WQ0002264_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20190201

ROY COOPER
Governor
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secretary
LINDA CULPEPPER
Director
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
February 4, 2019
Mr. James A. Inman, City Manager via Email
Bessemer City
132 West Virginia Avenue
Bessemer City, North Carolina 28016
Subject: Non -Discharge Permit Inspection
Bessemer City WTP - Permit No.: WQ0002264
Alum Residuals Management Program
Gaston County
Dear Mr. Inman:
Staff of the Mooresville Regional Office (MRO) met with Jason Taylor (WTP ORC) and Jamie Ramsey
(Utilities Director) on January 241h, 2019, to discuss current renewal/rescission options and conduct a
compliance inspection. Per Mr. Ramsey, maintaining a permit was desired. The Distribution vs. Land
Application permits was discussed. This facility utilizes a Copper Sulfate product as needed in
summer months, so testing is a priority to determine if residuals will meet the criteria for Distribution of
Class "A" Residuals.
This facility is currently out of compliance for an expired permit. Please note the following comments
to return to overall program compliance:
• Continue the permit renewal process with our central office permitting staff. You may contact
Troy. Doby(aD_ncdenr.gov with specific questions related to renewal or modification to a
distribution permit as noted in email by Mr. Doby and discussed during our meeting.
MRO staff recommends the permittee consult with land application contractors and/or pump
and hauling contractors for assistance with addressing their residuals management now, as
the decant pond appears at capacity, most -likely is not operating properly as a settling pond,
and is over -due for removal of residuals and woody vegetation. Mr. Taylor located contact
information for land application contractors in his office records. But, please call Maria Schutte
as needed for further assistance.
The MRO would like to thank Mr. Taylor and Mr. Ramsey for their time during the inspection. The
inspection report should be self-explanatory; however, please contact Maria Schutte by phone (704-
235-2184) or email (maria.schutteC�ncdenr.gov) with questions.
Sincerely,
DocuSigned by:
F161 F969AMUAI..
Andrew H. Pitner, P.G., Assistant Regional Supervisor
Mooresville Regional Office
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
NORTH CAROHNA �
D E Q North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
Mooresville Regional Office 1 610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301 1 Mooresville, North Carolina 28115
o.namremor e,w.c�giuuei� /`� 704.663.1699

Attachment(s): WQ0002264 Inspection Report
CC: Jamey Ramsey, Utilities Director, Bessemer City (email)
Jason Taylor, WTP ORC, Bessemer City (email)
Troy Doby, CO -Non -discharge permitting, DWR (email)

Compliance Inspection Report
Permit: WQ0002264 Effective: 01/31/08 Expiration: 12/31/16 owner: City of Bessemer City
SOC: Effective: Expiration: Facility: City of Bessemer City Residuals Land Application Pr
County: Gaston 132 W Virginia Ave
Region: Mooresville
Bessemer City NC 28016
Contact Person: James Ramsey Title: Phone: [phone]
Directions to Facility:
System Classifications: LA,
Primary ORC: Certification: Phone:
Secondary ORC(s):
On -Site Representative(s):
Related Permits:
Inspection Date: 01/24/2019 Entry Time: 01:OOPM Exit Time: 02:55PM
Primary Inspector: Maria Schutte Phone: [phone]
Secondary Inspector(s):
Reason for Inspection: Routine Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Permit Inspection Type: Land Application of Residual Solids (503 Exempt)
Facility Status: ❑ Compliant Not Compliant
Question Areas:
Miscellaneous Questions Record Keeping Treatment
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Storage
(See attachment summary)
Page: 1

Permit: WQ0002264 Owner - Facility: City of Bessemer City
Inspection Date: 01/24/2019 Inspection Type : Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Inspection Summary:
Staff of the Mooresville Regional Office (MRO) met with Jason Taylor (WTP ORC) and Jamie Ramsey (Utilities Director) on
January 24th, 2019 to discuss current renewal/rescission options and conduct a compliance inspection. Per Mr. Ramsey,
maintaining a permit was desired. The Distribution vs. Land Application permits was discussed. This facility utilizes a
Copper Sulfate product as needed in summer months, so testing is a priority to determine if residuals will meet the criteria
for Distribution of Class "A" Residuals.
This facility is currently out of compliance for an expired permit. Please note the following comments to return to overall
program compliance:
• Continue the permit renewal process with our central office permitting staff. You may contact [e-mail] with
specific questions related to renewal or modification to a distribution permit as noted in email by Mr. Doby and discussed
during our meeting.
• MRO staff recommends the permittee consult with land application contractors and/or pump and hauling contractors for
assistance with addressing their residuals management now, as the decant pond appears at capacity, most -likely is not
operating properly as a settling pond and is over -due for removal of residuals and woody vegetation. Mr. Taylor located
contact information for land application contractors in his office records. But, please call Maria Schutte as needed for further
assistance.
The MRO would like to thank Mr. Taylor and Mr. Ramsey for their time during the inspection. The inspection report should
be self-explanatory; however, please contact Maria Schutte by phone [phone]) or email ([e-mail])
with questions.
Page: 2

