WQCS00031_Annual Report_20230228

Orange Water and Sewer Authority
OWASA is Carrboro-Chapel Hill’s not-for-profit public service agency
delivering high quality water, wastewater, and reclaimed water services.
February 28, 2023
System Performance Annual Report
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
Orange Water and Sewer Authority - Wastewater Annual Report 2022
Included is Orange Water and Sewer Authority’s Wastewater Annual Report for January 1, 2022 –
December 31, 2022 for our Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant (Permit #NC0025241) and
Collections System (Permit #WQCS00031). I certify that this report was prepared under my direction in
accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified persons properly gathered and evaluated
the information submitted.
We utilized the following methods to provide our Wastewater Annual Report to our customers:
•The report has been posted on our website: 2022-OWASA-Wastewater-Report-
Card_Final_English.pdf
•On February 20, 2023, we posted an article announcing the release: Featured Story Archives -
OWASA
•This article was posted on social media, both our Twitter and Facebook pages (see attached).
•We are scheduled to perform a radio interview on WCHL – Wonderful Water Segment mid-
March 2023 to discuss our performance and announce the availability of our Wastewater
Annual Report.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone at [phone] or by email at
[e-mail].
Sincerely,
Wilmer Lawson
Wastewater Treatment and Biosolids Recycling Manager
Orange Water and Sewer Authority
Attachments: 2022 OWASA Wastewater Annual Report
OWASA Website announcement
Social Media Posting
ANNUAL WASTEWATER REPORT CARD
JANUARY –
DECEMBER 2022
OWASA’s wastewater team is responsible for operating the system that treats an average of 7 million
gallons of wastewater per day; that’s about 3 billion gallons per year! We work 24/7 to collect, treat, and
clean the community’s wastewater, and recycle (or reclaim) it where we can.
The water that is not recycled is returned to Morgan Creek. The water that we return to Morgan
Creek, which eventually flows into Jordan Lake, has gone through a comprehensive treatment process so
it is safe for the environment and for communities to access downstream. Stewardship is a core principle
in OWASA’s daily operations, and that includes being a good steward of the environment through our
treatment efforts.
OWASA takes an integrated approach to our management of surface water, drinking water, wastewater,
and reclaimed water. It is our responsibility to treat it well for downstream uses, while at the same time
respecting its upstream power.
ONE WATER
OWASA is Carrboro-Chapel Hill’s not-for-
profit public service agency delivering high-
quality water, wastewater, and reclaimed
water services.
FOLLOW THE FLOW
You may not think much of it, but you send us wastewater every day. Multiple
times per day! Anything that you flush down your toilet or goes down a drain
in your home or business flows through your home plumbing and connects
with the community sewer system that OWASA operates.
OWASA maintains about 350 miles of underground sewer pipes that carry the community’s
wastewater to the Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant. To access that sewer system,
OWASA has roughly 11,000 manholes across the service area. The sewer system uses gravity
wherever possible to move the wastewater through the sewer system, but then we will get
to a point where nature may need some help. In these cases, OWASA maintains 21 pump
stations that help keep the wastewater flowing to the treatment plant.
Once the wastewater gets to the plant, we begin
the process to treat that water to be used again for
non-drinking purposes or discharged into Morgan
Creek. Wastewater treatment is the biological pro-
cess of removing pollutants from the water so it can
be returned safely to the environment. OWASA’s
treatment system mimics nature’s processes and uses
technology to accelerate it.
OWASA IS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH
CHAPEL HILL AND BRING MORE PUBLIC
ART TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOUR
WASTEWATER
TEAM
The team at OWASA’s Mason Farm
Wastewater Treatment Plant is made up
of experts in their fields but covers a wide
range of backgrounds.
A certified operator is at the Mason Farm
Wastewater Treatment Plant at all times.
24 hours a day. Seven days a week. 365
days a year. Operators are critical to en-
sure that the plant is operating as intend-
ed and to troubleshoot any issues that
arise. Their knowledge of our treatment
plant is key for OWASA to operate as ef-
fectively as we can.
