NC0044806_Renewal (Application)_20191021

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ROY COOPER 1
Governor 7
MICHAEL S.REGAN ..i,.� .
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LINDA CULPEPPER NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
October 28, 2019
Town of Atlantic Beach
Attn: David Walker, Town Manager
PO Box 10
Atlantic Bch, NC 28512-0010
Subject: Permit Renewal
Application No. NC0044806
Atlantic Beach WTP
Carteret County
Dear Applicant:
The Water Quality Permitting Section acknowledges the October 28, 2018 receipt of your permit renewal application and
supporting documentation. Your application will be assigned to a permit writer within the Section's NPDES WW permitting
branch. Per G.S. 150B-3 your current permit does not expire until permit decision on the application is made.
Continuation of the current permit is contingent on timely and sufficient application for renewal of the current permit. The
permit writer will contact you if additional information is required to complete your permit renewal. Please respond in a
timely manner to requests for additional information necessary to allow a complete review of the application and renewal
of the permit.
Information regarding the status of your renewal application can be found online using the Department of Environmental
Quality's Environmental Application Tracker at:
https://deq.nc.gov/permits-regulations/permit-guidance/environmental-application-tracker
If you have any additional questions about the permit, please contact the primary reviewer of the application using the
links available within the Application Tracker.
Sincerely,
/,*Idittirdo
Wren Thedford
Administrative Assistant
Water Quality Permitting Section
ec: WQPS Laserfiche File w/application
North Carauna D_pertmeot of Env'ronrnznti Quaiity I Di sion Sf 1S'eter ReEauras
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910 79o-7215

o.SOWN OFFICE OF TOWN MANAGER
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P.O.Box 10 ° s David R Walker
125 West Fort Macon Road
Atlantic Beach,NC 28512 Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
*INC. 931* townmanager atlanticbeach-nc.com
ECEIVED
October 21, 2019
OCT 2 8 2019
NCDEQ/DWR NCDEQ/DWR/NPDES
ATTN: NPDES Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,NC 27699-1617
Subject: Request for NPDES Renewal NPDES Permit#NC0044806
Town of Atlantic Beach Atlantic Beach WTP Carteret County
Dear NPDES Unit:
The Town of Atlantic Beach is requesting renewal of NPDES permit number NC0044806 for the
backwash/regeneration flow from the Atlantic Beach WTP. The WTP treats groundwater which is
processed in an ion exchange system. The permit expiration date is April 30, 2020.
In regards to the permit renewal,the Town makes the following comments:
•The Town does not use a zinc compound as a corrosion inhibitor in the potable water and
requests that this monitoring requirement be removed from the permit.
•The Town consistently has difficultly passing the Whole Effluent Toxicity test. The
backwash/regeneration process of the water softeners will be evaluated to determine if WET
compliance can be achieved by optimizing the process.
We thank you for your assistance in this matter. If you have any additional questions or comments,
please contact Marc Schulze at 252-726-1366 ext. 255.
Sincerely,
avid alker
Town Manager

NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - WTP
For discharges associated with water treatment plants
Mail the complete application to:
N. C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality / NPDES Unit
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
NPDES Permit Number NC0044806
If you are completing this form in computer use the TAB key or the up - down arrows to move from one
field to the next. To check the boxes, clickyour mouse on topofthe box. Otherwise,pleaseprint or type.
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1. Contact Information:
Owner Name Town of Atlantic Beach
Facility Name Atlantic Beach WTP
Mailing Address PO Box 10
City Atlantic Beach
State / Zip Code NC/28512
Telephone Number [phone]
Fax Number [phone]
e-mail Address publicservicesdirector chi atlanticbeach-nc.corn
2. Location of facility producing discharge:
Check here if same as above ❑
Street Address or State Road 101 East Drive
City Atlantic Beach
State / Zip Code NC/28512
County Carteret
3. Operator Information:
Name of the firm, consultant or other entity that operates the facility. (Note that this is not referring to the
Operator in Responsible Charge or ORC)
Name Town of Atlantic Beach
Mailing Address PO Box10
City Atlantic Beach
State / Zip Code NC/28512
Telephone Number [phone]
Fax Number [phone]
4. Ownership Status:
Page 1 of 4 Version 5/2012

NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - WTP
For discharges associated with water treatment plants
Federal El State ❑ Private ❑ Public El
5. Type of treatment plant:
❑ Conventional (Includes coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation, usually followed by
filtration and disinfection)
❑ Ion Exchange (Sodium Cycle Cationic ion exchange)
❑ Green Sand Filter (No sodium recharge)
El Membrane Technology (RO, nanofiltration)
Check here if the treatment process also uses a water softener El
6. Description of source water(s) (i.e. groundwater, surface water)
Groundwater
7. Describe the treatment process(es) for the raw water:
Raw groundwater is pumped from six wells to the WTP. The treatment process: bag
filtration followed by softening. Finished water flows to clearwell prior to pumping to
distribution system.
8. Describe the wastewater and the treatment process(es) for wastewater generated by the
facility:
Backwash/Regeneration waste water from the water softener flows to a settling basin. The
discharge from the settling basin is dechlorinated as it flows to stormwater system prior
to discharge in Bogue Sound.
9. Number of separate discharge points: 1
Outfall Identification number(s) 001
10. Frequency of discharge: Continuous ❑ Intermittent El
If intermittent:
Days per week discharge occurs: 7 Duration: 112 Minutes
11. Plant design potable flowrate 2.5 MGD
Backwash or reject flow 0.029 MGD
12. Name of receiving stream(s) (Provide a map showing the exact location of each outfall, including
latitude and longitude):
Discharge into stormwater system with final disposal to Bogue Sound in White Oak River basin
13. Please list all water treatment additives, including cleaning chemicals or disinfection
treatments, that have the potential to be discharged.
Page 2 of 4 Version 5/2012

NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - WTP
For discharges associated with water treatment plants
Alum / aluminum sulfate Yes No xx
Iron sulfate / ferrous sulfate Yes No xx
Fluoride Yes xx No
Ammonia nitrogen / Chloramines Yes No xx
Zinc-orthophosphate or sweetwater CP1236 Yes No xx
List any other additives below:
Sodium Polyphospate
SodiumChloride
Sodium Hypochlorite
14. Is this facility located on Indian country? (check one)
Yes C. No
15. Additional Information:
Provide a schematic of flow through the facility, include flow volumes at all points in
the water treatment process. The plan should show the points] of addition for
chemicals and all discharges routed to an outfall [including stormwater].
Solids Handling Plan
16. NEW Applicants
Information needed in addition to items 1-15:
New applicants are highly encouraged to contact a permit coordinator with the
NCDENR Customer Service Center.
Was the Customer Service Center contacted? [ ] Yes ❑ No
Analyses of source water collected
Engineering Alternative Analysis
Discharges from Ion Exchange and Reverse Osmosis plants shall be evaluated using a
water quality model.
17. Applicant Certification
I certify that I am familiar with the information contained in the application and that to the
(/ best of my knowledge and belief such information is true, complete, and accurate.
nr
4. 6.
name o Pe son ignin Title
4v/3 o 9
tare f lean Da
North Carolina eneral tatute 143-215.6(b)(2)provi es that Any person who knowingly makes any false statement representation,or certification in any application,
record,report plan,or other document files or required to be maintained under Article 21 or regulations of the Environmental Management Commission implementing that
Article,or who falsifies,tampers with,Or knowingly renders inaccurate any recording or monitoring device or method required to be operated or maintained under Article 21
or regulations of the Environmental Management Commission implementing that Article,shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed S25,000.or by
Page 3 of 4 Version 5/2012

NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - WTP
For discharges associated with water treatment plants
imprisonment not to exceed six months,or by both. (18 U.S.C.Section 1001 provides a punishment by a fine of not more than$25,000 or imprisonment not more than 5
years,or both,for a similar offense.)
Page 4 of 4 Version 5/2012

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Discharge Location
Quad:Beaufort \.0.
Q NC0044806 raciiiiy
Latitude:34°42'05" Location
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Longitude:76°44 '1s" Atlantic Beach WTP
Stream Class:SA HQW
Subbasin:30503 SCALE 1 :24000
Receiving Stream:Bogue Sound North

NPDES
Discharge Alternatives Analysis
For The
Town of Atlantic Beach
Water Treatment Plant
Backwash Effluent
Atlantic
BEACH
NORTH CAROLINA
September 18, 2019

