HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQ0012694_Final Permit_20001030State of Noah Carolina
Department of Environment
and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Bill Holman, Secretary
Kerr T. Stevens, Director
October 30, 2000
Mr. Steve Souza
Maharishi Spiritual Center of America - Eastridge Campus
639 Whispering Hills Road
Suite 112
Boone, NC 28607
Dear Mr. Souza:
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NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Subject: Permit No. WQ0012694
Maharishi Spiritual Center of
America - Eastridge Campus
Wastewater Drip Irrigation.
Watauga County
In accordance with your application for a name change received September 22, 2000, we are
forwarding herewith Permit No. WQ0012694, dated October 30, 2000, to Maharishi Spiritual Center of
America - Eastridge Campus, formerly Heavenly Mountain Resort — Eastridge Campus, for the continued
operation of the subject wastewater treatment and spray irrigation facilities.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until October 31, 2005, shall void
Permit No. WQ0012694 issued October 11, 1996, and shall be subject to the conditions and limitations
as specified therein. Please pay particular attention to the monitoring requirements in this permit.
Failure to establish an adequate system for collecting and maintaining the required operational
information will result in future compliance problems.
If any parts, requirements, or limitations contained in this permit are unacceptable, you have
the right to request an adjudicatory hearing upon written request within thirty (30) days following
receipt of this permit. This request must be in the form of a written petition, conforming to Chapter
150B of the North Carolina General Statutes, and filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings,
6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6714. Unless such demands are made this permit shall
be final and binding.
If you need additional information concerning this matter,
(919) 733-5083 extension 358.
Y,
Kerr T. Stevens
cc: Watauga Count), Health Department
Winston-Salem Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Winston-Salem Regional Office, Groundwater Section
Groundwater Section, Central Office
Technical Assistance and Certification Unit
Non -Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit
contact Teresa Rodriguez at
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 Telephone (919) 733-5083 Fax (919) 715-6048
An Equal Opportunity Affinnative Action Employer 50% recycled/10% post -consumer paper
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NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
RALEIGH
DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM 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
Maharishi Spiritual Center of America - Eastridge Campus
Watauga County
FOR THE
continued operation of a 15,000 GPD wastewater treatment facility and drip irrigation disposal facility consisting of a
single train 0.015 MGD package plant consisting of a bar screen, a 6,000 gallon equalization basin (one blower), with
dual 30 gpm pumps, a 15,000 gallon aeration basin, a 2,500 gallon clarifier, a 1,800 gallon aerated sludge holding t,
with decant arm, tablet chlorinator, 1,000 gallon chlorine contact tank, a Stevens flow meter Model 61R, a 22.5° we..,
an emergency power outlet for connection to an emergency generator provided by Mahirishi Spiritual Center of
America, a 400,000 gallon steel storage tank, a Perc-Rite control/filtration system with dual 56 GPM pumps and
audible and visual alarms, and a surface drip irrigation system with four separate drip zones with each zone having
approximately 25 laterals with a total wetted area of approximately 10 acres to serve the Maharishi Spiritual Center of
America, Eastridge Campus, with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters, pursuant to the application received
September 22, 2000, and in conformity with the project plan, specifications, and other supporting data subsequently
filed and approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and considered a part of this permit.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until September 30, 2005, shall void Permit No.
WQ001.2694 issued October 11, 1996, and shall be subject to the following specified conditions and limitations:
I. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
The drip irrigation facilities shall be effectively maintained and operated at all times so that there is no
discharge to the surface waters, nor any contamination of ground waters which will render them
unsatisfactory for normal use. In the event that the facilities fail to perform satisfactorily, including the
creation of nuisance conditions or failure of the irrigation area to adequately assimilate the wastewater, the
Permittee shall take immediate corrective actions including those actions that may be required by the
Division of Water Quality (Division), such as the construction of additional or replacement wastewater
treatment and disposal facilities.
2. The issuance of this permit shall not relieve the Permittee of the responsibility for damages to surface r
groundwaters resulting from the operation of this facility.
3. The residuals generated from these treatment facilities must be disposed in accordance with General
Statute 143-215.1 and in a manner approved by the Division.