Meanwhile, scientists on our laboratory
team are constantly sampling different
portions of the wastewater treatment
process, including the water being dis-
charged into Morgan Creek (we call this
water “effluent”). These checks are criti-
cal to confirm that our treatment process
is working and that we are staying within
all regulatory boundaries for nutrients in
the wastewater. If there are high amounts
of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen
in the water, it can cause algal blooms that
will have a negative impact on water qual-
ity for our downstream neighbors.
SPOTLIGHT: CAREERS
IN WASTEWATER
TREATMENT
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
OPERATOR
Role: Monitor plant processes and helping the plant to
maintain proper process; trouble shooting issues as they
arise
Training: Four years of high school or equivalency;
OWASA pays for the pursuit of necessary certifications
(Grade 1 – Biological Operator Certification)
Salary Range: $47,228 - $72,731
Pros of the Trade: 3 day work-week
MAINTENANCE MECHANIC
Role: Perform preventative and corrective mainte-
nance on equipment at the Wastewater Treatment Plant
and pump stations in the collection system, specifically
pumps, motors, instrumentation, and other types of me-
chanical equipment
Training: Four years of high school or equivalency;
OWASA pays for the pursuit of necessary certifications
Salary Range: $42,433 - $65,346
Pros of the Trade: In-depth knowledge of facility and
home every night
BIOSOLIDS RECYCLING TECHNICIAN
Role: Beneficially recycle plant by-products by driving
tractor trailers and operating heavy equipment
Training: Four years of high school or equivalency;
Class A CDL with Tanker Endorsement
Salary Range: $40,414 - $62,238
Pros of the Trade: Use that CDL without all the
road hours; home every night
LABORATORY ANALYST
Role: Conduct compliance and non-compliance sam-
pling and maintain effective quality control and assurance
program
Training: Two-year associate degree, diploma, or
equivalent; Wastewater Treatment Operator’s Grade 1
certification is desired
Salary Range: $45,412 - $69,934
Pros of the Trade: Use of innovative technology;
traditional schedule
It takes a team to make this
process work!
With all of the pipes, pumps, and other equipment that OWASA needs to continue treating the commu-
nity’s wastewater, something is bound to break from time to time. That’s when we turn to our expert
mechanics who are able to work on a broken piece of equipment to get it back in the game. But they also
focus on limiting the chances for anything to go wrong through their preventative maintenance work.
This work ahead of a piece of equipment breaking can help identify when a repair needs to be made or
when a piece of equipment might need to be replaced.
Overseeing all of this treatment process is a complicated task that falls to Wil Lawson, OWASA’s Waste-
water Treatment Plant and Biosolids Recycling Manager. Wil has a background in environmental science
and has worked in multiple positions at OWASA’s Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant. If you have
any questions about the wastewater treatment process, please contact Wil at [phone].
Wasterwater Effluent Quality Annual Data Summary (Permit # NC0025241)
Water Quality Measure Regulatory Limit OWASA Calendar
Year Results Notes
Phosphorus Maximum of 10,188 lbs
for the year 1,972 lbs Full compliance;
80.6% below the limit
Nitrogen Maximum of 134,375 lbs
for the year 109,226 lbs Full compliance;
18.7% below the limit
Last year, as in previous years, OWASA met or surpassed all federal and state standards for the quality
of our treated wastewater.
RESOURCE
RECOVERY PROCESS
BIOSOLIDS
As part of our treatment process, we separate liquids from solids once
the wastewater arrives at the treatment plant. As the liquids go through
the treatment steps before being recycled or discharged into Morgan Creek,
we also produce solids that have beneficial use in the environment.
The organic material we produce through the treatment process is called biosolids. This ma-
terial contains nutrients that make it a good product to use as a fertilizer or to improve soil conditions.
We land apply these biosolids to lands that we own or through partnerships with farmers in Orange,
Chatham, and Alamance counties, in accordance with state permits and regulations.
Last year, we recycled more than 6.5 million gallons of our biosolids through land application. As re-
ported in the table below, the level of substances in our biosolids met or surpassed all State and Federal
regulations. What we don’t land apply we compost into a soil additive in partnership with a regional
composter.
