NC0021865_Response to Notice_20181018

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TOWN OF CHADBOURN
"The,S'trawherry Capital"
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602 NORTH BROWN STREET•CHADBOURN,NORTH CAROLINA 28431
TELEPHONE:[phone]
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October 16,2018 OCT 1 2018
NC DE /DWR i�4��c'�.h�ura3i�� ,Section
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Wilmington Regional Office W I va E offfil c
127 Cardinal Drive Extension
Wilmington,NC 28405
Subject:NOV Response
NOV-2018-LV-0713
Chadbourn WWTP
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Columbus County
Dear Ms. Sanchez-King,
The Town is in receipt of your NOV& Intent to Assess Civil Penalty dated October 11,2018. The NOV
is for a weekly average permit violation of Effluent BOD for the weeks of August 4, 11, 2018 also for the
same weeks we had 3 DO daily minimum exceedences. We request that no civil penalties be assessed for
these violations and offer the following comments:
• In early July, there was a major Staff change at the WWTP. The treatment plant operator had
completed his two week notice the first week of July and the daily operations Staff was in flux.
• The plant was operating well in compliance for all parameters until we noticed that our MLS S was
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not increasing. The plant has just went through a major upgrade including Diffused air in both
aeration basins and we found that when we have an interruption in aeration, the solids were not
recoverable due to inadequate mixing below the diffuser heads.
• We have since had 23 loads of sludge hauled in at 3000 gallons per load costing$6, 900 from another
town and have noticed very good results for this.
• We have acquired a new Dissolved Oxygen meter costing$1,3 82.25 to help keep questionable results j
to a minimal.
• The WWTP has since returned to compliance for BOD and DO.
• No environmental damage was observed due to this violation.
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The Town feels that we have taken the ste s to remediate the issue and are asking that we receive no
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fine. When aware of the issue, immediate steps were taken to return the plant to compliance. We are doing
our best to maintain compliance with permit conditions at all times and will continue to monitor and
operate the WWTP to achieve compliance. The Town is presently in financial hardship due to the recent
storms and need to keep our expenditures for necessity items.Note, we are well aware of our obligation to
our State in processing a good effluent and are mindful of this at all times.
Sincerely,
Patricia E. Garrell
Interim Town Manager
Town of Chadbourn