WQCS00038_NOV-2019-DV-0391 Response_20191118

•.- Engineering and
Environmental Services
Utilities Division
November 18, 2019
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
CERTIFIED MAIL # 7017 3380 0000 2144 0680
Mr. Jay Zimmerman
NCDEQ— Division of Water Resources
Attn: Raleigh Regional Office
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
RE: Notice of Violation, NOV-2019-DV-0391
Dear Mr. Zimmerman:
NC Dept of Environmental Qual ity
NOv 2 IS 2019
Raleigh Regional Office
Nov 20 NIS
Svv14on
This is in response to the Notice of Violation dated October 25, 2019 and received by Durham
County on November 14, 2019, by email. On July 31, 2019, Joan Scheiner, NC DEQ
Environmental Specialist, was contacted by Durham County staff to report a sanitary sewer
overflow that was discovered near 105 T.W. Alexander Drive earlier that day, permit number
WQCS00038. The required 5-day report was completed on August 5, 2019 and submitted to the
Division with sampling results as required by Mr. Rick Bolich, Assistant Regional Supervisor.
At approximately 8:30 am on July 31, 2019, the Utility Supervisor was notified from Durham
County staff that there was a strong sewer odor near 105 T.W. Alexander Drive. The investigation
began immediately, and it was discovered that an 18" vitrified clay pipe (VCP) had collapsed due
to stream bank erosion near manhole T-17-023. The Utility Supervisor contacted Carolina
Civilworks and instructed them to begin mobilization to include bypass pumps and piping.
Carolina Civilworks arrived on -site at 9:45 am and had the broken line plugged and the bypass
pumps and piping in at 5: l 5 pm. Durham County staff was tracking the impacts downstream. It
was determined that sanitary sewer impacts were found 5,600 feet downstream and had reached
Burdens Creek. Hepaco was contacted to assist with cleanup and arrived on -site at approximately
10:50 am. They began pumping out Burdens Creek at Capitola Drive while Durham County
pumps were pumping out the unnamed tributary along T.W. Alexander Drive. Durham City and
Durham County Stormwater Divisions were notified. Durham City turned on three (3) fire
hydrants to help flush the creek from July 3151 through August 51h. The fire hydrants were not
supplying enough water to reach the stream for flushing; therefore, Carolina Civilworks began
hauling water and flushing the unnamed tributary on August 2"'. The unnamed tributary was
flushed with approximately 60,000 gallons of potable water. Hepaco continued the environmental
cleanup through August 5`I'. Carolina Civilworks ordered materials for the repair.
The timeframe for the sanitary sewer overflow was based on information received from the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guards. During the investigation the guards
5926 NC Highway 55 East, Durham, North Carolina 27713
[phone] 1 Fax [phone] j dconc.gov
Equal Employment/Affirmative Action Employer

stated that employees that used the trails in the area had been complaining about the smell, but
they didn't think about reporting it.
In an attempt to prevent similar future events, a permanent repair was made by Carolina
Civilworks, not only to the area where the embankment failed but also further down in an area that
was determined embankment failure was likely to occur soon. Approximately, 1,600 linear feet
of VCP was replaced with ductile iron pipe (DIP) and C900 polyvinyl chloride pipe (PVC). Two
manholes were relocated so the repair moved the sanitary sewer off the edge of the bank and added
two additional manholes. The sewer pipe that was not removed was filled with flowable fill. The
stream bank was stabilized. The repairs took approximately thirty (30) days and cost $355,238.92.
Hepaco conducted most of the cleanup over a seven (7) day period and the cost was $43,091.56.
Mr. Bolich required Durham County to collect upstream and downstream samples and have them
analyzed for dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, fecal coliform, ammonia, conductivity, chloride,
total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. Durham County's laboratory is not certified for all these
parameters and had to send them out for an analysis and pay additional cost for the RUSH required
by Mr. Bolich. Results are attached. We paid Meritech, Inc. $469.00. Cost of the public notice
was $820.00.
This section of the collection system was last videoed on May 21, 2018 and Hydostructures
completed the manhole inspections through this area in January 2019. Based on the report and
pictures taken there was no issue with the stream bank at that time. This section is considered a
high priority line and had been inspected by Durham County on March 19, 2019. The report is
attached, and no issues noted.
Although there were no prior indications of embankment failure in that area, Durham County staff
responded quickly once notified of the issue, determined the cause was due to stream bank erosion
and was no way intentional, had conducted all required inspections, replaced approximately 1,600
linear feet of VCP, spent a total amount of $399,619.48, and all reporting was conducted in a
timely manner as required. Additionally, Durham County took proactive measures to try to
prevent any similar events. As such, I request that the Division of Water Resources not pursue
further enforcement action.
If you have any questions, contact me at sbrixey dconc.gov or 919-560-9034.
Sincerely,
tom) c��k)40-1-v
Stephanie Brixey
Deputy Director of E&ES/POTW Director
Cc: Wendell Davis, County Manager (via email)
Lowell Siler, County Attorney (via email)
Larissa Williamson, Senior Assistant County Attorney (via email)
Jay Gibson, General Manager (via email)
Stephen Phillips, Utilities Supervisor/ORC (via email)

