HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQ0029346_Notice of Deficiency_20240417 f,Mt STAfE°j'�
Wzy
ROY COOPER _
Governor d C
ELIZABETH S.BISER
Secretary
RICHARD E.ROGERS,JR. NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
April 17, 2024
Delivered electronically via email to: mwestphaI6c�brmountainclub.com
Mark Westphal, President
Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc.
P.O. Box 1727
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
SUBJECT: NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY (NOD-2024-PC-0070)
Compliance Evaluation Inspection
Blue Ridge Mountain Club WWI
Permit No. WQ0029346
Watauga County
Dear Mr. Westphal:
On February 20, 2024, Division of Water Resources staff Kristen Potwora and Caitlin
Williams conducted a scheduled routine compliance inspection of the Blue Ridge
Mountain Club Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and the collection system. Travis
Thomas (Lead Operator), R. Neil Reece (Area Manager) and Patrick Warren (VP of
Development) were present for the inspection of the WWTP. Mr. Thomas and Mr. Warren
were present for the inspection of the collection system. A review of the treatment system,
storage facility, irrigation system, available records, and two lift stations was completed.
This review reflected non-compliance with the subject permit.
The following deficiencies were noted:
1. A soil report could not be located for the 2023 calendar year. Per Condition IV.14
of the permit, "an annual representative soils analysis shall be conducted on each
irrigation site listed in Attachment B." Please be reminded that you must collect
a soil sample each calendar year.
2. Irrigation Pump A has been broken since fall of 2023, and the gasket around the
irrigation flowmeter was leaking. Per Condition V.1, "the permittee shall perform
inspections and maintenance to ensure proper operation of the wastewater
treatment and irrigation facilities." The leaking gasket was also noted in
correspondence dated June 20, 2023. DWR staff was informed during the
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
Winston-Salem Regional Office 1 450 W.Hanes Mill Rd,Suite 300 I Winston-Salem,North Carolina 27105
oeo.W M c.nro��W W.1" /`� 336.776.9800
inspection that the gasket should be replaced within the next 60 days. However
there has been no communication on when Pump A will be fixed.
The following item of concern was noted:
• An updated Operation and Maintenance Plan and Spill Response Plan was not
available on site during the inspection. However, an updated version was sent
electronically to DWR staff on March 6, 2024. Moving forward, ensure a hard
copy is on site per Permit Condition 111.2.
Please refer to the enclosed inspection report for additional comments and observations.
If you have any questions, please contact me or Kristen Potwora at the letterhead address
and phone number 336-776-9697, or by email at jenny.graznak deg.nc.gov or
kristen.potwora(ab-deg.nc.gov
Sincerely,
DocuSigned by,'4. -'!�vteAK
OD2D3CE3F1B7456_.
Jennifer F. Graznak, Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ-WSRO
Enc: Inspection Report
Cc: Travis Thomas (ORC)
R. Neil Reece (Backup ORC)
Patrick Warren, Engineer(electronic copy)
D E Q�� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
Winston-Salem Regional Office 1 450 W.Hanes Mill Rd,Suite 300 1 Raleigh,North Carolina 27105
NORTH CAROUNA _
Depwbnwd ofEW—mnt10ua1\ �/ 336.776.9800
Compliance Inspection Report
Permit:WQ0029346 Effective: 11/14/22 Expiration: 02/28/29 Owner: Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners
Association Inc
SOC: Effective: Expiration: Facility: Blue Ridge Mountain Club WWTP
County: Watauga 493 Triplett Rd
Region: Winston-Salem
Ferguson NC 28624
Contact Person:Mark Westphal Title: President Phone: 828-295-8667
Directions to Facility:
System Classifications: SI, WW3.,
Primary ORC: Travis Shane Thomas Certification: 1013753 Phone:828-559-6032
Secondary ORC(s):
On-Site Representative(s):
Related Permits:
WQCSD0751 Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc-Blue Ridge
Mountain Club Wastewater Collection System
Inspection Date: 02/20/2024 Entry Time 11:OOAM Exit Time: 02:OOPM
Primary Inspector:Kristen Potwora �� �btGU92Cc. Phone: 336-776-9800
Secondary Inspector(s):
Caitlin Caudle
Reason for Inspection: Routine Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Permit Inspection Type: Wastewater Irrigation
Facility Status: ❑ Compliant Not Compliant
Question Areas:
Treatment Flow Measurement-Effluent Treatment Flow Measurement-Influent Miscellaneous Questions
Treatment Flow Measurement-Water Treatment Treatment Barscreen
Use Records
Record Keeping Treatment Lagoons Treatment Activated Sludge
Treatment Sludge Storage/Treatment End Use-Irrigation Treatment Influent Pump Station
Treatment Clarifiers Treatment Disinfection Treatment Flow Measurement
Treatment Return pumps Storage Standby Power
Wells
(See attachment summary)
Page 1 of 7
Permit: WQ0029346 Owner-Facility:Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc
Inspection Date: 02/20/2024 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Inspection Summary:
On February 20, 2024, Division of Water Resources staff Kristen Potwora and Caitlin Williams conducted a scheduled
routine compliance inspection of the Blue Ridge Mountain Club Wastewater Treatment Plant(WWTP)and the collection
system. Travis Thomas (Lead Operator), R. Neil Reece (Area Manager)and Patrick Warren (VP of Development)were
present for the inspection of the WWTP. Mr. Thomas and Mr.Warren were present for the inspection of the collection
system. A review of the treatment system, storage facility, irrigation system, available records, and two lift stations was
completed. This review reflected non-compliance with the subject permit.
