NC0069761_NOV2020PC0414_20200914

ROY COOPER
Governor
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secretary
S. DANIEL SMITH
Director
Town of Beech Mountain
Attn: Daniel Davis, Public Utilities Director
510 Beech Mountain Pkwy
Beech Mountain, NC, 28604
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
September 14, 2020
SUBJECT: Compliance Evaluation Inspection & Continuing Notice of Violation
NOV Tracking #: NOV-2020-PC-0414
Pond Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
NPDES Permit #NC0069761
Watauga County
Dear Mr. Davis:
Ron Boone, of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR), Winston-Salem Regional Office (WSRO),
visited Pond Creek wastewater treatment plant on August 14th, 2020, to perform a Compliance Evaluation
Inspection (CEI). Your assistance and cooperation, as well as that of Randall Horney, Operator in Responsible
Charge (ORC), was greatly appreciated. Details of the inspection are recorded on the attached EPA Water
Compliance Inspection Report.
You're reminded that, in accordance with NC General Statute 143-215.6A, failure to comply with all
conditions of the permit subjects the Town of Beech Mountain to civil penalties not to exceed $25,000.00 per
violation, per day.
As there were deficiencies/violations noted during his inspection, please respond in writing to this
notice within 15 business days of receiving it. Your response should address each deficiency/violation
individually and provide a proposed corrective action with implementation schedule for each
deficiency/violation. Your written response will, in part, determine whether DWR will pursue any further
action against the Town of Beech Mountain regarding the deficiencies/violations contained herein.
If you have any questions or require further assistance, please contact Mr. Boone by phone at 336-776-
9690, or by email at ron.booneOncdenr.gov. You may also contact me by phone at 336-776-9700, or by email
at lon.sniderOncdenr.gov.
Sincerely,
EDocuSiiggned by:
f�ti l 5.41cr
145B49E225C94EA...
Lon T. Snider, Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Winston-Salem Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
Attachments:
1. EPA Water Compliance Inspection Report
cc: Laserfiche
D � North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
Winston-Salem Regional Office [ 450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300 I Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27105
NOh �HCARO UHA
oep I, 6,1 m �ku­�I o�a� /"� 336.776.9800

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Form Approved.
EPA Washington, D.C. 20460
OMB No. 2040-0057
Water Compliance Inspection Report
Approval expires 8-31-98
Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS)
Transaction Code NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type
1 IN 1 2 u 3 I NCO069761 I11 121 20/08/14 I17 18I � I 19 I s I 201 I
211IIIII 111111III II III III1 I I IIIII IIIIIIIII II r6
Inspection
Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA ---------------------- Reserved -------------------
67
I 72 I ni I 71 I 74 79 I I I I I I I80
701 I 71 I LL -1 I I
LJ
Section B: Facility Data
Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include
Entry Time/Date
Permit Effective Date
POTW name and NPDES Dermit Number)
10:30AM 20/08/14
18/07/01
Pond Creek WWTP
364 Locust Ridge Rd
Exit Time/Date
Permit Expiration Date
Banner Elk NC 28604
01:30PM 20/08/14
22/09/30
Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s)
Other Facility Data
Randall Horney/ORC/828-387-4724/
Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number
Contacted
Robert Mitchell Heaton,PO Box 342 Roan Mountain TN 37687//704-387-4724/
No
Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated)
Permit 0 Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenar Records/Reports
Self -Monitoring Progran 0 Sludge Handling Dispo: Facility Site Review Effluent/Receiving Wate
Laboratory
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
(See attachment summary)
Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
Ron Boone DWR/WSRO WQ/336-776-9690/
Docusigned by: 9/11/2020
; O. .6o6,G�. 220,ovve,
Signature of Management &yPSby. Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
rL-0, '? S'ac, 9/14/2020
EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete.
Page#

NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type (Cont.)
NCO069761 I11 12I 20/08/14 117 18 i c i
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
Plant appeared to be running well during the inspection. Mixed liquor was light to medium brown and
there was no foul odor. A settleability test revealed only about 20 percent solids after 30 minutes of
settling. The center well of the primary was heavily coated with solids and the aeration basin had nearly
100 percent coverage with a light to medium brown foam. Again, no foul odor present. The sludge
blanket was only 1 foot and the clarifier is 12 feet deep. There was a small amount of pin floc overflow
from the primary and secondary, but nothing out of the ordinary or significant. Lighting in the building
that houses the UV and effluent metering and sampling systems wasn't good enough to allow an
accurate assessment of water clarity in the flow trough. Best assessment is that is looked clear and
there were no foul odors inside the building.
The plant was issued a Notice of Violation for the previous inspection of July 2019 for not using flow
proportional composite sampling (FPCS) for influent and effluent samples. This is still the case. New
samplers, which will allow FPCS, are on site, but they were delivered without all the necessary parts,
and therefore have not yet been hooked up, as of the writing of this report. Latest report is that all parts
have now been received and installation is being scheduled.
No other problems, discrepancies, or violations were noted during the inspection.
Page#