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Monitoring Required by DWR-RRO
Au ust 2, 2019
August 5, 2019
Upstream
Downstream
Upstream
Downstream
DO m 11
5.27
4.81
5.31
6.39
Temperature (deg. C
26.6
25.6
23.4
23.8
H s.u.
6.78
7.26
7.11
7.29
Fecal Coliform colonies1100 ml
112
>6000
83
270
Ammonia m Il
0.03
1.6
0.05
0.24
Conductivity umholcm
228.4
390
421
229.4
Chlorides m II
36.0
30.0
50.0
15.0
Total Nitrogen m 11
0.61
2.21
1.00
0.82
Total Phosphorus (mg/1)
0.260
0.449
0.199
0.157

105 T.W. Alexander Drive SSO Ammonia Sampling Results
Date
Time
Result
Date
Time
Result
Date
Time
Result
Date
Time
Result
Date
Time
Result
(ppm)m
m
m
m
Spill Site TW Stream
7/31/2019
1525
27
8/1/2019
0925
0.18
8/1/2019
1513
0.16
8/2/2019
1007
2
8/2/2019
1342
1
Burdens Creek US of UT
8/1/2019
0955
0.2
TW Pum out Location
8/2/2019
1002
1.6
8/2/2019
1334
0.65
US Alston Bride
8/1 /2019
1531
8.6
8/2/2019
0936
2
8/2/2019
1435
1.6
DS Alston Bride
8/1/2019
1102
3.8
8/1 /2019
1533
7.2
1
8/2/2019
0935
1.9
8/2/2019
1437
1.1
Capitola
7/31 /2019
155911
12.0
8/1/2019 110501
3.4 1
8/1/2019
11453
1.6
8/2/2019
0946
4.7
8/2/2019
1443
2.7
Time = sample collection time

Durham County, North Carolina
Manhole Inspection Report
Manhole Facility ID: I T-17-023
Manhole Material: Manhole Depth:
Summary Information: Brick 6.74
Header Information
Surveyor: Certificate Number; System Owner: f ustomer: Basin Name:
Tcd U-0917-07009I95 Durham C umy Durham County C
Location: Location:
OFF TW ALEXANDER NEAR DURHAM FWY Near Creek
City:
Durham
Date Inspected:
1 30f2019
Location 4'ock:
lEasemcrtuRight of Way
USMH:
T-17-022.01
Rim to Grade:
4
Weather:
Dry
Pre -Cleaning.
Z
Purpose-
Assessment
Additona! Information:
Surface Type:
Runoff Potential
None
Access Type:
Inspection Status:
Surcharge:
Gross dirt
Manhole
Surface Inspection
No
Northing Lasting: Elevation -
Coordinate Data; 780331 916 2035851.325 262.317
"Coordinate Data is projected in NAD 83 State Plane Coordinates, NAVD 88 vertical
Manhole Structure
Cover Shape: Cover Diameter: Cover Material: L:ovcr,l,ypc.: Cover Fit:
Circular 1.96 Cast I I Vented Good
Hole Diameter:
Hole Number:
18
Cover Fit. (-over Condition.:
1G 17 Sound
> 112 inch (13mm) a= I inch (25mm) I
Cover Insert:
None
Insert Condition:
Ring Type:
Ring Condition_: Ring Height:
p
Frame Material:
Cast Iron
Frame Bening Depth:
0.08
Frame Hearing Width:
1 0.08
Clear Opening.! Frame f'undition:
1.86 Sound
Frame Seal:
Sound
Offset Distance:
10
Frame Inflow:
1 None
Framc Depth-
0.67
Chimney Material:
Brick
Chimney Ill:
I None
Chimney Depth:
0.9
Cone Type:
Conical centered
Cone Material:
Brick
Cone Depth:
3.78
Wall Diameter.
Wall Material:
Wall Depth:
4
Brick
5.74
Bench Present
Yes
Bench Material:
roncrete (non -reinforced
Channel Installed:
Yes
Channel Type. Channel Exposure
Formed I Fully Opened
Step Material:
Step Number:
13
Meta!
Page 1 of 2

Manhole Facility ID: T-17-023
Piping
Clock
Position
Pipe
Direct.
Pipe Material
Pipe Shape
Pipe
Width
Seal
CondVdon
Special Condition
Depth
12
IN
Vitrified Clay Pipe
Circular
IS
DEFECTIVE
Gravity Relief Connection
6.76
9
IN
Ductile Iron Pipe
Circular
6
SOUND
Gravity Relief Connection
5.2
6
OUT
Vitrified Clay Prpe
Circular
18
SOUND
Gravity Relief Connection
6.79
Defects
Distance
Code
Image Reference
Component
Defect Code
1.1
COI
RFB
TD 20190203y268jpg
Remarks
5.5
S
RTB
TD 20190203 267jpg
Remarks
Invert Picture
12.00
6:00
Pipe flows out to T-17-027
RFi3
Page 2 of 2
.r
3:00
Ground Cover Picture
Stencil Picture
RTB
HI'DROSTRUCTURES, PA
126A Commerce Ct.
Pittsboro, NC 27312

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