4. Diversion or bypassing of the untreated wastewater from the treatment facilities is prohibited.
5. The following buffers shall be maintained:
a) 400 feet between wetted area and any residence or places of public assembly under separate
ownership,
b) 50 feet between wetted area and property lines,
c) 100 feet between wetted area and wells,
d) 200 feet between wetted area and drainageways or surface water bodies,
e) 50 feet between wetted area and public right of ways,
f) 100 feet between wastewater treatment units and wells, and
g) 50 feet between wastewater treatment units and property lines.
IL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
1. The facilities shall be properly maintained and operated at all times
2. Upon classification of the facility by the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification
Commission (WPCSOCC), the Permittee shall employ a certified wastewater treatment plant operator to
be in responsible charge (ORC) of the wastewater treatment facilities. The operator must hold a certificate
of the type and grade at least equivalent to or greater than the classification assigned to the wastewater
treatment facilities by the WPCSOCC. The Permittee must also employ a certified back-up operator of the
appropriate type and grade to comply with the conditions of 15A NCAC 8G .0202. The ORC of the
facility must visit each Class I facility at least weekly and each Class II, III, and IV facility at least daily,
excluding weekends and holidays, and must properly manage and document daily operation and
maintenance of the facility and must comply with all other conditions of 15A NCAC 8G .0202.
3. A suitable year round vegetative cover shall be maintained
4. Irrigation shall not be performed during inclement weather or when the ground is in a condition that will
cause runoff.
5. Adequate measures shall be taken to prevent wastewater runoff from the spray field.
The facilities shall be effectively maintained and operated as a non -discharge system to prevent the
discharge of any wastewater resulting from the operation of this facility.
7. The application rate shaI1 not exceed a cumulative loading of 26.0 inches over any twelve (12) month
period at an instantaneous application rate not to cause ponding or runoff.
No type of wastewater other than that from Maharishi Spiritual Center of America, Eastridge Campus
shall be sprayed onto the irrigation area.
No traffic or equipment shall be allowed on the disposal area except while installation occurs or while
normal maintenance is being performed.
10. Public access to the land application sites shall be controlled during active site use. Such controls may
include the posting of signs showing the activities being conducted at each site.
III. MONITORING AND REPORTING RE UIREMENTS
1. Any monitoring (including groundwater, surface water, soil or plant tissue analyses) deemed necessary by
the Division to insure surface and ground water protection will be established and an acceptable sampling
reporting schedule shall be followed.
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2.
Adequate records shall be maintained by the Permittee tracking the amount of wastewater disposed_ These
records shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following information:
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a. date of irrigation,
b. volume of wastewater irrigated,
c. field irrigated,
d. length of time field is irrigated,
e. continuous weekly, monthly, and year-to-date hydraulic (inches/acre) loadings for each field,
f. weather conditions, and
g. maintenance of cover crops.
Influent flow shall be continuously monitored and daily flow values shall be reported on Form NDMR.
The Permittee shall install an appropriate flow measurement device consistent with approved engineering
and scientific practices to ensure the accuracy and reliability of influent flow measurement. Flow
measurement devices selected shall be capable of measuring flows with a maximum deviation of less than
10 percent from true flow, accurately calibrated at a minimum of once per year, and maintained to ensure
that the accuracy of the measurements is consistent with the accepted capability of that type of device.
