NC0086819_SEPA EA Proposed Expansion_20110114

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North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality eNS4
Beverly Eaves Perdue Coleen H. Sullins Dee Freeman
Governor Director Secretary
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January 14, 2011
Mr. Marty K. Lawing,County Manager
Brunswick County
Government Center
Post Office Box 249
Bolivia,North Carolina 28422
SUBJECT: Project Nos.: E-SRG-T-99-0040
E-SRG-T-99-0057, E-SRG-99-0059,
E-SRG-T-00-0064
Brunswick County,North Carolina
Dear Mr. Lawing:
We have reviewed your November 3, 2010 response to the Division's environmental assessment
completeness review for the potential expansion of the Northeast Brunswick Regional wastewater treatment
facilit as related to reclaimed water facilities and the subject State grants. Based on your response it appears
that significant progress has been made in establishing reclaimed water facilities in some portions of the
County. However, State grants made in 2000 to Leland,Navassa, the former'North Brunswick Sanitary
District, and the County were based on an agreement to construct reclaimed water facilities at the Northeast
Regional treatment facility. As indicated in your response, those-reclaimed water facilities are not in place.
In accordance with our State grant agreements it is expected that the Count construct and operate
reclaim d water facilities at - No east ' egt•s,.. N1 a i:off . ' p an to construct these aci i ies
could be submitted to CG&L separately. However, the County may want to incorporate their plans for
reclaimed water into the environmental assessment currently under review by the Division. In any event, it
remains incumbent on Brunswick County to fulfill the terms of the grant agreement by establishing reclaimed
water facilities at the Northeast Regional wastewater treatment facility.
1633 hiai!Service Center,Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1(333 One
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Location:2728 Capital Blvd.Raleigh,North Carolina 27604 NorthCarolina
Phone:[phone] FAX:[phone] Customer Service.1-877-623-6748 ����y��//�
Internet:www.ncwaterquality.org
An Equal Opportunity`.Affirmative.Acton Employer

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I r BRUNSWICK COUNTY ADMINISTRATION
BRUNSWICK COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER
DAVID R.SANDIFER COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
30 GOVERNMENT CENTER DRIVE,N.E.
MAILING ADDRESS: BOLIVIA,NORTH CAROLINA 28422 TELEPHONE
[phone]
PosT OFFICE Box 249 November 3,2010 [phone]
BOLIVIA,NORTH CAROLINA 28422
Mr. Daniel Blaisdell, P.E.,Chief FAX
Construction Grants and Loans Section [phone]
Division of Water Quality
1633 Mail Service Center — la
Raleigh,NC 27699-1633 `0c6
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Re: Effluent Reuse at the Northeast Brunswick Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant •
Dear Mr.Blaisdell:
In April 1998, Brunswick County submitted a 201 Facilities Plan for the Northeast Brunswick Regional
Wastewater Facility. The recommended alternative in the 201 Facilities Plan was "to seek a conjunctive
reuse/discharge permit from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources."
"The conjunctive use permit will allow the facility to supply highly treated water to Magnolia Greens and
DuPont."
After preparation of the report by its consultants, Brunswick County began negotiations with the owners
of the Magnolia Greens Golf Course and the managers of the DuPont Plant. After several months of
negotiation, the managers of the DuPont Plant elected not to replace their existing withdrawal of the Cape
Fear River with wastewater effluent. They expressed a number of concerns including effluent water
quality and permitting of the discharge.
The County was more successful in its negotiations with the owners of the Magnolia Greens Golf Course.
In June 1999, the County and Landmark Developers, Inc., entered into an Operation and Maintenance
Agreement for the use of effluent from the Northeast Brunswick WWTP on the Magnolia Greens Golf
Course. A copy of the agreement is attached for your review.
Unfortunately, construction of the Northeast Brunswick Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility was
delayed until 2002 with completion of the facility in 2003.The collection systems for the Town of Leland
and North Brunswick Sanitary District were not completed until 2005 so flows into the plant were
minimal in its initial years of operation. Landmark hired a consultant to prepare plans and specifications
for the effluent reuse system at the golf course and these plans were submitted to the NC DENR for
review. However, the plans were never approved by the NC DENR and due to the delays in the plant
construction, Landmark elected to install an irrigation system that did not meet the NC DENR
requirements for effluent reuse.
Once the need for additional capacity at the Northeast Brunswick Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant
was determined by the Participants in the Northeast Brunswick Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.,
the County again contacted Landmark Developers to determine their interest in using effluent for golf
course irrigation.After a careful review of the NC DENR Effluent Reuse Standards,they determined that
it was not feasible to use effluent on their courses. Due to the location of the existing homes that adjoin
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Mr. Daniel Blaisdell
Page 2
November 3, 2010
the golf course, the engineers for the owners indicated that the existing irrigation system would not meet
the current setback requirements and that an irrigation system that would meet the requirements was not
economically feasible.
Since the County had an existing agreement with Landmark Developers, the County Attorney was
consulted about the County's ability to enforce the agreement. After a review of the document, he
indicated that he did not believe that the County could force Landmark Developers to accept effluent from
the plant. Also, Landmark Developers no longer own the Magnolia Greens Golf Course.
After the negotiations with Landmark, the County researched other potential users of effluent from the
wastewater treatment plant. Letters were sent to several potential users in the Northeast Brunswick area.
Only one user indicated an interest in using effluent from the plant.
Over the 12-year period of the planning, design construction, and operation of the Northeast Brunswick
Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, Brunswick County has attempted to work with property owners to
use wastewater effluent for Irrigation or cooling. At this point, we have not been successful in this effort
for a variety of reasons including ever-changing NC DENR requirements on effluent reuse.
As you are aware, Brunswick County is committed to effluent reuse as a means of effluent disposal. The
award winning 6.0 mgd West Brunswick Regional Water Reclamation Facility is the largest non-
discharge wastewater treatment plant in the state. The County also currently operates four other non-
discharge plants with a combined capacity of 1.0 mgd. (Shallotte, Sea Trail, Ocean Ridge, and Brick
Landing). We are committed to effluent reuse at the Northeast Brunswick Regional Wastewater
Treatment Plant. We will continue to seek cost-effective use for the wastewater effluent produced at the
plant. The current NPDES permit limits and the proposed NPDES permit limits after expansion will
require that the plant produce an effluent that meets reuse quality standards.
We hope that this explain the County's position on effluent reuse at the Northeast Brunswick Regional
Wastewater Treatment Plant. If you have any questions or wish to discuss the County past, present or
future efforts on reuse,please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
• Marty K. Lawing
County Manager
Enclosure