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NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
March 6, 2019
Mr. Michael Peoples
City of Gastonia
PO Box 1748
Gastonia, NC 28053
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC0040070
Two Rivers Utilities WTP Alum de-
watering Facility
Grade I Physical Chemical WPCS
Gaston County
Dear Mr. Peoples:
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Please review this draft carefully
to ensure your thorough understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
1. Section A. (4) has been updated to require electronic submission of effluent data, and a footnote
has been updated in Section A. (1). Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all
discharge monitoring reports (DMRs).
2. Outfall map has been updated.
3. Language on the Supplement to Permit Cover Sheet has been updated.
4. Facility grade has been added in Section A. (1).
5. The limit for turbidity has been removed as the receiving stream is not impaired for turbidity,
and associated monitoring has been reduced per the current water treatment plant guidance.
6. Monitoring for Total Hardness has been added in Section A. (1) per the current water treatment
plant guidance.
7. Footnotes in Section A. (1)have been updated.
8. Toxicity test in Sections A. (1) and A. (2) has been updated based on the facility's discharge
schedule.
With this notification, the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a
notice in newspapers having circulation in the general Gaston County area, per EPA requirements.
Please provide your comments, if any, to me no later than 30 days after receiving this draft
permit.
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
919-707-9000
Following the 30-day public comment period, the Division will review all pertinent comments and take
appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit. If you have questions concerning the draft, please
contact me at 919-707-3619, or via e-mail [Brianna.Young@ncdenr.gov].
Sincerely,
Manna Young
Compliance and Expedited Permitting Unit
cc: NPDES Files
Mooresville Regional Office
Wastewater Operator Certification Group
WSS/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
Permit NC0040070
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
In compliance with the provisions of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the
City of Gastonia — Two Rivers Utilities
is hereby authorized to discharge treated wastewater from a facility known as
Two Rivers Utilities Water Treatment Plant
Alum De-watering Facility
298 West Page Avenue
Gastonia
Gaston County
to receiving waters designated as an unnamed tributary to Long Creek, within the Catawba River Basin,
in accordance with effluent limitations,monitoring requirements, and other applicable conditions set
forth in Parts I, II, III, and IV hereof.
The permit shall become effective.
This permit and the authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on January 31, 2024.
Signed this day.
Linda Culpepper
Director, Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 8
Permit NC0040070
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked, and as of this issuance, any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer effective.
Therefore, the exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the permit
conditions, requirements, terms, and provisions described herein.
City of Gastonia — Two Rivers Utilities
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate a conventional water treatment plant [coagulation, sedimentation, and filtration]
with discharge of wastewaters from filter backwash and sedimentation basins. This water treatment
plant currently has a design potable flowrate of 23.3 MGD, a design wastewater discharge of 0.75
MGD, and a maximum, monthly average wastewater discharge of 0.313 MGD. This facility is
located at the Two Rivers Utilities Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Alum De-watering Facility at 298
West Page Avenue in Gastonia in Gaston County. Water and wastewater treatment consists of:
• Coagulation with aluminum sulfate(alum)
• Disinfection with sodium hypochlorite
• Sedimentation
• Filtration
• pH adjustment with sodium hydroxide
• Corrosion control with sodium bicarbonate, hexameta-phosphate, and orthophosphate
• Two (2) 0.600 MG sedimentation basin
• Dechlorination with sodium thiosulfate
• Additional chemical treatment consisting of:
o Fluoride in finished water
o Polymer in wastewater(for sludge settling)
2. Discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001 at a location specified on the attached map,
into an unnamed tributary to Long Creek [Stream Segment: 11-129-16-(4)], currently classified
C waters within Subbasin 03-08-36 [HUC: 0305010206] of the Catawba River Basin.
Page 2 of 8
Permit NC0040070
PART I.
