HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0070289_CEI issued as NOV-2022-PC-0443_20220825ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S. BISER
Secretary
RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR.
Director
Certified Mail # 7018 3090 0001 2322 8833
Return Receipt Requested
Verlene Hoffecker
Stones Throw Homeowners Association
PO Box 690725
Charlotte, NC 28227-7013
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
August 22, 2022
SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION
Tracking Number: NOV-2022-PC-0443
Permit No. NC0070289
Ridgewood Farms at Stones Throw WWTP
Cabarrus County
Ms. Hoffecker:
The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Ridgewood Farms at Stones
Throw WWTP on August 9, 2022. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in
compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in NPDES WW Permit No. NC0070289. A summary of
the findings and comments noted during the inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection
report.
The Compliance Evaluation inspection was conducted by Division of Water Resources staff from the Mooresville
Regional Office. The following violation(s) were noted during the inspection:
Inspection Area Description of Violation
Record Keeping Annual Reports not being done.
Permit Permit Violation of Part I, Section A. (3) of permit.
Compliance Issue(s): Please note that in accordance with House Bill 1160, the Clean Water Act of 1999, it is
required that the owner or operator of any wastewater treatment works or wastewater collection systems that
treats or collects primarily domestic or municipal waste must provide an annual report to its users or customers and
to the Department of Environmental Quality that summarizes the treatment works or collection system's
performance over a 12-month period.
NORTH CAPOLINA
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
Mooresville Regional Office 1610 East Center Avenue. Suite 301 I Mooresville. North Carolina 28115
704.663.1699
Please also note that in accordance with your NPDES Permit NC0070289, Part I, Section A. (3.) The Permittee shall
have a North Carolina Licensed Professional Engineer evaluate the structural integrity and operational efficiency of
this facility to ensure the integrity of the treatment system. The assessment's details and conclusions must be
submitted to both the NC DEQ Mooresville Regional Office and the NPDES program no later than October 31, 2020.
Remedial actions should have already been taken to correct this problem and prevent further occurrences in the
future. The Division of Water Resources may pursue enforcement action for this and any additional violations of
State law.
To prevent further action, please respond in writing to this office within 30 days upon your receipt of this Notice
of Violation regarding your plans or measures to be taken to address the indicated violations and other identified
issues, if applicable.
If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Roberto Scheller with the Water Quality
Regional Operations Section in the Mooresville Regional Office at 704-663-1699 or at Roberto.Scheller@ncdenr.gov.
Sincerely,
DocuSigned by:
A4.•1.aw H ;P444. ' for
�F161FB69A2D84A3...
W. Corey Basinger, Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Mooresville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
ATTACHMENT
Cc: WQS Mooresville Regional Office - Enforcement File
NPDES Compliance/Enforcement Unit - Enforcement Fille
L DNORTH CAPOLINA
_E
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
Mooresville Regional Office 1610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301 I Mooresville. North Carolina 28115
704.663.1699
United States Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Washington, D.C. 20460
Water Compliance Inspection Report
Form Approved.
OMB No. 2040-0057
Approval expires 8-31-98
Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS)
Transaction Code
1 IN I 2
21IIIIII
L
NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection
3 I NC0070289 111 121 22/08/09 117
Type
18 i i
IIIIIIIIIII
Inspector Fac Type
19 I S I 201
IIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII I IIIIII
P6
Inspection Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA Reserved
671 I 70I2 I 711 1 72 I N I 731 I 74 71
I I
I I I I I I 180
Section B: Facility Data
Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include
POTW name and NPDES permit Number)
Ridgewood Farms at Stones Throw WWTP
Olde Creek Trl
Concord NC 28025
Entry Time/Date
10:OOAM 22/08/09
Permit Effective Date
20/04/01
Exit Time/Date
12:03PM 22/08/09
Permit Expiration Date
23/11/30
Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s)
///
Braden Joshua Cook/ORC/704-788-4164/
Other Facility Data
Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number
Contacted
Verlene Hoffecker,PO Box 690725 Charlotte NC 282277013//704-607-3506/
No
Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated)
Permit Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenar Records/Reports
Self -Monitoring Progran Sludge Handling DispoFacility 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
Roberto Scheller
sbpll 9wedcitor(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
ib S.d. 11 _ 8/19/2022
ryIw �U�, DWR/MRO WQ/707-235-2204/
"-91 C2A007838943E...
Signature of Ma
Andrew Pit
naeolifdkhReviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
r�s' H P * WR/MRO WQ/704-663-1699 Ext.2180/ 8/24/2022
F161F969A2p84A3,
EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete.
Page# 1
31
NPDES yr/mo/day
NC0070289 111 121 22/08/09
117
Inspection Type
18 [j
(Cont.)
1
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
The current NPDES Permit NC0070289 was issued on April 1, 2020 and expires November 30, 2023.
The subject WWTP is permitted as 0.050 MGD, Grade II biological wastewater treatment facility.
Review period from July 2021 through June 2022 was reviewed for compliance with permit limits.
During the 12-month review period the following violations were reported:
08-2021 - NOV-2021-LV-0761
12-2021 - NOV-2022-LV-0134/LV-2022-0094
03-2022 - NOV-2022-LV-0030
05-2022 - NOV-2022-LV-0540
06-2022 - NOV-2022-LV-0526
A letter of Unpaid Civil Penalty Assessments was issued from the Raleigh Office dated February 23,
2022, for unpaid civil penalties LV-2021-0232 for $365.76 and LV-2021-0196 for $215.76. A third
outstanding civil penalty, not mentioned in the letter, LV-2022-0094 for $615.76 is also unpaid.