The following deficiencies were noted:
1. A soil report could not be located for the 2023 calendar year. Per Condition IV.14 of the permit, "an annual
representative soils analysis shall be conducted on each irrigation site listed in Attachment B." Please be reminded that you
must collect a soil sample each calendar year.
2. Irrigation Pump A has been broken since fall of 2023, and the gasket around the irrigation flowmeter was leaking. Per
Condition V.1, "the permittee shall perform inspections and maintenance to ensure proper operation of the wastewater
treatment and irrigation facilities."The leaking gasket was also noted in correspondence dated June 20, 2023 . DWR staff
was informed during the inspection that the gasket should be replaced within the next 60 days. However there has been no
communication on when Pump A will be fixed.
The following item of concern was noted:
• An updated Operation and Maintenance Plan and Spill Response Plan was not available on site during the inspection
However, an updated version was sent electronically to DWR staff on March 6, 2024. Moving forward, ensure a hard copy is
on site per Permit Condition 111.2.
Other Observations:
• Carolina Water Service of North Carolina took over the operation of the WWTP in August 2023.
• The treatment facility currently has close to 300 connections . New connections will occur soon as 6 new homes are
being built as well as new townhomes that were just completed.
• Starting March 11th, they will begin the work necessary to install the two new drip zones.
• An updated Spill Plan and Operation and Maintenance Plan were sent to DWR on 3/6/24.
• Holes in the lagoon liner were fixed (this was noted as a deficiency during last inspection).
• According to documentation, the flowmeter was calibrated on 5/26/2023.
• Irrigation did not occur during the time of the inspection due to low water levels in the lagoon.
• Anoxic pump was fixed (this was noted as a deficiency during last inspection).
• Floats and High-water alarms were untangled during the inspection. They are considering moving the float tree to ensure
that there are no further entanglements.
• Staff gauge was clearly marked.
• The Clarifier was in operation, however it was still very cloudy.
• Irrigation equipment hasn't been calibrated this permit cycle yet.
• There is a V-notch weir in the chlorine contact chamber.
• Lift Station 45—pumps and alarms were operational and sent out text alerts.
• Lift Station 64 - pumps and alarms were operational and sent out text alerts.
Page 2 of 7
Permit: WQ0029346 Owner-Facility:Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc
Inspection Date: 02/20/2024 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Type Yes No NA NE
Reuse(Quality) ❑
Lagoon Spray, LR ❑
Infiltration System ❑
Single Family Spray, LR ❑
Activated Sludge Spray, HR ❑
Activated Sludge Drip, LR ❑
Recycle/Reuse ❑
Single Family Drip ❑
Activated Sludge Spray, LR
Treatment Yes No NA NE
Are Treatment facilities consistent with those outlined in the current permit? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Do all treatment units appear to be operational? (if no, note below.) 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment:
Treatment Influent Pump Station Yes No NA NE
Is the pump station free of bypass lines or structures? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the general housekeeping acceptable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are all pumps present? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are all pumps operable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are floats/controls operable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are audio and visual alarms available? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are audio and visual alarms operational? ❑ ❑ ❑
#Are SCADA/Telemetry alarms required? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are SCADA/Telemetry available? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are SCADA/Telemetry operational? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Comment:
Treatment Flow Measurement-Influent Yes No NA NE
Is flowmeter calibrated annually? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Is flowmeter operating properly? ❑ ❑ ❑
Does flowmeter monitor continuously? ❑ ❑ ❑
Does flowmeter record flow? ❑ ❑ ❑
Does flowmeter appear to monitor accurately? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Comment:
Treatment Flow Measurement-Water Use Records Yes No NA NE
Page 3 of 7
Permit: WQ0029346 Owner-Facility:Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc
Inspection Date: 02/20/2024 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Is water use metered? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Are the daily average values properly calculated? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Comment:
Treatment Flow Measurement-Effluent Yes No NA NE
Is flowmeter calibrated annually? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is flowmeter operating properly? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Does flowmeter monitor continuously? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Does flowmeter record flow? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Does flowmeter appear to monitor accurately? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment:
Standby Power Yes No NA NE
Is automatically activated standby power available? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is generator tested weekly by interrupting primary power source? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is generator operable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Does generator have adequate fuel? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment:
Treatment Barscreen
Yes No NA NE
Is it free of excessive debris? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is disposal of screenings in compliance? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are the bars spaced properly? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the unit in good condition? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment:
Treatment Activated Sludge Yes No NA NE
Is the aeration mechanism operable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the aeration basin thoroughly mixed? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the aeration equipment easily accessed? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is Dissolved Oxygen adequate? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are Settleometer results acceptable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is activated sludge an acceptable color? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment:
Treatment Clarifiers Yes No NA NE