A. (1) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade I Physical Chemical WPCS [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the
Permittee is authorized to discharge filter backwash via Outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited
and monitored' by the Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTIC LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
Monthly Daily
itY Measurement Sample Sample
Parameter Code Average Maximum Frequency Type Location
Flow(MGD) 50050 Continuous Recording Effluent
Total Suspended Solids C0530 30.0 mg/L 45.0 mg/L Weekly Grab Effluent
pH 00400 Not<6.0 or>9.0 Weekly Grab Effluent
standard units
Total Residual Chlorine 2 50060 17 pg/L Weekly Grab Effluent
Turbidity(NTU) 00070 2/Month Grab Effluent
Total Aluminum(pg/L) 01105 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Copper(pg/L) 01042 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Fluoride(pg/L) 00951 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Zinc(pg/L) 01092 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Iron(pg/L) 01045 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Manganese(pg/L) 01055 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Nitrogen(mg/L) C0600 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Phosphorous(mg/L) C0665 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Hardness—Total as 3 00900 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
[CaCO3 or(Ca+Mg)] (mg/L)
Hardness—Total as a 00900 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Upstream
[CaCO3 or(Ca+Mg)] (mg/L)
Acute WET Testing 5 TGA38 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Footnotes:
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the NC DWR's eDMR
application system [see Section A. (4)].
2. The Division shall consider TRC effluent values reported below 50 µg/L to be compliant with the
permit. However,the Permittee shall continue to record and submit all values reported by a North
Carolina-certified laboratory method(including field certified), even if these values fall below 501.tg/L.
3. Effluent hardness sampling should be performed in conjunction with testing for hardness dependent
metals(cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, silver, and zinc).
4. The Permittee shall sample instream hardness,upstream of the facility's discharge.The sample shall be
representative of the hardness in the receiving stream. If the Permittee is a member of the Monitoring
Coalition Program, sampling for instream hardness may be waived as long as the Monitoring coalition
agrees to sample hardness at the nearest upstream location, at a minimum frequency of quarterly, and
Page 3 of 8
Permit NC0040070
the Permittee has obtained approval from DWR-NPDES Permitting Unit that the upstream station being
monitored by the Coalition is representative of the receiving stream for this discharge.The Permittee is
responsible for submitting instream hardness test results with its permit renewal application package.If
Coalition membership is cancelled or the Coalition terminates instream hardness sampling at the
approved station,the Permittee will immediately notify the Division and resume sampling for instream
hardness,upstream of its discharge.
5. Whole Effluent Toxicity(WET)testing-testing of Ceriodaphnia dubia shall be performed as 48 hour static
test at 90%effluent concentration,during January,April,July and October[See Section A.(2)].
Samples shall be taken at the outfall but prior to mixing with the receiving waters.
There shall be no discharge of floating solids or foam in other than trace amounts.
Page 4 of 8
Permit NC0040070
A. (2) ACUTE TOXICITY PASS/FAIL MONITORING (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B .0500 et seq.]
The permittee shall conduct acute toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in the North
Carolina Procedure Document entitled"Pass/Fail Methodology For Determining Acute Toxicity In A
Single Effluent Concentration" (Revised December 2010 or subsequent versions). The monitoring shall
be performed as a Ceriodaphnia dubia 48 hour static test. The effluent concentration at which there may
be at no time significant acute mortality is 90% (defined as treatment two in the procedure document).
Effluent samples for self-monitoring purposes must be obtained during representative effluent discharge
below all waste treatment. The tests will be performed during the months of January, April,July and
October. These months signify the first month of each three month toxicity testing quarter assigned to
the facility.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent
Discharge Monitoring Form (MR-1) for the month in which it was performed, using the parameter code
TGA3B. Additionally, DWQ Form AT-2 (original) is to be sent to the following address:
Attention: North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Environmental Sciences Section
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Environmental Sciences Section no later
than 30 days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be complete and accurate and include all supporting chemical/physical measurements
performed in association with the toxicity tests, as well as all dose/response data. Total residual chlorine
of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if chlorine is employed for disinfection of
the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is
required, the permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity(AT) test
form indicating the facility name, permit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report
with the notation of"No Flow" in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted to the
Environmental Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, then
monthly monitoring will begin immediately. Upon submission of a valid test, this monthly test
requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above. Assessment of toxicity compliance is
based on the toxicity testing quarter, which is the three month time interval that begins on the first day of
the month in which toxicity testing is required by this permit and continues until the final day of the
third month.
