WQ0021861_Final Permit_20030330

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�0 RQ Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
t" North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
fl C Alan W. Klimek, P.E., Director
Division of Water Quality
April 30, 2003
Grady Ackerman
6201 Storehouse Road
Charlotte NC 28227
Subject: Permit No. WQ0021861
Ackerman Residences
Wastewater Treatment and Surface Irrigation System
Union County
Dear Mr. Ackerman:
In accordance with your permit application received September 25, 2002, and subsequent additional information
received February 14, 2003, we are forwarding herewith Permit No. WQ0021861, dated April 30, 2003, to Grady Ackerman
for the construction and operation of the subject wastewater treatment and surface irrigation facilities.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until March 31, 2008, 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 wiII result in future
compliance problems.
Please pay particular attention to Condition I.7.b, which requires the filing of an casement prior to operation of this
facility.
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.
One set of approved plans and specifications is being forwarded to you. If you need additional information
concerning this matter, please contact Sue Homewood at [phone] extension/502.
cc: Union County Health Department
Mooresville Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Mooresville Regional Office, Groundwater Section
Groundwater Section, Central Office
David DeCaron, Piedmont Design Associates, P.A.
Technical Assistance and Certification Unit
Water Quality Central Files
NDPU Files -
Non -Discharge Permitting Unit
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
DENR Customer Service Center
An Equal Opportunity Action Employer
Sincer& , �i
-.Alan W. Klimek, P.E.
Internet http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ndpu
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NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
RALEIGH
SURFACE 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
Grady Ackerman
Union County
FOR THE
construction and operation of a 600 GPD surface irrigation treatment and disposal facility consisting of a 2,000
gallon septic tank with effluent filter, two (2) Eeoflow STB-650 Biofilters in parallel, a tablet chlorinator, a 3,000
gallon chlorine contact and dosing tank with 1.5HP irrigation dosing pump, a synthetically lined 5,808 ft3 wet
weather storage pond with pumping system, and two (2) drip fields totally 6,667 ft2 wetted area to serve two
separate Ackerman Residences, with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters, pursuant to the application
received September 25, 2002, and subsequent additional information received by the Division, 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 March 31, 2008, and shall be subject to the
following specified conditions and limitations:
I. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Upon completion of construction and prior to operation of this permitted facility, a certification must
be received from a professional engineer certifying that the permitted facility has been installed in
accordance with this permit, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting materials. If
this Rroject is to be com leted in 12hases and partially certifiedyou shall retain the responsibility to
track further construction approved under the same ermit and shall rovide a final certificate of
completion once the entire project has been com leted. Mail the Certification to the Non -Discharge
Permitting Unit, Division of Water Quality, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617.
2. The Mooresville Regional Office, telephone number [phone], shall be notified at least forty-
eight (48) hours in advance of operation of the installed facilities so that an in -place inspection can be
made_ 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.

The surface 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.
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. 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.
6. Diversion or bypassing of the untreated wastewater from the treatment facilities is prohibited.
7. The following buffers shall be maintained:
a) 100 feet between wetted area and any residence or places of public assembly under separate
ownership,
b) 50 feet between wetted area and property lines,
For portions of this buffer that fall within property not owned by the Permittee, an easement shall
be filed with the Registrar of Deeds in Union County according to 15A NCAC 2L .0107(f). The
easement shall be in place prior to operation of this wastewater treatment system. The easement
shall contain, at a minimum: Proper notice of the permit in accordance with 15A NCAC 2L
.0107(f)(1)(A) or 15A NCAC 2L .0107(f)(1)(B); prohibit construction of water supply wells
within the compliance boundary; and provide right of entry to state employees to such property
for monitoring and remediation purposes.
c) 100 feet between wetted area and wells,
d) 50 feet between wetted area and surface water bodies,
e) 25 feet between wetted area and downslope interceptor drains or surface water diversions;
f) 50 feet between wetted area and public right of ways,
g) 100 feet between treatment/storage units and any wells, and
h) 50 feet between treatment units and property lines.
8. A leakage test shall be performed on the septic tank and dosing tank to insure that any exfiltration
occurs at a rate which does not exceed twenty (20) gallons per twenty-four (24) hours per 1,000
gallons of tank capacity_ The engineer's certification will serve as proof of compliance with this
condition.
9. If excavation into bedrock is required for the installation of the septic tank or sand filter, the pit shall
be lined with a 10 mil synthetic liner.
10. A sanitary tee and filter shall be Installed on the effluent pipe of the septic tank. The Engineer's
Certification will serve as evidence that these specifications have been met.
11. The disposal system shall be connected to a rain or moisture sensor that shall indicate when
wastewater application is not appropriate in accordance with Condition I1(4) of this permit.
11. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
I . The facilities shall be properly maintained and operated at all times.

