WQ0002264_Final Permit_19900207

State of North Carolina
Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources
Division of Environmental Management
512 North Salisbury Street - Raleigh, North Carolina 27611
James G. Martin, Governor
William W. Cobey, Jr., Secretary
February 7, 1990
Mr. Ralph S. Messera, City Manager
City of Bessemer City
132 West Virginia Avenue
Bessemer City, NC 28016
George T. Everett, Ph.D.
Director
Subject: Permit No. WQ0002264
City of Bessemer City
Land Application of Sludge
Amendment to Permit No. 14409
Gaston Coui_,y
Dear Messera:
In accordance with your application received August 18,
herewith Permit No. WQ0002264, dated February 7, 1990, to the
include the mixture of alum sludge with the wastewater treatmen
application of sludge operation.
t
1989, we are forwarding
City of Bessemer City to
plant sludge in the land
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until April 1, 1992, shall supersede
Permit No. 14409 and shall be subject to the conditions and limitations as specified therein.
If any parts, requirements, or limitations contained in this permit are unacceptable to you,
you have the right to request an adjudicatory hearing upon written request within 30 days
following receipt of this permit. This request must be in the form of a written petition, conforming
to Chapter 150B of North Carolina General Statutes, and filed with the Office of Administrative
Hearings, P.O. Box 11666, Raleigh, NC 27604. Unless such demands are made this permit shall
be final and binding.
The approved documents are being forwarded to you. If you need additional information
concerning this matter, please contact Mr. William Barlow at 919/ 733-5083.
cc: Gaston County Health Department
Mooresville Regional Office
Environmental Waste Disposal
Groundwater Section
Pollution Prevention Pays
P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh, North Cazolina 27611-7687 Telephone [phone]
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer

NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND NATURAL RESOURCES
RALEIGH
SLUDGE LAND APPLICATION PERMIT
In accordance with the provisions of Article 21 of Chapter 143, General Statutes of North
Carolina as amended, and other applicable Laws, Rules, and Regulations
PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO
City of Bessemer City
Gaston County
continued operation of a sludge land application program consisting of 1,500,000 gallons of
digested sludge form the Oates Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and 150,000 gallons of alum
sludge from Bessemer City's water plant with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters,
pursuant to the application received August 18, 1989, and in conformity with the project plan,
specifications, and other supporting data subsequently filed and approved by the Department of
Environment; Health and Natural Resources and considered a part of this permit.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until April 1, 1992, shall supersede
Permit No. 14409 and shall be subject to the following specified conditions and limitations:
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
The Mooresville Regional Office, phone no. 704/ 663-1699, and the appropriate
local governmental official (county manager/city manager) shall be notified at least
twenty-four (24) hours prior to the initial application of the sludge so that an
inspection can be made of the application sites and application method. Such
notification to the regional supervisor shall be made during the normal office hours
from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday, excluding State
Holidays. Also the Gaston County Manager's office must be notified prior to the
initial application so that they will be aware that the operation has been initiated.
2. This permit shall become voidable if the soils fail to adequately absorb the wastes
and may be rescinded unless the sites are maintained and operated in a manner
which will protect the assigned water quality standards of the surface waters and
ground waters.
3. The land application program shall be effectively maintained and operated as a
non -discharge system to prevent the discharge of any wastes resulting from the
operation of this program.

