NC0024571_Effluent Toxicity Req_20050607

June 7; 2005
CERTII hD MAIL
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED 706 a.-AL't - a".'6 - °7O /O - 013 T ri
Mr. James H. Walters
Environmental Director
City of Lumberton
P.O. Box 1388
Lumberton, NC 28358
Subject: Whole Effluent Toxicity Reporting Requirements
Effluent Toxicity Testing
NPDES Permit No. NC0024571
Lumberton WWTP
Robeson County
Mr. Walters:
Our office has received the City of Lumberton 5/4/05 chronic toxicity test report for plant effluent.
Upon review of this AT-1 form, we noted that the incorrect effluent percentage was used in the test.
Our office has recorded this test as "invalid", as submitted.
Mr. John Giorgino of our office has contacted Meritech, Inc. and informed them of the error.
The Lumberton WWTP discharge permit, effective 9/1/04, requires a chronic pass/fail test be performed
quarterly at an effluent concentration of 21.0%. The AT-1 form for the April test indicates that chronic
Pass / Fail test was conducted using an effluent concentration of 11.0%.
The reverse side of this Notice contains a summary of important toxicity monitoring and reporting
requirements. Please review this summary and direct any questions concerning the summary or this
Notice to Mr. John Giorgino or me at [phone].
Sincerely,
Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Alan W. Klimek, P.E., Director
Division of Water Quality
JUN 10 2005
DEM F Y i IOALLE REGION/II.
.m._ r-- a���L OFFICE
7 f%4
Matt Matthews, Supervisor
Aquatic Toxicology Unit
cc:. Belinda Hinson- Fayetteville Regional Office
Dale Lopez- Fayetteville Regional Office
Meritech, Inc.
Central Files
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Internet: esb.enr.state.nc.us 4401 Reedy Creek Rd.
NonrthCaroli.na
Naturally
1621 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1621 Phone [phone] Customer Service
Raleigh, NC 27607 FAX [phone]
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer — 50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper

WHOLE EFFLUENT TOXICITY MONITORING AND REPORTING INFORMATION
> The following items are provided in an effort to assist you with identifying critical and sometimes overlooked toxicity testing and
reporting information. Please take time to review this information. The items below do not address or include all the toxicity
testing and reporting requirements contained in your NPDES permit. If you should have any questions about your toxicity -
testing requirement, please contact Mr. Kevin Bowden with the Aquatic Toxicology Unit at [phone] or another Unit
representative at the same number.
➢ The permittee is responsible for ensuring that toxicity testing is conducted according to the permit requirement and that toxicity report
forms are appropriately filed.
➢ The reporting of_ whole effluent toxicity testing data is a dual requirement. All toxicity test results must be entered (with the
appropriate parameter code) on your monthly Discharge Monitoring Report which is submitted to:
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
IN ADDITION
Toxicity test data (original "AT" form) must be submitted to the following address:
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Environmental Sciences Section
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
> Toxicity test results shall be filed with the Environmental Sciences Section no later than 30 days after the end of the reporting
period (eg, January test result is due by the end of February).
➢ Toxicity test condition language contained in your NPDES permit may require use of multiple concentration toxicity testing upon
failure of any single quarterly toxicity test. If the initial pass/fail test fails or if the chronic value is lower than the permit limit, then at
least two multiple concentration toxicity tests (one per month) will be conducted over the following two months. As many analyses as
can be completed will be accepted. If your NPDES permit does not require use of multiple concentration toxicity testing upon failure
of any single quarterly test, you may choose to conduct either single concentration toxicity testing or multiple concentration toxicity
testing per the Division's WET enforcement initiatives effective July 1, 1999. Follow-up multiple concentration toxicity testing will
influence the Division's enforcement response.
➢ Toxicity testing months are specified by the NPDES Permit, except for NPDES Permits that contain episodic toxicity monitoring
requirements (eg, if the testing months specified in your NPDES permit are March, June, September, and December, then toxicity
testing must be conducted during these months).
> Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, then monthly monitoring will begin
immediately until such time that a single test is passed. Upon passing this monthly test requirement, the permittee will revert to the
quarterly months specified in the permit. Please note that your permit may or may not contain this language.
> If your NPDES Permit specifies episodic monitoring and your facility does not have a discharge from January 1-June 30, then you
must provide written notification to the Environmental Sciences Section by June 30 that a discharge did not occur during the first six
months of the calendar year.
> If you receive notification from your contract laboratory that a test was invalidated, you should immediately notify the Environmental
Sciences Section at [phone] and provide written documentation indicating why the test was invalidated and the date when
follow-up testing will occur.
> If your facility is required to conduct toxicity testing during a month in which no discharge occurs, you should complete the
information block located at the top of the AT form indicating the facility name, permit number, pipe number, county and the
month/year of the subject report. You should also write "No Flow" on the AT form, sign the form and submit following normal
procedures.
> The Aquatic Toxicity Test forms shall be signed by the facility's Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) except for facilities which
have not received a facility classification. In these cases, a duly authorized facility representative must sign the AT form. The AT
form must also be signed by the performing lab supervisor.
➢ To determine if your AT test forms were received on time by the Division of Water Quality, you may consider submitting your
toxicity test results certified mail, return receipt requested to the Environmental Sciences Section.