* Annual Reports are not being submitted as required by House Bill 1160 and the Clean Water Act.
* In accordance with Part I, Section A. (3) of NPDES Permit NC0070289, the permittee shall perform
an Engineering Assessmant on the structural intergrity of the wastwater treatment plant no later than
October 31, 2020. As of the date of this inspection no report has been received by the Mooresville
Regional Office.
Because of the two violations noted above (*) this inspection is being issued as a Notice of Violation
of permit conditions.
The bulkhead between aeration basin and digester has been replaced allowing operators to waste
out excess solids from aeration basin.
At time of inspection effluent was clear with few visible suspended solids. There was no foam or
floating solids at point of discharge.
Page# 2
Permit: NC0070289
Inspection Date: 08/09/2022
Owner - Facility: Ridgewood Farms at Stones Throw WWT
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 El El • ❑
application?
Is the facility as described in the permit? • El El El
# Are there any special conditions for the permit? • El El El
Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection? • El El El
Comment: The current NPDES Permit NC0070289 was issued on April 1, 2020 and expires
November 30, 2023. Conditions under Part I, Section A. (3) for the current permit have
not been reported to the Mooresville Regional Office; therefore, this inspection is
issued as a Notice of Violation.
Record Keeping Yes No NA NE
Are records kept and maintained as required by the permit? • El ❑ ❑
Is all required information readily available, complete and current? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Are all records maintained for 3 years (lab. reg. required 5 years)? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Are analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the chain -of -custody complete? • ❑ ❑ ❑
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? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Has the facility submitted its annual compliance report to users and DWQ? ❑ • ❑ ❑
(If the facility is = or > 5 MGD permitted flow) Do they operate 24/7 with a certified El ❑ • ❑
operator on each shift?
Is the ORC visitation log available and current? • El ❑ ❑
Is the ORC certified at grade equal to or higher than the facility classification? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the backup operator certified at one grade less or greater than the facility • ❑ ❑ ❑
classification?
Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review? ❑ • ❑ ❑
Comment: Annual Reports not being done.
Page# 3
Permit: NC0070289
Inspection Date: 08/09/2022
Owner - Facility: Ridgewood Farms at Stones Throw WWT
Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Bar Screens
Type of bar screen
a.Manual
b.Mechanical
Are the bars adequately screening debris?
Is the screen free of excessive debris?
Is disposal of screening in compliance?
Is the unit in good condition?
Comment:
Yes No NA NE
•
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Aeration Basins Yes No NA NE
Mode of operation Ext. Air
Type of aeration system Diffused
Is the basin free of dead spots? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Are surface aerators and mixers operational? ❑ ❑ • ❑
Are the diffusers operational? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the foam the proper color for the treatment process? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Does the foam cover less than 25% of the basin's surface? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the DO level acceptable? ❑ ❑ ❑ •
Is the DO level acceptable?(1.0 to 3.0 mg/I) ❑ ❑ ❑ •
Comment: Air difusers in aeration basin appeared to have been repaired and operatingproperly.
30-minute settability test of MLSS settled out at 850 ml/L.
Secondary Clarifier
Is the clarifier free of black and odorous wastewater?
Is the site free of excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier?
Are weirs level?
Is the site free of weir blockage?
Is the site free of evidence of short-circuiting?
Is scum removal adequate?
Is the site free of excessive floating sludge?
Is the drive unit operational?
Is the return rate acceptable (low turbulence)?
Is the overflow clear of excessive solids/pin floc?
Yes No NA NE
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Page# 4
Permit: NC0070289
Inspection Date: 08/09/2022
Owner - Facility: Ridgewood Farms at Stones Throw WWT
Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Secondary Clarifier
Is the sludge blanket level acceptable? (Approximately'/4 of the sidewall depth)
Comment: At time of inspection pin flock was going over weir.
Pumps-RAS-WAS
Are pumps in place?
Are pumps operational?
Are there adequate spare parts and supplies on site?
Comment: Treatment unit is equipped with RAS-WAS air lift pumps.
Operations & Maintenance
Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping?
Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable
Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable?
Comment: Bulkhead between aeration basin and sludge wasting tank has been replaced.
Yes No NA NE
Yes No NA NE
• ❑ ❑ ❑
Yes No NA NE
• ❑ ❑ ❑
Disinfection -Tablet Yes No NA NE
Are tablet chlorinators operational? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Are the tablets the proper size and type? • ❑ ❑ ❑
Number of tubes in use? 2
Is the level of chlorine residual acceptable? ❑ ❑ El •
Is the contact chamber free of growth, or sludge buildup? • El El El
Is there chlorine residual prior to de -chlorination? • El El El
Comment:
De -chlorination Yes No NA NE
Type of system ? Tablet
Is the feed ratio proportional to chlorine amount (1 to 1)? • El El El
Is storage appropriate for cylinders? El El • El
# Is de -chlorination substance stored away from chlorine containers? • El El El
Comment:
Are the tablets the proper size and type? • El El El
Are tablet de -chlorinators operational? • El El El
Number of tubes in use? 2
Page# 5
Permit: NC0070289
Inspection Date: 08/09/2022
Owner - Facility: Ridgewood Farms at Stones Throw WWT
Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
De -chlorination Yes No NA NE
Comment:
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?
Comment:
Flow Measurement - Effluent
# Is flow meter used for reporting?
Is flow meter calibrated annually?
Is the flow meter operational?
(If units are separated) Does the chart recorder match the flow meter?
Comment:
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:
Yes No NA NE
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Yes No NA NE
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Yes No NA NE
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Page# 6