4. The issuance of this permit shall not relieve the Permittee of the responsibility for
damages to surface or groundwaters resulting from the operation of this facility.
5. In the event that the land application program is not operated satisfactorily, including
the creation of nuisance conditions, the Permittee shall cease applying sludge to the
sites and take any immediate corrective actions, including the construction of
additional or replacement wastewater treatment or disposal facilities.
6. No crops for direct human consumption shall be raised on these sites for a period
of 18 months following sludge application.
7. Maximum slope for sludge application shall be 10% for surface application and
18% for subsurface applications.
8. The following buffers zones shall be maintained:
a) 400 feet from residences under separate ownership for surface
application method,
b) 200 feet from residences under separate ownership for injection method,
c) 100 feet from "SA and SB" classified waters and public surface water
supplies for both methods,
d) 50 feet from "WS" classified waters and other streams, creeks, lakes,
rivers, and surface water drainage ways for injection method.
e) 100 feet from "WS" classified waters and other streams, creeks, lakes,
rivers and surface water drainage ways for surface application
method,
f) 100 feet from property lines for both methods,
g) 50 feet from public right of ways for surface application method,
h) 10 feet from upslope interceptor drains and surface water diversions for
both methods,
i) 25 feet from downslope interceptor drains, surface water diversions,
groundwater drainage systems and surface drainage ditches for both
methods.
9. A copy of this permit shall be kept in all sludge transport and application vehicles
during the life of this project.
10. All sludges included in this permit must be stabilized by a process to significantly
reduce pathogens (as described in 40 CFR Part 257, Appendix II) prior to
application or incorporation. An evaluation of all sludges as specified in condition
II 4 must be conducted as to their ability to demonstrate compliance with this
requirement. A copy of this report must be submitted to the Assistant Chief for
Operations, Division of Environmental Management, Water Quality Section,
Operations Branch, PO Box 27687, Raleigh, NC 27611-7687, within six (6)
months of the permit issue date.
11. Specific sludge application area boundaries shall be clearly marked on each site prior
to and during sludge application.
12. No sludge at any time shall be stored at any application site.
2

II. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
2
3
0
5.
The facilities and disposal sites shall be properly maintained and operated at all
times.
A suitable vegetative cover as listed in condition 11 3, shall be maintained in
accordance with the crop management plan approved by this Division.
The application rates shall not exceed the following for the specified crops:
Croy sS
Corn (grain)
Corn (silage)
Soybeans
Grains (wheat, barley)
Fescue Hay/Pasture
Hay (clover, alfalfa)
PAN flbslacr
150
220
150
100
150
250
No sludges other than the following are hereby approved for land application in
accordance with this permit:
Source County
Bessemer City WWTP Gaston
Bessemer City WTP Gaston
Estimated
Permit No. Volume f alg lons/vear
NCO020826 1,500,000
01-36-025 150,000
The lifetime heavy metal loadings shall not exceed the following for the
corresponding Cation Exchange Capacities (CEC):
Parameter CEC < 5
Lead (lbs/acre)
500
Zinc (lbs/acre)
250
Copper (lbs/acre)
125
Nickel (lbs/acre)
125
Cadmium (lbs/acre)
4.5
6. The Permittee shall employ a certified wastewater treatment plant operator to be in
responsible charge of the land application operation. The operator must hold a
certificate of the grade at least equivalent to the classification assigned to the
land application program by the Certification Commission.
7. Adequate facilities shall be provided to prevent surface runoff from carrying any
disposed or stored material into any surface waters.
8. Animals should not be grazed on sludge applied land within a 30-day period
following the sludge application. Application sites that are to be used for grazing
shall have fencing that will be used to prevent access after each application.
9. Surface applied sludge will be plowed or disced within twenty-four (24) hours
after application on lands with no cover crop established.
10. For areas that are prone to flooding or within the 100-year flood elevation, sludge
may be applied during periods of dry weather. The sludge must be incorporated
into the soil within twenty-four (24) hours of application.
3

