HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQCS00195_NOI_NOV2020DV0485_Response_20201214COMMISSIONERS
Jim Mrinlmh
J.C. Parrish
Tim Cranford
Tanya Kenyon
Tim Mmmh
Mr. Lon T. Snider
Assistant Regional Supervisor
NCDEQDWR
450 West Hanes Mill Rd.
Suite 300
Winston Salem, NC 27105
NC Department of
Ramseur EnvironmentalQualit
Received y
TOWN OF RAMSEUR DEC 2 1 2020
724 Liberty Street, PO Box 545 Winston-Salem
Ramseur, North Carolina 27316 Regional Office
336-824-8530
M YON TOWNCLERK
UCKI CAUULE Carol Akers
Inlenm FO
Gral Akers
December 14, 2020
RE: Collection System Permit No.: WQCS00195
Tracking No.: NOV-2020-DV-0485
Dear Mr. Snider,
V__� 2021
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This letter serves as a reply to your correspondence dated November 3, 2020 regarding the Sanitary Sewer
Overflows that occurred August 3fd at our West Ridge Pump Station located at 1341 W. Ridge Street and
our Reed Creek Road pump station located at 127 Reed Creek Road.
The month of August started with the Deep River already high due to the rains received in July, 2020. We
received 2.3 inches of rain during this event. The Town's wastewater treatment plant has a design flow
capacity of 0.480 MGD. Measured flow during this event into the pump stations exceeded the pumping
capacity which resulted in the overflow. All pumps in both stations are operating properly.
You may be aware that during this rain event the Town's Sewer Department was under the control of
Suez. Our contract with Suez terminated on September 30, 2020 and the Town of Ramseur now operates
the division of not only Wastewater, but Water and Public Works. The Town is continuing to identify
and correct areas of concern, Commissioner Jim McIntosh, Water/Sewer/Public Works Commissioner has
been diligently working with his staff to manage the capabilities of the pump stations and is looking for
new and innovative ways to operate the stations.
The overflow was not intentional and the Town did not benefit economically from this event. The Town
is committed, more than ever, to operating and maintaining its sewer collection system and has allocated
$240,000 for sewer projects and equipment for the 2020/2021 fiscal year to make improvements in the
collection system.
r.
The Town of Ramseur is a small community of less than 1,500 customers. The assessment of civil
penalties will be an encumbrance to our citizens and would deduct from budgeted funds for
improvements. The Town respectfully requests that you forgo the assessment of civil penalties
and afford the Town the opportunity to invest in upgrading the collection system.
If you require additional information, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
&Z,4
Vicki Caudle, Mayor
Serving the Town of Ramseur
mayorntownoframseur. ore
336-824-4111— Office
336-736-9016 — Cell
ROY COOPER
Gavenar
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secrtforr
S. DANIEL SMITH
M-Wor
NORTH CRW LINA
Quality
CERTIFIED MAIL: 7018 1130 0000 1612 9691
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
November 03, 2020
Vicki Caudle
Town of Ramseur
PO Box 545
Ramseur, NC 27316
SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ISSUE CIVIL PENALTY
Tracking No.: NOV-2020-DV-0485
Sanitary Sewer Overflows - August 2020
Collection System Permit No. WQCS00195
Ramseur Collection System
Randolph County
Dear Permittee:
A review has been conducted of the self -reported Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO's) 5-Day Reports submitted by
Town of Ramseur. The Division's Winston-Salem Regional Office concludes that the Town of Ramseur violated
Permit Condition I (2) of Permit No. WQCS00195 by failing to effectively manage, maintain, and operate their
collection system so that there is no SSO (Sanitary Sewer Overflow) to the land or surface waters and the SSO
constituted making an outlet to waters of the State for purposes of G.S. 143-215.1(a)(1), for which a permit is
required by G.S. 143-215.1.
The Winston-Salem Regional Office is providing the Town of Ramseur an opportunity to provide evidence and
justification as to why the Town of Ramseur should not be assessed a civil penalty for the violation(s) that are
summarized below:
Total Vol
Total
Surface
Incident
Start
Duration
Vol
Water
Number
Date
(Mies)
Location
Cause
(Gals)
(Gals) DWR Action
202002273
8/3/2020
315
West Ridge East Side
Severe Natural
3,150
3,150 Notice of Intent
Pump 1341 West Ridge
Condition
Street
202002274
8/3/2020
270
127 Reed Creek Road
Severe Natural
1,350
0 Notice of Violation
Condition
Noah fimkae Department. of Environmental Qaatdy I Diumn of Watt Resources
41 AW Waseon5okm Raqlotai 0ffim 1 450 West Hanes Mir Road, Sure 300 1 WaamnEakm, Nor& CamFa 27105
336-776.9800
This Notice of Violation / Notice of Intent to Enforce (NOV/NOI) is being issued for the noted violation. Pursuant
to G.S. 143-215.6A, a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) may be assessed
against any person who violates or fails to act in accordance with the terms, conditions, or requirements of any
permit issued pursuant to G.S. 143-215.1.
This office requests that you respond to this Notice, in writing, within 30 business days of its
receipt. In your response, you should address the causes of non-compliance, remedial actions, and all other
actions taken to prevent the recurrence of similar situations. The response to this correspondence will be
considered in this process. Enforcement decisions will also be based on volume spilled, volume reaching surface
waters, duration and gravity, impacts to public health, fish kills or recreational area closure$. Other factors
considered in determining the amount of the civil penalty are the violator's history of non-compliance, the cost of
rectifying the damage, whether the spill was intentional and whether money was saved by non-compliance.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ron Boone with the Water Quality Section in the
Winston-Salem Regional Office at 336-776-9800 or via email at ron.boone@ncdenr.gov.
Cc: Laserfiche
Sincerely,
�u5iened by:
tasawEzzsceaEn...
Lon T. Snider, Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Winston-Salem Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
Norsk famine Dwan+ t of Enwmmanta Qeelay 1 Dive n of Water Res ao
WwsWnEekm RegmnN"f 1 e50 Wen Mamw Mi Road, Sow 300 1 WmsmnSeMm. Noah CJmirr 27106
"' 336.776.8800