
The new standards for most metals include acute standards. Further,the freshwater standards for several metals
are expressed as the dissolved form of the metals,and seven metals have hardness-dependent equations.As a
result,the NPDES Permitting Unit will need site-specific effluent hardness data and instream hardness data,
upstream of the discharge,for each facility monitoring these metals in order to calculate permit
limitations. Effluent hardness and instream hardness sampling,upstream of the discharge,has been added to this
permit at a monitoring frequency of quarterly. See Section A. (1)Effluent Limitations and Monitoring
Requirements.
The NPDES standard conditions(Parts II,III, and IV)that are a part of the permit are not included in this draft
document(cover,map, and Part I).The conditions are the same as in your current permit except that agency and
division names have been updated.The latest version is available at https://bit.ly/2BZ4xxx and can be viewed
online or downloaded as a PDF file.
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Draft Permit NC0024279
Conover Southeast WWTP
With this notification,the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a notice in
newspapers having circulation in the general Catawba County area,per EPA requirements. Please provide your
comments,if any,to me no later than 30 days after receiving this draft permit.
Following the 30-day public comment period,the Division will review all pertinent comments and take appropriate
action prior to issuing a final permit.If you have questions concerning the draft,please contact me at 919-707-3712
or via e-mail [[e-mail]].
Sincerely,
Sydney Carpenter
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting
ec: NPDES File [Laserfiche]
Mooresville Regional Office [Laserfiche]

NPDES Permit NC0024279
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
In compliance with the provision of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the
City of Conover
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Conover Southeast WWTP
1702 Southeast Plant Road
Conover
Catawba County
to receiving waters designated as McLin Creek in the Catawba River Basin in accordance with effluent
limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I, II, III and IV hereof.
This permit shall become effective
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on April 30, 2025.
Signed this day
S. Daniel Smith, Director
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked. As of this permit issuance, any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer
effective. Therefore,the exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the
permit conditions,requirements, terms, and provisions included herein.
The City of Conover
is hereby authorized to:
1. Prior to continued operation of the wastewater treatment plant, the City of Conover is required to
comply with Section A. (2) Facility Restart Notification.
2. This facility is located at the Conover Southeast WWTP at 1702 Southeast Plant Road, Conover in
Catawba County.
3. Discharge from said treatment works at the location specified on the attached map into McLin
Creek, currently classified C waters [Stream Index: 11-76-5-(0.3)] in sub-basin 03-08-32 [HUC:
0305010111] in the Catawba River Basin.
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
PART I
A. (1) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade II Biological Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
Beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the Permittee is authorized to
discharge treated wastewater from outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored I by the
Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
Monthly Weekly Daily Measurement Sample Sample
[eDMR Code] Average Average Maximum Frequency Type Location 2
Influent or
Flow [50050] 0.30 MGD Continuous Recording Effluent
BOD,5-day (20°C)3(mg/L) [C0310] 30.0 mg/L 45.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids 3(mg/L) [C0530] 30.0 mg/L 45.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
Effluent
NH3 as N (Apr. 1 —Oct. 31)(mg/L) [C0610] 2.0 mg/L 6.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Effluent
NH3 as N (Nov. 1 —Mar 31)(mg/L) [C0610] 5.2 mg/L 15.6 mg/L Weekly Composite Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine(TRC)a [50060] 28 pg/L 2/Week Grab Effluent
(pg/L)
Fecal Coliform(geometric mean) [31616] 200/100m1 400/100m1 Weekly Grab Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen(mg/L) [00300] Daily Average>5.0 mg/L Weekly Grab Effluent
Temperature(°C) [00010] Monitor&Report Daily Grab Effluent
Conductivity [00094] Monitor&Report Weekly Grab Effluent
pH [00400] >6.0 and<9.0 standard units Weekly Grab Effluent
Total Nitrogen(TN)(mg/L) [C0610] Monitor&Report Quarterly Composite Effluent
(NO2+NO3+TKN)
Total Phosphorus(TP)(mg/L) [C0665] Monitor&Report Quarterly Composite Effluent
Nickel(pg/L) [01067] 135 pg/L 261 pg/L 2/Month Composite Effluent
Selenium(pg/L) [01145] 7.7 pg/L 23.1 pg/L 2/Month Composite Effluent
Copper(pg/L) [01042] Monitor&Report Monthly Composite Effluent
Zinc(pg/L) [01092] Monitor&Report Monthly Composite Effluent
Chronic Toxicity 6 [TGP3B] Monitor&Report Quarterly Composite Effluent
Total Mercury?(ng/L) [COMER] Monitor&Report 1/Permit Grab Effluent
Cycle
Hardness—Total as s [00900] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
[CaCO3 or(Ca+Mg)] (mg/L)
Hardness—Total as [00900] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Upstream
[CaCO3 or(Ca+Mg)]9(mg/L)
Dissolved Oxygen(mg/L) [00300] Monitor&Report Weekly Grab U&D
Temperature(°C) [00010] Monitor&Report Weekly Grab U&D
Footnotes:
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the Division's eDMR system.