Biosolids Quality Annual Data Summary (Permit #s WQ0021828/WQ0001169)
Substance EPA Limit for Exceptional Quality
Biosolids OWASA Calendar Year Results
Fecal Coliform Bacteria 1,000 cfu 107 (max)
Mercury 17 ppm 0.04 ppm
Cadmium 39 ppm 1.6 ppm
Arsenic 41 ppm 4.68 ppm
Lead 300 ppm 11.52 ppm
Copper 1,500 ppm 227 ppm
Zinc 2,800 ppm 764 ppm
Nickel 420 ppm 12.53 ppm
Molybdenum n/a 6.54 ppm
Selenium 36 ppm 6.78 ppm
RESOURCE
RECOVERY PROCESS
RECLAIMED WATER
OWASA and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) partnered to develop the reclaimed
water (RCW) system following multiple droughts in the early-2000s. This system provides UNC with a
capability to use RCW instead of treated drinking water to meet needs for certain situations. This means
that UNC is able to use RCW for irrigation, chilled water, toilet flushing, and other non-drinking needs.
By UNC using RCW, that leaves more treated drinking water for the community and helps to prolong
our drinking water supply in case of extreme drought in the future.
The cost to operate and maintain the RCW system is paid solely by OWASA’s RCW customers.
Monitoring Parameter Monthly Average
Limit
Daily Maximum
Limit
OWASA Monthly
Average
OWASA Max Daily
Number
cBOD (mg/L)10 15 0.02 4.2
Fecal Coliform (cfu/100 mL)14 25 0.2 7
Ammonia (mg/L)4 6 0.13 0.64
Total Suspended Solids (mg/L)5 10 <2.5 <2.5
Turbidity (ntu)N/A 10 N/A 0.8
In calendar year 2022, Reclaimed Water usage averaged .75 million gallons per day (MGD) with a peak one-day total of 1.75 MGD.
PFAS
MASTER
PLAN
A group of compounds of emerging concern are per- and poly-fluoroal-
kyl substances, collectively known as PFAS.
PFAS are used in a variety of everyday products to increase resistance to
water, grease, or stains. PFAS can be found in products including carpet,
clothing, fabric for furniture, paper packaging for food, cookware, and
other materials. They are also used in industrial processes and in aque-
ous firefighting foam used at airfields and other high-temperature fires.
OWASA is monitoring PFAS on a variety of levels, including both drink-
ing water and wastewater treatment processes. Wastewater treatment
facilities are not contributors to PFAS, but the treatment process does
not eliminate PFAS either. As new regulations are announced, OWASA
will be making any necessary adjustments to operations at our Mason
Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant.
More information on PFAS overall is available on the OWASA website.
Planning for the future is important for items
like PFAS but also for the long-term health of
OWASA’s operations. That is why we are also
working on a Master Plan for the Mason Farm
Wastewater Treatment Plant to identify the
long-term needs of the facility as our com-
munity grows and we work hard every day to
continue meeting the community’s needs.
What flows through a community’s wastewater system is what gets flushed or sent down the drain by residents
and visitors. Sometimes, what isn’t supposed to be flushed can create overflows. For example, grease gets sent
down sink drains and can build up in the system. Nature can also play a role; for example, when a tree root causes
a crack in an underground pipe, or when a flash flood inundates the system with too much water.
OWASA’s Distribution and Collection System Team plays a key role in maintaining our sewer system preventing
sewer overflows through their preventative maintenance efforts. Issues like broken sewer caps and cracked sew-
er laterals can be identified through smoke testing, where non-toxic smoke is pushed through the sewer system.
Where these issues exist, smoke can be seen exiting through the cracks. Some of these identified issues are on
private property, and that is where YOU can help! Maintaining your private sewer lateral when these issues are
identified helps protect your property and the community’s sewer system.
We continuously monitor the community’s wastewater system to mitigate for potential overflows. This is im-
portant because untreated wastewater can have a negative impact on the environment so, we work to prevent
overflows or address them quickly when they occur. Electronic alarms at pump stations throughout our system
notify us of a potential issue, which we investigate quickly to keep the wastewater moving. We count on the
community to alert us too. If you see an overflow at a manhole, please stay clear of the area (people and pets)
and notify OWASA immediately at 919-968-4421.
Last year, the total volume of recorded overflows in OWASA’s wastewater system was 12,725 gallons. As noted
in the table below, overflow events occurred due to grease and roots in the sewer pipe, one pipe failure, and
vandalism.