Permit: NCO069761 Owner -Facility: Pond Creek WWTP
Inspection Date: 08/14/2020 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Permit
Yes
No
NA
NE
(If the present permit expires in 6 months or less). Has the permittee submitted a new
❑
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0
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application?
Is the facility as described in the permit?
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0
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# Are there any special conditions for the permit?
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0
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Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public?
0
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Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection?
0
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Comment: Permit's plant description should be updated to include ALL components.
Record Keeping
Yes
No
NA NE
Are records kept and maintained as required by the permit?
0
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Is all required information readily available, complete and current?
0
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Are all records maintained for 3 years (lab. reg. required 5 years)?
0
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Are analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs?
0
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Is the chain -of -custody complete?
0
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Dates, times and location of sampling
Name of individual performing the sampling
Results of analysis and calibration
Dates of analysis
Name of person performing analyses
Transported COCs
Are DMRs complete: do they include all permit parameters?
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Has the facility submitted its annual compliance report to users and DWQ?
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(If the facility is = or > 5 MGD permitted flow) Do they operate 24/7 with a certified operatc
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0
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on each shift?
Is the ORC visitation log available and current?
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Is the ORC certified at grade equal to or higher than the facility classification?
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Is the backup operator certified at one grade less or greater than the facility classification'
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Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site?
0
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Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review?
❑
0
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Comment: A complete signed copy of last year's annual report was not available during the inspection.
The public works director was able to located an unsigned draft copy of it shortly after the
inspection. A completed and signed report for the current year was generated and submitted
shortly after the inspection.
Page# 3

Permit: NCO069761
Inspection Date: 08/14/2020
Owner -Facility: Pond Creek WWTP
Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Laboratory
Are field parameters performed by certified personnel or laboratory?
Are all other parameters(excluding field parameters) performed by a certified lab?
# Is the facility using a contract lab?
# Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees
Celsius)?
Incubator (Fecal Coliform) set to 44.5 degrees Celsius+/- 0.2 degrees?
Incubator (BOD) set to 20.0 degrees Celsius +/- 1.0 degrees?
Comment: None
Influent Sampling
# Is composite sampling flow proportional?
Is sample collected above side streams?
Is proper volume collected?
Is the tubing clean?
# Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees
Celsius)?
Is sampling performed according to the permit?
Yes
No
NA
NE
•
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•
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•
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■
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■
Yes
No
NA
NE
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■
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•
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•
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•
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■
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Comment: New samplers recently acquired that will allow flow proportional sampling. The samplers are
not set up vet. This is a continuing violation that was noted in the previous inspection.
Effluent Sampling
Is composite sampling flow proportional?
Is sample collected below all treatment units?
Is proper volume collected?
Is the tubing clean?
# Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees
Celsius)?
Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type
representative)?
IY411111111Z[•7►/_M►1:4
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• ❑ ❑ ❑
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Comment: New samplers recently acquired that will allow flow proportional sampling. The samplers are
not set up vet. This is a continuing violation that was noted in the previous inspection.
Upstream / Downstream Sampling
Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type, an(
sampling location)?
Comment: None
Yes No NA NE
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Page# 4

Permit: NCO069761 Owner -Facility: Pond Creek WWTP
Inspection Date: 08/14/2020 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Upstream / Downstream Sampling Yes No NA NE
Bar Screens
Yes
No
NA
NE
Type of bar screen
a.Manual
b.Mechanical
Are the bars adequately screening debris?
0
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Is the screen free of excessive debris?
0
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Is disposal of screening in compliance?
0
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Is the unit in good condition?
E
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Comment: None
Primary Clarifier
Yes
No
NA
NE
Is the clarifier free of black and odorous wastewater?
0
❑
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❑
Is the site free of excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier?
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0
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Are weirs level?
0
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Is the site free of weir blockage?
0
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Is the site free of evidence of short-circuiting?
0
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Is scum removal adequate?
0
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Is the site free of excessive floating sludge?
0
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Is the drive unit operational?
0
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Is the sludge blanket level acceptable?
0
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Is the sludge blanket level acceptable? (Approximately'/4 of the sidewall depth)
0
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Comment: 100% coverage of solids in center well of clarifier. Sludge blanket only about 1 foot deep at
time of inspection. Clarifier is 12 feet deep. There was some pin floc overflowing the weirs
but otherwise the water looked clear. There was no foul odor, scum, or floating solids on the
clarifier itself. Other than the solids in the center well it looked aood.
Aeration Basins
Yes No
NA
NE
Mode of operation
Ext. Air
Type of aeration system
Diffused
Is the basin free of dead spots?
0 ❑
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Are surface aerators and mixers operational?
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0
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Are the diffusers operational?
0 ❑
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Is the foam the proper color for the treatment process?
0 ❑
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Page# 5