[See A. (5)]
2. U: upstream at least 50-feet above the outfall. D: downstream at least 50-feet below the outfall.
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
3. The monthly average effluent BOD5 and Total Suspended Solids concentrations shall not exceed 15%of the
respective influent value(85%removal).
4. Limit and monitoring requirements apply only if chlorine or chlorine derivatives are used for disinfection.
The Division shall consider all effluent TRC values reported<50 µg/L to be in compliance with the permit.
However,the Permittee shall record and submit all values reported by a North Carolina certified laboratory
(including field certified), even if these values fall below 50 µg/L.
5. For a given wastewater sample,TN=TKN+NO3-N+NO2-N,where TN is Total Nitrogen,TKN is Total
Kjeldahl Nitrogen, and NO3-N and NO2-N are Nitrate and Nitrite Nitrogen,respectively.TP is Total
Phosphorus.
6. Chronic Toxicity limit(Ceriodaphnia, 48%test concentration)with sample collection in January,April,July,
and October. [See A. (4)for details]
7. See A. (3)for details regarding the mercury analysis.EPA Method 1631E must be used for Total Mercury
sampling&analysis.
8. Effluent hardness sampling should be performed in conjunction with testing for hardness dependent metals
(copper,nickel,zinc).
9. The Permittee shall sample instream hardness,upstream of the facility's discharge.The sample shall be
representative of the hardness in the receiving stream. If the Permittee is a member of the Monitoring
Coalition Program, sampling for instream hardness may be waived as long as the Monitoring Coalition agrees
to sample hardness at the nearest upstream location, at a minimum frequency of quarterly,and the Permittee
has obtained approval from DWR-NPDES Permitting Unit that the upstream station being monitored by the
Coalition is representative of the receiving stream for this discharge.The Permittee is responsible for
submitting instream hardness test results with its permit renewal application package. If Coalition
membership is cancelled or the Coalition terminates instream hardness sampling at the approved station,the
Permittee will immediately notify the Division and resume sampling for instream hardness,upstream of its
discharge.
All samples collected should be from a representative discharge event.
THERE SHALL BE NO DISCHARGE OF FLOATING SOLIDS OR VISIBLE FOAM IN OTHER
THAN TRACE AMOUNTS.
A. (2) FACILITY RESTART NOTIFICATION
[NC G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
Prior to restart of the treatment system, the Permittee shall submit a facility plan for this facility. The
plan shall include, at a minimum, the following elements:
Construction Plan: Document the treatment units to be upgraded/replaced/repaired, as well as any new
units that will be installed.
Permit Modification Request: A detailed request for a permit modification, including revised flow and
treatment schematics. NOTE: No increase in permitted flow can be permitted without issuance of
speculative limits and other reviews deemed necessary by the Division.
Biosolids Management Plan: Develop a plan to be used for the management of septage/biomass in
the treatment system, including associated solids wasting and disposal,to promote optimum system
performance. Identifying operating parameters to be used and target values or ranges of values where
appropriate.
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
Submit the plan to: NCDEQ/Division of Water Resources
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
A. (3.) EFFLUENT MERCURY ANALYSIS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
The Permittee shallprovide one effluent mercuryanalysis, usingEPA Method 1631E in conjunction
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with the next permit renewal application. The analysis should be taken within 12 months prior to the
application date. Any additional effluent mercury measurements conducted from the effective date of
this permit and up to the application date shall also be submitted with the renewal application.
If the result of the mercury analysis is not provided with the application, the application may be returned
as incomplete and the Permittee considered non-compliant.