Records of flow measurement device calibration shall be kept on file by the Permittee for a period of at
least three years. At a minimum, data to be included in this documentation shall be:
a. Date of flow measurement device calibration
b. Name of person performing calibration
c. Percent from true flow
The effluent from the subject facilities shall be monitored by the Permittee at the point prior to irrigation
every March, July and November for the following parameters:
BOD5 TSS
Fecal Coliform pH
NH3 as N
Three (3) copies of all operation and disposal records (as specified in condition III 2) on Form NDAR-1
and three (3) copies of all effluent monitoring data (as specified in condition III 3 and I11 4) on Form
NDMR-I shall be submitted on or before the last day of the following month. All information shall be
submitted to the following address:
NC Division of Water Quality
Water Quality Section
Non -Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
6. A representative annual soils analysis (Standard Soil Fertility Analysis) shall be conducted on each spray
field and the results maintained on file by the Permittee for a minimum of five years. The Standard Soil
Fertility Analysis shall include, but is not necessarily limited to, the following parameters:
Acidity Manganese Potassium
Calcium Percent Humic Matter Sodium
Copper pH Zinc
Magnesium Exchangeable Sodium Percentage Phosphorus
Cation Exchange Capacity Base Saturation (by calculation)
7. Noncompliance Notification:
The Permittee shall report by telephone to the Winston-Salem Regional Office, telephone number (336)
771-4600, 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 at the wastewater treatment facility which results in the treatment of significant
amounts of wastes which are abnormal in quantity or characteristic, such as the dumping of the
contents of a sludge digester; the known passage of a slug of hazardous substance through the facility;
or any other unusual circumstances.
b. Any process unit failure, due to known or unknown reasons, that render the facility incapable of
adequate wastewater treatment such as mechanical or electrical failures of pumps, aerators,
compressors, etc.
c. Any failure of a pumping station, sewer line, or treatment facility resulting in a by-pass directly to
receiving waters without treatment of all or any portion of the influent to such station or facility_
d. Any time that self -monitoring information indicates that the facility has gone out of compliance with
its permit limitations.
Persons reporting such occurrences by telephone shall also file a written report in letter form within five
(5) days following first 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 additional groundwater quality monitoring, as deemed necessary by the Division, shall be provided.
2. The COMPLIANCE BOUNDARY for the disposal system is specified by regulations in 15A NCAC 2L,
Groundwater Classifications and Standards. The Compliance Boundary is for the disposal system
constructed after December 31, 1983 is established at either (1) 250 feet from the waste disposal area, or
(2) 50 feet within the property boundary, whichever is closest to the waste disposal area. An exceedance
of Groundwater Quality Standards at or beyond the Compliance Boundary is subject to immediate
remediation action in addition to the penalty provisions applicable under General Statute 143-
215.6A(a)(1).
In accordance with 15A NCAC 2L, a REVIEW BOUNDARY is established around the disposal systems
midway between the Compliance Boundary and the perimeter of the waste disposal area. Any exceedance
of standards at the Review Boundary shall require. remediation action on the part of the pernvttee.
V. INSPECTIONS
Adequate inspection, maintenance, and cleaning shall be provided by the Permittee to insure proper
operation of the subject facilities.
2. The Permittee or his designee shall inspect the wastewater treatment 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
Iog 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 to the Division or other permitting authority.
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3. Any duly authorized officer, employee, or representative of the Division may, upon presentation of
credentials, enter and inspect any property, premises or place on or related to the disposal site or facility at
any reasonable time for the purpose of determining compliance with this permit; may inspect or copy any
records that must be maintained under the terms and conditions of this permit, and may obtain sample
groundwater, surface water, or leachate.
YI. GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. This permit shall become voidable unless the facilities are constructed in accordance with the conditions of
this permit, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting data.
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 there
is a name change of the Permittee, a formal permit request must be submitted to the Division accompanied
by an application fee, documentation from the parties involved, and other supporting materials as may be
appropriate. The approval of this request will be considered on its merits and may or may not be
approved.
4. Failure to abide by the conditions and limitations contained in this permit may subject the Permittee to an
enforcement action by the Division in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 143-215.6A to 143-
215.6C.
The issuance of this permit does not exempt 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, including but not limited to applicable river buffer rules in I5A NCAC 2B .0200,
erosion and sedimentation control requirements in 15A NCAC Ch. 4 and under the Division's Gene
Permit NCG0100000, and any requirements pertaining to wetlands under 15A NCAC 2B .0200 and .
.0500.
6. A set of approved plans and specifications for the subject project must be retained by the Permittee for the
life of the project.
The annual administering and compliance fee must be paid by the Permittee 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 15A NCAC 2H .0205 (c)(4).
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.
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Permit issued this the 30th day of October, 2000
NORTH CAW A ENVIR E TAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
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Kerr T. Stevens, Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit Number WQ0012694