Permit: NCO069761
Inspection Date: 08/14/2020
Owner -Facility: Pond Creek WWTP
Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Aeration Basins Yes No NA NE
Does the foam cover less than 25% of the basin's surface? ❑ 0 ❑ ❑
Is the DO level acceptable? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the DO level acceptable?(1.0 to 3.0 mg/1) 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment: Foam covered nearly 100 percent of basin surface at time of inspection. However, foam
was a medium brown shade and the basin had a pleasant earthy odor. It was very well
aerated and mixed with no dead spots and the air bubbles pushed up through the foam's
surface. The foam does not appear to be causing further problems in the system.
Secondary Clarifier
Yes
No
NA
NE
Is the clarifier free of black and odorous wastewater?
0
❑
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Is the site free of excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier?
0
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Are weirs level?
0
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Is the site free of weir blockage?
0
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Is the site free of evidence of short-circuiting?
0
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Is scum removal adequate?
0
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Is the site free of excessive floating sludge?
0
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Is the drive unit operational?
0
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Is the return rate acceptable (low turbulence)?
0
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Is the overflow clear of excessive solids/pin floc?
0
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Is the sludge blanket level acceptable? (Approximately'/ of the sidewall depth)
0
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Comment: Some overflow of pin floc.
Pumps-RAS-WAS
Yes
No
NA
NE
Are pumps in place?
0
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Are pumps operational?
0
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Are there adequate spare parts and supplies on site?
M
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Comment: None
Flow Measurement - Effluent
Yes
No
NA NE
# Is flow meter used for reporting?
0
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Is flow meter calibrated annually?
0
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Is the flow meter operational?
0
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(If units are separated) Does the chart recorder match the flow meter?
0
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Page# 6

Permit: NCO069761
Inspection Date: 08/14/2020
Flow Measurement - Effluent
Owner -Facility: Pond Creek WWTP
Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Yes No NA NE
Comment: Brand new ISCO 3010 flow meter installed on 7/13/2020. New composite
samplers
also on
site waiting to be installed. Samplers were missing some essential cables/parts when they
were received.
Disinfection - UV
Yes
No
NA
NE
Are extra UV bulbs available on site?
0
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Are UV bulbs clean?
0
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Is UV intensity adequate?
0
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Is transmittance at or above designed level?
0
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Is there a backup system on site?
0
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Is effluent clear and free of solids?
0
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Comment: Flow velocity over weir was high and the flume is in a room that is not lit well enough to allov
accurate assessment of water clarity. First impressions are that it looked clear. No solids
were detected going over weir. ORC stated bulbs are normally cleaned quarterly.
Effluent Pipe
Is right of way to the outfall properly maintained?
Are the receiving water free of foam other than trace amounts and other debris?
If effluent (diffuser pipes are required) are they operating properly?
Comment: None
Aerobic Digester
Is the capacity adequate?
Is the mixing adequate?
Is the site free of excessive foaming in the tank?
# Is the odor acceptable?
# Is tankage available for properly waste sludge?
Yes
No
NA NE
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■
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■
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Yes No NA NE
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Comment: The south diaester was full. The north was nearly full but thev recently Dressed sludae and
level was down approximately 18". Sludge was a medium brown shade with no foul odor
and both digesters are aerated. ORC mentioned he's been having difficutly pressing enough
sludge lately due in part to the chemical feed system's inefficiency, which they have
scheduled to be replaced soon.
Chemical Feed
Is containment adequate?
Is storage adequate?
Are backup pumps available?
Yes No NA NE
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Page#
7

Permit: NCO069761 Owner -Facility: Pond Creek WWTP
Inspection Date: 08/14/2020 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Chemical Feed Yes No NA NE
Is the site free of excessive leaking? ❑ 0 ❑ ❑
Comment: System is a powdered lime feed system, which is quite messy.
Solids Handling Equipment
Yes
No
NA
NE
Is the equipment operational?
0
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Is the chemical feed equipment operational?
0
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Is storage adequate?
0
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Is the site free of high level of solids in filtrate from filter presses or vacuum filters?
0
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Is the site free of sludge buildup on belts and/or rollers of filter press?
0
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Is the site free of excessive moisture in belt filter press sludge cake?
0
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The facility has an approved sludge management plan?
❑
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Comment: SMP not specifically required by permit.
Standby Power
Yes
No
NA
NE
Is automatically activated standby power available?
0
❑
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Is the generator tested by interrupting primary power source?
0
❑
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Is the generator tested under load?
❑
0
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Was generator tested & operational during the inspection?
0
❑
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Do the generator(s) have adequate capacity to operate the entire wastewater site?
0
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Is there an emergency agreement with a fuel vendor for extended run on back-up power?
❑
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Is the generator fuel level monitored?
0
❑
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Comment: None
Operations & Maintenance
Yes
No
NA
NE
Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping?
0
❑
❑
❑
Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable
0
❑
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Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable?
Comment: None
Page# 8