2. Upon classification of the wastewater treatment and irrigation facilities by the Water Pollution
Control System Operators Certification Commission (WPCSOCC), the Permitter, shall designate and
employ a certified operator to be in responsible charge (ORC) and one or more certified operator(s) to
be back-up ORC(s) of the facilities in accordance with 15A NCAC 8G .0201. The ORC shall visit
the facilities in accordance with 15A NCAC 8G .0204 or as specified in this permit and shall comply
with all other conditions specified in these rules.
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.
Adequate measures shall be taken to prevent wastewater runoff from the irrigation field.
6. 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.
The application rate shall not exceed a cumulative loading of 54.6 inches over any twelve (12) month
period at an instantaneous application rate not to exceed 0.15 inches per hour.
No type of wastewater other than that from Ackerman Residences shall be irrigated 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.
11. Freeboard in the storage basin shall not be Iess than two feet at any time.
12. A waste-IeveI gauge, to monitor waste levels in the storage pond, shall be installed. This gauge shall
have readily visible permanent markings indicating the maximum liquid level at the top of the
temporary liquid storage volume, and top of the dam elevations. Caution must be taken not to
damage the integrity of the liner when installing the gauge.
13. A protective vegetative cover shall be established and maintained on all earthen basin embankments
(outside toe of embankment to maximum pumping elevation), berms, pipe runs, erosion control areas,
and surface water diversions. Trees, shrubs, and other woody vegetation shall not be allowed to grow
on the earthen basin dikes or embankments. Earthen basin embankment areas shall be kept mowed or
otherwise controlled and accessible.
14. The chlorine tablets used in the disinfection facility shall be of the kind and type specified in the plans
and specifications approved by the Division.
15. The Pcrrrittee will ensure that the storage basin is at minimum waste levels prior to entering the wet
winter season.
III. MONITORING AND REPORTING RE UIREMENTS
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.
2. The effluent from the subject facilities shall be monitored by the Permittee annually for the following
parameters:

BOD5 TSS
Fecal Coliform pH
NH3 as N NO2-NO3
TKN Total Phosphorous
3. 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:
a. weekly pump run time,
b_ weekly volume of wastewater irrigated based on weekly pump run time*,
c. continuous monthly, and year-to-date hydraulic (inches/acre) loadings for each field, and
d. weekly number of moisture sensor overrides.
*Effluent wastewater irrigated may be estimated from pump run times multiplied by the pump
capacity. This variance from Division policy shall be allowed provided that the pump capacity is
verified every May through a pump drawdown test. Records of all pump drawdown tests shall be
submitted by the Permittee with the Form NDMR and Form NDAR for the month of May and 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 include:
a. Pump drawdown test data,
b. Name of person performing the pump drawdown test, and
c. Percent difference from previous pump drawdown test.
The Division shall retain the right to require the installation of a flow measuring device any time it is
determined that the above -described method for estimating flow is not adequate for the Division's
purposes.
4. Freeboard in the storage basin shall be recorded weekly.
5. Three (3) copies of all monitoring data (as specified in condition III 2) on Form NDMR-1 and three
(3) copies of all operation and disposal records (as specified in condition Ill 3, and III 4) on Form
NDAR-1 shall be submitted monthly 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
irrigation 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)
4

7. Noncompliance Notification;
The Permittee shall report by telephone to the Mooresville Regional Office, telephone number (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 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.
Occurrences, outside normal business hours may also be reported to the Division's Emergency
Response personnel at telephone number [phone], [phone], or [phone].
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 RE UIREMENTS
Waste application activities shall not occur when the vertical separation between depth of application
and the water table is at less than one (1) foot. Verification of the water table elevation can be
confirmed by water level readings obtained from auger boring(s), which must be done within 24
hours, prior to application of wastewater. Any open borings must be properly filled with native soil,
prior to application to decrease the chance of any waste contaminating the groundwater.
The Compliance Boundary for disposal systems is specified by regulations in 15A NCAC 2L,
Groundwater Classifications and Standards. The Compliance Boundary for the disposal system
individually permitted on or after December 30, 1983 is established at either 250 feet from the waste
disposal area, or 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 remediation action according to 15A NCAC 2L .0106(d)(2).
The 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 action in accordancw ith 15A NCAC 2L .0106(d)(1).
4. Any groundwater quality monitoring as deemed necessary by the Division. shall be provided.
V. INSPECTIONS
1. 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 Pern*tee 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 to the Division or other permitting authority.
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 samples of groundwater, surface water, or leachate.
VI. GENERAL CONDITIONS
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.
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 Pem- ittee, 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.
5. 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 15A
NCAC 2B .0200, erosion and sedimentation control requirements in 15A NCAC Chapter 4 and under
the Division's General Permit NCGOI0000, and any requirements pertaining to wetlands under 15A
NCAC 2)B .0200 and 2H .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).
8. 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.
9

Permit issued this the 25L' of April, 2003
NORTH ROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
-ems
-'—Alan W. Klimek, P.E., Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit Number WQ0021861

Permit No. WQ0021861
April 30, 2003
ENGINEER'S CERTIFICATION
Partial Final
I, , as a duly registered Professional Engineer in the State of
North Carolina, having been authorized to observe (periodically, weekly, full time) the construction of the project,
Project Nanze
.Location and County
for the Permittee hereby state that, to the best of my abilities, due care and diligence was used in the observation
of the construction such that the construction was observed to be built within substantial compliance and intent of
this permit, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting materials.
Signature
Date
Registration No.