Permit: WQ0002264 Owner - Facility: City of Bessemer City
Inspection Date: 01/24/2019 Inspection Type : Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Type Yes No NA NE
Distribution and Marketing ❑
Land Application
Record Keeping
Yes No NA NE
Is GW monitoring being conducted, if required?
❑
❑ ❑
Are GW samples from all MWs sampled for all required parameters?
❑
❑ ❑
Are there any GW quality violations?
❑
❑ ❑
Is GW-59A certification form completed for facility?
❑
❑ ❑
Is a copy of current permit on -site?
❑ ❑ ❑
Are current metals and nutrient analysis available?
❑
❑ ❑
Are nutrient and metal loading calculating most limiting parameters?
❑
❑ ❑
a. TCLP analysis?
❑
❑ ❑
b. SSFA (Standard Soil Fertility Analysis)?
❑
❑ ❑
Are PAN balances being maintained?
❑
❑ ❑
Are PAN balances within permit limits?
❑
❑ ❑
Has land application equipment been calibrated?
❑
❑ ❑
Are there pH records for alkaline stabilization?
❑
❑ ❑
Are there pH records for the land application site?
❑
❑ ❑
Are nutrient/crop removal practices in place?
❑
❑ ❑
Do lab sheets support data reported on Residual Analysis Summary?
❑
❑ ❑
Are hauling records available?
❑
❑ ❑
Are hauling records maintained and up-to-date?
❑
❑ ❑
# Has permittee been free of public complaints in last 12 months?
❑ ❑ ❑
Has application occurred during Seasonal Restriction window?
❑
0 ❑ ❑
Comment: Most questions are not applicable, since this is a WTP facility with Alum Residuals stored in a
decant pond. Per previous reports, there has been no land application since 2004.
The decant
pond needs attention for clean out of residuals and maintance of woody vegetation.
Pathogen and Vector Attraction
Yes No NA NE
a. Fecal coliform SM 9221 E (Class A or B)
❑
❑ ❑
Class A, all test must be <1000 MPN/dry gram
❑
Geometric mean of 7 samples per monitoring period for class B<2.0*10E6 CFU/dry gram
❑
Fecal coliform SM 9222 D (Class B only)
❑
❑ ❑
Geometric mean of 7 samples per monitoring period for class B<2.0*10E6 CFU/dry gram
❑
b. pH records for alkaline stabilization (Class A)
❑
❑ ❑
c. pH records for alkaline stabilization (Class B)
❑
❑ ❑
Page: 3

Permit: WQ0002264 Owner - Facility: City of Bessemer City
Inspection Date: 01/24/2019 Inspection Type : Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit: Routine
Temperature corrected ❑
d. Salmonella (Class A, all test must be < 3MPN/4 gram day) ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
e. Time/Temp on: ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Digester (MCRT) ❑
Compost ❑
Class A lime stabilization ❑
f. Volatile Solids Calculations ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
g. Bench -top Aerobic/Anaerobic digestion results ❑ ❑ 0 ❑
Comment: Alum residuals from a WTP. No recent land application activity, so testing has not been
required. This permit is currently in the renewal process with discussion to re -apply for a
distribution permit, rather than a land application permit. In either case, current analytical results
are necessary to proceed.
Treatment
Check all that apply
Aerobic Digestion
Anaerobic Digestion
Alkaline Pasteurization (Class A)
Alkaline Stabilization (Class B)
Compost
Drying Beds
Other
Comment: WTP Alum residuals. Processing is not required, but some may be acheived by long-term
storage in the decant pond. Filter backwash water is sent to the decant pond for settling of
solids, while water is pumped to a second lagoon prior to NPDES discharge (and/or future
proposed reuse/recycle back to the WTP).
Yes No NA NE
Page: 4