11. Appropriate measures must be taken to control public access to the land application
sites during active site use and for the 12-month period following sludge application.
(Such controls may include the posting of signs indicating the activities being
conducted at each site.)
12. Adequate provisions shall be taken to prevent wind erosion and surface runoff
from conveying pollutants from the sludge application area onto the adjacent
property or into the surface waters.
13. Sludge shall not be applied in inclement weather or until 24 hours following a
rainfall event of 1/2-inch or greater in 24 hours. Any emergency sludge disposal
measures must first be approved by the Division of Environmental Management.
14. The site shall be adequately limed to a soil pH of at least 6.5 prior to sludge
application. Sludge may be applied to sites with a pH of less than 6.5 provided a
sufficient amount of lime is also applied to achieve a final pH of the lime, sludge and
soil mixture of at least 6.5.
III. MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
1. Any monitoring (including groundwater, surface water, sludge, soil, or plant
tissue analyses) deemed necessary by the Division of Environmental Management
to insure protection of the environment will be established and an acceptable
sampling and reporting schedule shall be followed. If monitoring data indicates
minimal or no concern to the Division, reduction of monitoring requirements may be
pursued after two annual reporting periods.
2. Proper records shall be maintained by the Permittee tracking all disposal activities.
These records shall include, but are not necessarily limited to the following
information:
a) source of sludge
b) date of sludge application
c) location of sludge application (site, field, or zone #)
d) method of application
e) weather conditions
f) soil conditions
g) type of crop growing on field
h) volume of sludge applied in gallons/acre and dry tons/acre
i) annual and cumulative totals of dry tons/acre of sludge, annual and
cumulative pounds/acre of each heavy metal, annual pounds/acre of plant
available nitrogen (PAN), and annual pounds/acre of phosphorus applied
to each field.
El

3. A representative annual soils analysis shall be conducted of each site receiving
sludge in the respective calendar year and the results maintained on file by the
Permittee for a minimum of five years. The soils analysis shall include but is not
necessarily limited to the following parameters:
Standard Soil Fertility Test Manganese
% Base Saturation
Cation Exchange Capacity
Phosphorus
Sodium
Potassium
Nickel
Lead
Cadmium
Zinc
Copper
Magnesium
Calcium
pH
4. A complete sludge analysis and EP Toxicity analysis shall be conducted by the
Permittee quarterly and annually, respectively and the results maintained on file by
the Permittee for a minimum of five years. If land application occurs at a frequency
less than quarterly, sludge analysis will be required for each instance of land
application. The sludge analysis shall include but is not necessarily limited to the
following parameters:
% total solids
Magnesium
Total Nitrogen
Sulfate
Phosphorus
Potassium
Lead
Zinc
Copper
Nickel
Cadmium
Chromium
Sodium
Calcium
Chlorides
Plant Available Nitrogen (by calculation)
pH
The EP Toxicity analysis shall include the following parameters:
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmium
Chromium
Lead
Mercury
Selenium
Silver
Endrin
Lindane
Methoxychlor
Toxaphene
2,4-D
2,4,5 -TP Silvex
5. Two copies of all monitoring and reporting requirements as specified in conditions
111 1, III 2, III 3 and III 4 shall be submitted annually on or before January 31 of
the following year to the following address:
NC Division of Environmental Management
Water Quality Section
Facility Assessment Unit
PO Box 27687
Raleigh, NC 27611-7687
5

6. Noncompliafice Notification:
The Permittee shall report by telephone to the Mooresville, Regional Office
telephone no. 704/663-1699, as soon as possible, but in no case more than 24 hours
or on the next working day following the occurrence or first knowledge of the
occurrence of any of the following:
a. Any occurrence with the land application program which results in the
land application of significant amounts of wastes which are abnormal in
quantity or characteristic.
b. Any failure of the land application program resulting in a discharge of
wastes to receiving waters.
C. Any time that self -monitoring information indicates that the facility has
gone out of compliance with the conditions and limitations of this permit
or the parameters on which the system was designed.
d. Any process unit failure, due to known or unknown reasons, that render
the facility incapable of adequate sludge treatment.
e. Any spillage or discharge from a vehicle or piping system transporting
sludge to the application site.
Persons reporting such occurrences by telephone shall also file a written report in
letter form within 15 days following Fort knowledge of the occurrence. This report
must outline the actions taken or proposed to be taken to ensure that the problem
does not recur.
IV. GROUNDWATER REQUIREMENTS
1. Any groundwater quality monitoring as deemed necessary by the Division of
Environmental Management shall be provided.
V. INSPECTIONS
The Permittee or his designee shall inspect the sludge storage, transport, and
disposal facilities to prevent malfunctions and deterioration, operator errors and
discharges which may cause or lead to the release of wastes to the environment, a
threat to human health, or a nuisance. The Permittee shall keep an inspection log
or summary including at least the date and time of inspection, observations made,
and any maintenance, repairs, or corrective actions taken by the Permittee. This
log of inspections shall be maintained by the Permittee for a period of three years
from the date of the inspection and shall be made available upon request by the
Division of Environmental Management or other permitting authority.
E.