Introduction
The Town of Atlantic Beach operates a groundwater treatment plant (WTP) located within the
town limits that supplies potable water to approximately 2,660 residential, 171 commercial and 9
institutional customers within the service area. The Town also has an emergency connection
with the Town of Pine Knoll Shores. Raw water is supplied from six groundwater wells located
in the Castle Hayne aquifer. The WTP is rated at 2.5 MGD. Currently, the average day demand
for the WTP is approximately 0.519 MGD with maximum day demand of approximately 1.64
MGD.
Treatment Process
Raw water is pumped from the wells to the water treatment plant. At the WTP, the water is
filtered and softened and the finished water is stored in a clearwell until pumped into the water
distribution system. The filter softener piping gallery, chemical feed systems, power and
controls, operations room, laboratory, clearwell and an elevated storage tank are located on the
same site.
The treatment system consists of two (2) bag filters and five (5) softener vessels. The bag filters
can be controlled and operated independently or in parallel. The bag filters are designed to be
replaced at high head losses and do not require backwashing. The softeners contain cationic
exchange resin. Piping and automated valves are provided to control the flow of water and
softener regeneration processes. Currently, the operation staff selects when to initiate backwash
and regeneration of the water softener vessels. One or two softener vessels are backwashed each
day.
Chemicals utilized in the water treatment process include fluoride, chlorine for disinfection,
sodium for corrosion control, and calcium hypochlorite tablets for dechlorination
polyphosphate
of the waste stream.
Softener backwash utilizes finished water from the distribution system for approximately 80% of
the backwash supply and approximately 20% of raw water for the backwash supply. Two
fiberglass bulk salt tanks supply brine solution for regeneration of softener resin. The softener
backwash/regeneration cycle for each vessel takes approximately two hours. Each cycle consists
of: backwash, brine rinse, slow rinse and fast rinse. The flows from these cycles go to the
settling basin with the overflow being dechlorinated and discharge to the stormwater system.
Waste Discharge
Waste discharge from the Town of Atlantic Beach WTP is currently regulated under NPDES
Permit NC0044806. An outlet pipe allows supernatant from the settling basins to discharge to a
storm pipe which in turn flows to the Bogue Sound, a Class SA HQW waterbody.
Discharge Alternative Analysis

The Town of Atlantic Beach WTP is permitted for the discharge of backwash/softener
regeneration under NPDES Permit NC0044806. The effluent has been compliant with permit
conditions with the exception of intermittent failures of the WET test.
1. Connect Discharge to a WWTP
The Town of Atlantic Beach does not have a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The
Town is located on the island of Bogue Banks and there are no municipal wastewater
treatment systems located on the island. Due to the absence of a wastewater treatment
system on the island and the infeasibility of pumping the wastewater off the island, this
option was not further evaluated as a viable option.
2. Obtain a Non-Discharge Permit
The waste stream from the WTP ion exchange softening water treatment plant contains
brine solution produced from the regeneration process. Given that the effluent contains
brine, it is not amenable to surface application as acknowledged in the NPDES EAA
Guidance Document. This option is not being considered as feasible.
3. Install Wastewater Treatment
The discharge from the WTP is from the backwash and regeneration of the water
softeners (Ion Exchange) system. Wastewater from IE systems have historically had a
high toxicity test failure rate due to an ion imbalance common with this type of discharge.
The balance of Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium and other ions is different than
naturally occurring seawater. As there are no treatment methods for IE wastes, the
operation goal is to reduce the amount of brine in the waste stream. WTP operation's
staff is currently evaluating alternative backwash/regeneration procedures which includes
reducing the amount of salt brine that is discharged. Reducing the amount of brine in the
wastewater provides the best opportunity for compliance with the WET test.
4. Use Alternate Water Treatment Source
The Town of Atlantic Beach's water system has existing emergency interconnections
with the Town of Pine Knoll Shores. The Town's WTP and wells produce excellent
quality water and have the capacity to provide for the projected future needs of the Town.
The Town of Pine Knolls Shores WTP is permitted for 1.2 mgd. The average daily use is
approximately 0.5 mgd. The Town of Pine Knoll Shores does not have enough additional
capacity to furnish Atlantic Beach with water on a full time basis. This option was not
further considered.
5. Use Alternate Water Treatment Method

There are no other viable options for the softening of water at municipal water treatment
plants and this option was not further considered.
6. Discharge to Larger Water Body
The discharge from the WTP is into a stormwater pipe that discharges into the Bogue
Sound. The Town was prepared to perform a dilution model at the discharge to Bogue
Sound. The Division of Water Resources determined that the stormwater pipe is not an
effluent channel and dilution could not be granted for wastewater discharged through the
stormwater system. If the Division reconsiders the designation of the stormwater pipe as
an effluent channel,the Town will seek approval to conduct a dilution model.
7. Combination of Alternate
No combination of discharge alternates were determined to decrease or eliminate toxicity.
Conclusion
In reviewing information for this Discharge Alternatives Evaluation, it appears that Item #3
Install Wastewater Treatment would be the best alternative to address aquatic toxicity in the
WTP effluent discharge. The WTP backwash procedures and wastewater effluent sampling
techniques have not been evaluated recently. The Town will consult with internal and external
sources to determine if the concentration of brine in the effluent discharge can be reduced to
levels that will allow compliance with the WET test.

Town of Atlantic Beach
Sludge Management Plan
Atlantic Beach WTP
NPDES# NC0044806
The Town of Atlantic Beach operates the Atlantic Beach Water Treatment Plant which uses
groundwater as the raw water source. The backwash is discharged to a 12 ft x 12 ft
sedimentation basin prior to final discharge. Accumulated solids are removed one per month.