Are the weirs level? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are the weirs free of solids and algae? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the scum removal system operational? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the scum removal system accessible? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Page 4 of 7
Permit: WO0029346 Owner-Facility:Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc
Inspection Date: 02/20/2024 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Is the sludge blanket at an acceptable level? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the effluent from the clarifier free of excessive solids? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment:
Treatment Return pumps Yes No NA NE
Are they in place? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Are they operational? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Comment:
Treatment Sludge Storage/Treatment Yes No NA NE
Is the aeration operational? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the aeration pattern even? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
If required, are Sanitary"Ts"present in tankage? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Comment:
Treatment Disinfection Yes No NA NE
Is the system working? ❑ ❑ ❑
Do the fecal coliform results indicate proper disinfection? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is there adequate detention time(>=30 minutes)? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the system properly maintained? ❑ ❑ ❑
If gas, does the cylinder storage appear safe? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the fan in the chlorine feed room and storage area operable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the chlorinator accessible? ❑ ❑ ❑
If tablets, are tablets present? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are the tablets the proper size and type? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is contact chamber free of sludge, solids, and growth? ❑ ❑ ❑
If UV, are extra UV bulbs available? ❑ ❑ ❑
If UV, is the UV intensity adequate? ❑ ❑ ❑
# Is it a dual feed system? ❑ ❑ ❑
Does the Stationary Source have more than 2500 Ibs of Chlorine(CAS No. 7782-50-5)? ❑ ❑ ❑
If yes,then is there a Risk Management Plan on site? ❑ ❑ ❑
If yes,then what is the EPA twelve digit ID Number? (1 000- - )
If yes,then when was the RMP last updated?
Comment:
Record Keeping
Yes No NA NE
Is a copy of current permit available? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are monitoring reports present: NDMR? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
NDAR? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Page 5 of 7
Permit: WQ0029346 Owner-Facility:Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc
Inspection Date: 02/20/2024 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are application rates adhered to? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is GW monitoring being conducted, if required (GW-59s submitted)? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are all samples analyzed for all required parameters? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are there any 2L GW quality violations? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is GW-59A certification form completed for facility? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is effluent sampled for same parameters as GW? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Do effluent concentrations exceed GW standards? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Are annual soil reports available? ❑ 0 ❑ ❑
#Are PAN records required? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
#Did last soil report indicate a need for lime? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
If so, has it been applied? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Are operational logs present? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are lab sheets available for review? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Do lab sheets support data reported on NDMR? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Do lab sheets support data reported on GW-59s? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are Operational and Maintenance records present? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Were Operational and Maintenance records complete? ❑ 0 ❑ ❑
Has permittee been free of public complaints in last 12 months? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Is a copy of the SOC readily available? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
No treatment units bypassed since last inspection? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment: Soil Analysis hasn't been completed since 12/16/2022. The O&M and Spill Plan were not onsite
and not updated.
End Use-Irrigation
Yes No NA NE
Are buffers adequate? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the cover crop type specified in permit? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the crop cover acceptable? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the site condition adequate? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the site free of runoff/ponding? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the acreage specified in the permit being utilized? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the application equipment present? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the application equipment operational? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is the disposal field free of limiting slopes? ❑ ❑ ❑
Is access restricted and/or signs posted during active site use? ❑ ❑ ❑
Are any supply wells within the CB? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Page 6 of 7
Permit: WO0029346 Owner-Facility:Blue Ridge Mountain Club Property Owners Association Inc
Inspection Date: 02/20/2024 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Are any supply wells within 250' of the CB? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
How close is the closest water supply well? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Is municipal water available in the area? ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
# Info only: Does the permit call for monitoring wells? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are GW monitoring wells located properly w/respect to RB and CB? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are GW monitoring wells properly constructed, including screened interval? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are monitoring wells damaged? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment: Irrigation Pump A has been broken since fall of 2023 and the gasket has been leaking/ not
working properly since at least 6/2023.
Page 7 of 7