WQCS00312_NOI_NOV2021DV0041_Response_20210210 (2)

CITY OF ARCHDALE
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307 BALFOUR DRIVE
P.O. BOX 14068
Vdfr _ ARCHDALE, NORTH CAROLINA 27263
PHONE: [phone] FAX: [phone]
October 26, 2021 NC Department of
Enviro Receiveld uality
OCT 2 9 2021
Mr. Lon T. Snider, Regional Supervisor Winston-Salem
Water Quality Regional Operations Section Regional Office
Winston-Salem Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston-Salem. NC 27105
Subject: Response to Notice of Violation & Intent to Issue Civil Penalty
Tracking No.: NOV-2021-DV-0444
Sanitary Sewer Overflows — August 2021
Collection System Permit No. WQCS00312
Archdale Collection System
Randolph County
I acknowledge receipt of your Notice of Violation & Intent to Issue Civil Penalty regarding
an SSO event on August 26, 2021. The NOV, dated 10/15/2021, was received
10/19/2021. The following narrative and attachments have been included to explain the
cause of this event (Debris in line, Roots) and the actions being taken to prevent future
overflows.
Narrative - Incident Number 202101839: Thursday, August 26, 2021
Public Works staff received a citizen call at 1:26pm on Thursday August 26th about a
sewer smell in their neighborhood. Staff made their way to the area of concern and by
1:45pm discovered the source of the issue; a manhole was overflowing badly. A creek is
located immediately below the manhole, so nothing could be done to contain the flow.
Instead, staff went to work with a jet machine working backwards from the downstream
manhole.
The SSO ended at approximately 4pm. Wastewater began flowing once the cutter head
opened the line. Once flow was re-established and the levels returned closer to normal, it

became apparent that a blockage remained within the line. With use of the sewer camera,
it was determined that tree roots had contributed to the backup and that further cleaning
work was necessary. Staff cleaned up the solid debris near the manhole, ensured the
area was safe, and made plans to finish cleaning the line the following day.
On Friday morning, staff returned to finish clearing the line of debris. More roots were
removed in addition to numerous "flushable" wipes. The roots and the collection of wipes
had combined to block the line, leading to the overflow. The roots probably came from
one of two nearby trees, and the wipes seem likely to have originated at a nursing home
upstream. In the end, the camera was run to show the line was fully clear.
During the cleanup process, staff spoke with the citizen caller again to update them on the
situation. The caller advised that the smell had first appeared earlier in the morning, but it
was not until the afternoon that they had called. With this in mind, staff assigned an 8am
start time to the overflow to be transparent on the volume of the spill.
In accordance with the City of Archdale's Sewer Overflow Response Plan, staff cleaned
up the area and spread hydrated lime. A Public Notice and Press Release were prepared
and sent to the local newspaper.
Public Works staff deserve high marks for their efforts on this event. They responded
immediately and worked quickly to resolve the issue. Once they learned that the overflow
had been going on longer than anticipated, they reached out to me to note the need to list
an earlier start time than we originally expected. I applaud their desire to be transparent
and honest in their incident reporting.
To avoid similar issues in the future, staff took two immediate steps. First, they contracted
to have the trees near the manhole cut down. Second, they made plans to speak with the
nursing home regarding their disposal of cleansing and sanitary wipes. This educational
outreach will also be added into upcoming newsletters included with City utility bills.
The City regrets that this overflow occurred, and we continue to camera and clean lines
proactively to avoid a similar issue in the future. Should you have questions or need
further information about this matter, please let me know. I can be reached by phone at
[phone] or by email at zholden(a.archdale-nc.gov.
Sincerely,
Zeb Holden
City Manager
Cc: Lloyd Wilson, Public Works Director
Chris Davis, Sewer System Supervisor, ORC