Sewer Overflows Annual Data (Permit #WQCS00031)
Date Location Gallons Cause
1/3/2022 102 Old Larkspur Way 3,000 Debris
3/7/2022 229 Huntington Dr 65 Roots
4/13/2022 121 Turvey Ct 2,925 Grease
4/27/2022 180 BPW Club.865 Grease and Debris
6/20/2022 408 W Rosemary Rd 600 Grease
6/21/2022 102 Creekside Ln 2,520 Vandalism
6/28/2022 E. Franklin St and Fordham Blvd 1,950 Debris
8/19/2022 990 Kings Mill Road 350 Pipe Failure
11/11/2022 105/107 Meadowbrook Drive 450 Grease
WASTEWATER (SEWER)
OVERFLOWS
Flushing the wrong stuff can harm the wastewater system by causing costly and messy clogs and even
impact water quality in our streams and lakes. This is a friendly reminder that the three Ps are the only
things that should be flushed down the toilet: pee, poo, and toilet paper!
ONLY FLUSH THE THREE PS!
Protect your community’s wastewater system
Together, we can protect our community’s water system, wastewater system and the environment.
Please help keep these items out of our sewers:
Please don’t flush prescription medications. Wastewater treatment plants were not designed to remove the chemicals in many phar-
maceuticals. If they are flushed and enter the wastewater system, they may enter into a creek, river or lake that acts as a water supply
for a community downstream, or harm aquatic life. The Police Departments of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have “no questions asked”
drop boxes where you can discard of your leftover medicines.
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
SAFE DISPOSAL LOCATIONS
“FLUSHABLE”
WIPES
FEMININE
PRODUCTS
Like feminine products, diapers expand
and absorb moisture, and are very
bulky. Diapers are just not meant to be
flushed!
Inside a sewer or plumbing drain, fat,
oil and grease harden into a plaster-like
substance that can block flow. Please
scrape or wipe fat, oil and grease off
pots, pans, plates and bowls before
washing them.
This stringy substance loves to wrap
itself around anything and everything
that travels down the same path in the
sewers.
Other products that should not be
flushed include sand, hair, kitty litter,
condoms and cotton balls.
These clog wastewater pipes and get
caught in the equipment at the treat-
ment plant. Please dispose of wipes
in the trash, even if the package says
they’re flushable!
These products expand and absorb
moisture, making it difficult for them to
travel through pipes. Nor do they break
down into smaller pieces.
DISPOSABLE
DIAPERS
OILS AND
GREASE
DENTAL
FLOSS
OTHER
PRODUCTS
Chapel Hill Police Headquarters
828 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
919-968-2760
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Carrboro Police Department
100 N. Greensboro St.
(Century Center)
919-918-7397
Monday - Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
WASTEWATER AND RECLAIMED WATER
2022
QUICK FACTS
If you have any questions about the wastewater treatment process, please contact our
team! Connect with Wil Lawson, OWASA’s Wastewater Treatment and Biosolids
Recycling Manager, at 919-537-4351.
Our team mowed and
cleared 118 miles of ease-
ments in the community to
help keep tree and shrub
roots from growing into
the wastewater system.
OWASA also installed
2,869 feet of new sewer line
throughout 2022. Installing
new lines are important in
OWASA’s work to continue
serving a growing community.
Last year, OWASA replaced 1,141 feet
of sewer line and rehabbed 6,900 feet of
sewer line across the community. This
work helps keep wastewater flowing to
the treatment plant.
OWASA’s Team smoke tested 160 miles of
sewer lines across the community. Smoke
testing helps identify cracks in the sewer
system for repair.
OWASA is Carrboro-Chapel Hill’s not-for-profit public
service agency delivering high quality water, wastewa-
ter, and reclaimed water services. Under the streets, in
the field, at the lab and in the office, our diverse team
manages the community’s wastewater system. Contact
us anytime. We welcome your questions and feedback!
CONTACT OWASA ANYTIME
ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY
@OWASA_NC
Orange Water and Sewer Authority
Orange Water & Sewer Authority
400 Jones Ferry Road, Carrboro, NC, 27510
919-968-4421
[e-mail]
owasa.org
Twitter