A. (4) CHRONIC TOXICITY PERMIT LIMIT (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B .0200 et seq.]
The effluent discharge shall at no time exhibit observable inhibition of reproduction or significant
mortality to Ceriodaphnia dubia at an effluent concentration of 48%.
The permit holder shall perform at a minimum, Quarterly monitoring using test procedures outlined in
the"North Carolina Ceriodaphnia Chronic Effluent Bioassay Procedure," (Revised December 2010, or
subsequent versions) or"North Carolina Phase II Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Procedure"
(Revised December 2010, or subsequent versions). The tests will be performed during the months of
January, April,July, and October. These months signify the first month of each three-month toxicity
testing quarter assigned to the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained during
representative effluent discharge and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent discharge
below all treatment processes.
If the test procedure performed as the first test of any single quarter results in a failure or ChV
below the permit limit, then multiple-concentration testing shall be performed at a minimum, in
each of the two following months as described in "North Carolina Phase II Chronic Whole
Effluent Toxicity Test Procedure" (Revised-December 2010, or subsequent versions).
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered electronically using
the Division's eDMR system for the months in which tests were performed, using the parameter code
TGP3B for the pass/fail results and THP3B for the Chronic Value. Additionally, DWR Form AT-3
(original) is to be sent to the following address:
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,NC 27699-1621
Or,results can be sent to the email,[e-mail].
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than 30
days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be complete, accurate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all
concentration/response data, and be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved designate
signature. Total residual chlorine of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if
chlorine is employed for disinfection of the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is
required, the pennittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity(AT)test
form indicating the facility name, permit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report
with the notation of"No Flow"in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted to the
Water Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required,monitoring
will be required during the following month. Assessment of toxicity compliance is based on the toxicity
testing quarter, which is the three-month time interval that begins on the first day of the month in which
toxicity testing is required by this permit and continues until the final day of the third month.
Should any test data from this monitoring requirement or tests performed by the North Carolina Division
of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re-opened and
modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival, minimum control organism reproduction, and appropriate environmental controls,
shall constitute an invalid test and will require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than
the last day of the month following the month of the initial monitoring.
A. (5) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF DISCHARGE MONITORING REPORTS
[G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and program
reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December
21, 2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this
permit(Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B. (11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D. (2.) Reporting
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
• Section D. (6.) Records Retention
• Section E. (5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)1
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic
Discharge Monitoring Report(eDMR) internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
submitted electronically using eDMR. The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter
monitoring data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. The eDMR system may be
accessed at: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr.
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the facility
being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have broadband
access, then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted
and discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms (MR 1, 1.1, 2, 3) or
alternative forms approved by the Director. Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to the
following address:
NC DEQ/Division of Water Resources/Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
See"How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Regardless of the submission method, the first DMR is due on the last day of the month following
the issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last day of the month following the
commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21, 2020, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports, when applicable:
• Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
• Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and
• Clean Water Act(CWA) Section 316(b) Annual Reports.
PLEASE NOTE: NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule—Phase 2 Extension. EPA is proposing to
extend the Phase 2 deadline from December 21, 2020 until at least December 21, 2023. The current
compliance date will be extended if the implementation date is extended as a final regulation change
in the federal register.
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division (see"How to Request a
Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below).
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9),the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time
of each electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify the
initial recipient for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the entity
(EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program)that is the designated entity
for receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for
each type of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the
appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES
Electronic Reporting Rule is found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-
24954/national-pollutant-discharge-elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the"Reporting Requirements"section above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an
electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to
the Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to
the Division for written approval at least sixty(60) days prior to the date the facility would be
required under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a
temporary waiver shall not exceed 5 years and shall thereupon expire. At such time,monitoring data
and reports shall be submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re-applies for and is
granted a new temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic reporting
waivers are not transferrable. Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request may
submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved
reporting waiver request is effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on
the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edm r
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d)1
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(a)or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(b). A person, and not a position,must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR
reporting purposes.
For eDMR submissions,the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user
account and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North
Carolina's eDMR system,registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account,please visit
the following web page:
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NPDES Permit NC0024279
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification. Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall make
the following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION
WILL BE ACCEPTED:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my
direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or
persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information,
the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete. I
am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the
possibility of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations."
5. Records Retention [Supplements Section D. (6.)1
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR
submissions. These records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the
date of the report. This period may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR
122.41].
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