monitoring re requirements or testsperformed bythe North Carolina
Should any test data from either these q
Division of Water Quality indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re-
opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
Page 5 of 8
Permit NC0040070
Should it be determined by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality that the facility's discharge
frequency and duration enable chronic sampling according to either the North Carolina Ceriodaphnia
Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Procedure or to Section 8.3, in Methods EPA-821-R-02-013, the
permit may be re-opened and modified to include chronic toxicity tests.
If the Permittee monitors any pollutant more frequently than required by this permit, the results of such
monitoring shall be included in the calculation & reporting of the data submitted on the DMR& all AT
Forms submitted.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid test and will
require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than the last day of the month following
the month of the initial monitoring.
A. (3) PRODUCTION MODIFICATIONS
[G.S. 143-215.1(a)]
Monitoring for this permit is suspended. The permittee shall contact the Mooresville Regional Office
within 30 days prior to any planned discharges from this facility.
A. (4) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF MONITORING REPORTS
[NCGS 143-215.1 (b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and program
reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December
21, 2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this
permit (Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B. (11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D. (2.) Reporting
• Section D. (6.) Records Retention
• Section E. (5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)1
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic
Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
submitted electronically using eDMR. The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter monitoring
data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. Until such time that the state's eDMR
application is compliant with EPA's Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Regulation(CROMERR),
permittees will be required to submit all discharge monitoring data to the state electronically using
eDMR and will be required to complete the eDMR submission by printing, signing, and submitting one
signed original and a copy of the computer printed eDMR to the following address:
Page 6 of 8
Permit NC0040070
NC DEQ/Division of Water Resources/Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the facility
being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have broadband access,
then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted and
discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms (MR 1, 1.1, 2, 3) or alternative forms
approved by the Director. Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to the mailing address above. See
"How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Regardless of the submission method, the first DMR is due on the last day of the month following the
issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last day of the month following the
commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21, 2020, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports, when applicable:
• Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
• Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and
• Clean Water Act(CWA) Section 316(b) Annual Reports.
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division (see"How to Request a
Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below).
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9), the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time of
each electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify the initial
recipient for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the entity
(EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program)that is the designated entity for
receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for each
type of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the appropriate
electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES Electronic Reporting
Rule is found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-24954/national-pollutant-
discharge-elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule.
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the"Reporting Requirements" section above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an
electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to the
Page 7 of 8
Permit NC0040070
Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to the
Division for written approval at least sixty(60)days prior to the date the facility would be required
under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a temporary waiver
shall not exceed 5 years and shall thereupon expire. At such time,monitoring data and reports shall be
submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re-applies for and is granted a new
temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic reporting waivers are not
transferrable. Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request may submit monitoring data
and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved reporting waiver request is
effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on the
following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
4. Signatory Requirements (Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d)1
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(a)or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II, Section
B. (11.)(b). A person, and not a position, must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR reporting
purposes.
For eDMR submissions,the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user account
and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North Carolina's eDMR
system,registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit the following web
page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification. Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall make the
following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION WILL BE
ACCEPTED:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my
direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons
who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the
information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete. I am
aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of
fines and imprisonment for knowing violations."
5. Records Retention f Supplements Section D. (6.)1
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR submissions.
These records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the date of the report.
This period may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR 122.41].
Page 8 of 8
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Facility Location *--js`�
Receiving Stream: UT to Long Creek Stream Class:C ��
scale not shown
Stream Segment: 11 129 16 (4) Sub-Basin#: 03-08-36
River Basin:Catawba HUC:0305010206 SCALE USGS Quad:Gastonia North
County: Gaston 1:24,000 35.26833°,-81.18778°