WQCS00060_Response to Notice_20220725

Johnston County
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES
PO BOX 2263
SMITHFIELD, NC 27577
[phone]

July 25, 2022

Mr. Scott Vinson
Raleigh Regional Office
NCDEQ DWR
1628 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1628

Re: Response to NOV-2022-DV-0197
Permit No. WQCS00060 - Johnston County Collection System

Dear Mr. Vinson:

In response to NOV-2022-DV-0197, the County offers the following information:

Incident Number 202201013:
 Staff at Johnston County Public Utilities received a call at approximately 8:58 am on June 30,
2022 about a potential sewer main leak in the vicinity of 4917-5251 US Hwy 301, Benson, NC.
 Johnston County staff immediately responded and shut-off the pumps pumping into the force
main on US Hwy 301 stopping the sewer spill.
 Staff diverted flow into to the Central Johnston County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility
in Smithfield.
 Upon arriving to the site, staff identified the problem was at an air release valve.
 Staff inspected the site and verified no wastewater entered surface waters.
 The spill was recovered by vacuum truck to the extent possible, and staff lightly limed the area.
 County staff removed and replaced the failed ductile iron pipe.
 The accidental and unintentional spill was a result of ductile iron pipe failure of the force main
pipe material.
 The County has a project in our approved 2022 Capital Improvements Plan to replace this force
main due to past failures of sections of DIP on this main. However, due to the recent failure, the
County plans to modify the plan and begin replacement of the most critical ductile iron sections
as soon as possible. The County has advertised a Request for Qualifications for “On-Call” Water
and Sewer Main Repairs and has an engineering firm on stand-by to assist with the project, as
needed. Furthermore, the County has some funds already allocated to sewer main
rehabilitation/replacement.

Johnston County works aggressively to prevent sanitary sewer overflows and help protect the waters of
our area. Preventative measures include the following:
 Extensive staff training ensures staff is prepared for system operation and response related to
potential sewer spills.
 Staff use laptops to log into the SCADA system and monitor system operation from any location.
 Furthermore, staff is on-call and prepared to respond to any event.
Page 2
Mr. Vinson
July 25, 2022

 The County maintains an in-house supply of repair materials for all pipe sizes and many
electrical components and implements a detailed protocol for emergency response.
 The County maintains a close working relationship with several local contractors who provide
emergency response repairs, as needed.

Johnston County takes seriously our responsibility to protect public health and the environment and
strives to prevent sewer spills. Please contact me at [phone] or
[e-mail] if you have any questions or need additional information regarding
this issue.

Sincerely,

Chandra C. Farmer, PE
Director of Utilities

cc: Rick J. Hester, County Manager
Eric Narron, Johnston County
Vanessa Manuel, Raleigh Regional Office
Mitchell Hayes, Raleigh Regional Office