2. Any duly authorized officer, employee, or representative of the Division of
Environmental Management may, upon presentation of credentials, enter and
inspect any property, premises or place on or related to the disposal site and
facility at any reasonable time for the purpose of determining compliance with this
permit; may inspect or copy any records that must be kept under the terms and
conditions of this permit; or may obtain samples of groundwater, surface water,
or leachate.
VI. GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. This permit shall become voidable unless the land application activities are carried
out in accordance with the conditions of this permit and in the manner approved
by this Division.
2. This permit is effective only with respect to the nature and volume of wastes
described in the application and other supporting data.
3. This permit is not transferable. In the event there is a desire for the facilities to
change ownership or a name change of the Permittee, a formal permit request must
be submitted to the Division of Environmental Management accompanied by an
application fee, documentation from the parties involved, and other `upporting
materials as may be appropriate. The approval of this request will be considered
on its merits and may or may not be approved.
4. Prior to any transfer of this land, a notice shall be given to the new owner that
gives full details of the materials applied or incorporated at this site.
5. This permit shall become voidable unless the agreements between the Permittee
and the landowners/lessees are in full force and effect.
6. The following are approved sites and crops for sludge application (see attached
map):
Site No. OwnerlLesSee Application Area (excluding buffers)
acres
BC-1
L. Kiser
30
BC-2
Margaret Paysour
35
BC-3
Frank Hood
40
BC-4
James T. Phillips
10
BC-5
S. C. Lovelace
80
BC-6
Paul Hager
33.6
BC-7
D.A. Hager
25
BC-8
Lee Damerson, Sr.
52.3
BC-9
Jackson Dixon
10.3
BC-10
Adam Deck
37.1
BC-11
Sam Kiser
31
BC-12
David Beattie
35
7. Failure to abide by the conditions and limitations contained in this permit may
subject the Permittee to an enforcement action by the Division of Environmental
Management in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 143-215.6.
7

8 . The annual administering and compliance fee must be paid by the Perrnittee within
thirty (30) days after being billed by the Division. Failure to pay the fee
accordingly may cause the Division to initiate action to revoke this permit as
specified by 15 NCAC 2H .0205 (c)(4).
9. The issuance of this permit does not preclude the Permittee from complying with
any and all statutes, rules, regulations, or ordinances which may be imposed by
other government agencies (local, state, and federal) which have jurisdiction.
10. A set of approved documents for the subject project must be retained by the applicant
for the life of the project.
11. The Permittee, at least six (6) months prior to the expiration of this permit, shall
request its extension. Upon receipt of the request, the Commission will review
the adequacy of the facilities described therein, and if warranted, will extend the
permit for such period of time and under such conditions and limitations as it may
deem appropriate.
12. This permit may be modified, or revoked and reissued to incorporate any conditions,
limitations and monitoring requirements the Division of Environmental Management
deems necessary in order to adequately protect the environment and public health.
Permit issued this the 7th day of February, 1990
TH CAROLINA F.NVIRQNMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
f7eorge T. Everett, Aiz ct
& W1
Division of Environmeriffl gement
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit No. WQ0002264
February 7, 1990