NC0083275_Draft Permit_20191127

ROY COOPER
Governor
- "--Airs:' MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secretor
Y
LINDA CULPEPPER
• Director
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
November 27,2019
Janet Mason—City Manager
Town of Forest City
P.O.Box 728
Forest City,N.C. 28043
Subject: DRAFT NPDES PERMIT NC0083275
Harris Plant WWTP
Grade II Biological WPCS[15A NCAC 08G.0302]
Rutherford County
Dear Mr./Ms.Mason:
Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the draft permit for your facility. Please review the draft very carefully
to ensure thorough understanding of the conditions and requirements it contains. Your permit is among
several in the Broad River Basin that the Division has targeted for expedited renewal.
This draft contains the following changes from the existing permit:
• Regulatory citations for permit requirements have been added throughout the permit.
• HUC and Stream Index# were added to the outfall description on the supplement to cover
page
• eDMR codes were added to the effluent table in Part 1 Section A.(1)
• The language in section A.(5.) has been updated to be consistent with the finalization of
federal requirements for electronic reporting.
• The outfall map was updated
With this notification,the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a notice
in newspapers having circulation in the general Rutherford County area, per EPA requirements. Please
provide your comments,if any,to me no later than 30 days after receiving this draft permit.
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 via email at [[e-mail]] or call919-707-9125.
Sincerely,
osbe.,3
Emily DelDuco
Environmental Specialist II
NPDES Program
cc: NPDES files
ec: Asheville Regional Office
akrW
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
919-707-9125

Permit NC0083275
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
In compliance with the provision 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
Town of Forest City
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Harris Plant WWTP
1843 Jack McKinney Road south of Rutherfordton
Rutherford County
to receiving waters designated as the Broad River in the Broad River Basin in accordance with effluent
limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I, II, III and IV hereof.
This permit shall become effective xxx
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on December 31, 2024.
Signed this day xxx
DRAFT
Linda Culpepper, Director
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 7

Permit NC0083275
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked. As of this permit 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 included herein.
Town of Forest City
is hereby authorized to:
1. Upon approval of an Authorization to Construct and after submittal of the signed
Engineering Certificate, to operate a 0.91 MGD wastewater treatment plant(located at 1843 Jack
McKinney Road south of Rutherfordton)that includes the following components:
> Three(3)influent bar screens
> One(1) 0.25 MG neutralization basin with mixers
➢ Two (2) 1.5 MG aeration basins with recycle pumps and blowers
> Two (2) 12 ft diameter clarifiers with RAS pumps
> Effluent flow meter
> One(1) cascade post aeration basin
➢ Effluent composite sampler
> Seven(7)0.5 MG sludge digestors
> One(1) solids dewatering centrifuge
> One(1) 1.0 MG sludge holding tank
> Disinfection system (Future)
➢ Stand by generator(Future)
> Influent composite sampler(Future)
➢ ` Grit Removal System (Future)
2. Discharge wastewater from said treatment works at the location specified on the attached map
into the Broad River(HUC: 030501050501; Stream Index: 9-(25.5)), currently classified Class
WS-IV waters in the Broad River Basin.
Page 2 of 7

Permit NC0083275
Part I
A. (1) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B.0400 et seq., 02B.0500 et seq.]
Grade II Biological WPCS [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
a. During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and upon approval of an Authorization to
Construct, and after submittal of the signed Engineering Certificate, and lasting until expiration,the Permittee
is authorized to discharge from Outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored' by the Permittee
as specified below:
EFFLUENT LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
CHARACTERISTICS Monthly Weekly Daily Measurement Sample Sample
[EDMR CODE] Average Average Maximum Frequency Type Location
Flow 0.91 MGD Continuous RecordingInfluent or
[50050] Effluent
BOD,5-day,20°C 2 Influent and
[C0310] 18.4 mg/L 27.6 mg/L 3/Week Composite Effluent
Total Suspended Solids 2 Influent and
[C0530] 30.0 mg/L 45.0 mg/L 3/Week Composite Effluent
Fecal Coliform(geometric mean) 200/100 ml 400/100 ml 3/Week Grab Effluent
[31616]
pH Not less than 6.0 S.U.nor greater than 9.0 3/Week Grab Effluent
[00400] S.U.
Total Residual Chlorine 3 28 pg/L 3/Week Grab Effluent
[50060]
Temperature, °C 3/Week Grab Effluent
Total Nitrogen(TN),mg/L a[C0600] Semi-annually Composite Effluent
Total Phosphorus, mg/L Semi-annually Composite Effluent
[C0665]
Chronic Toxicity 5 Quarterly Composite Effluent
[TGP3B]
Footnotes:
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using NC DWR's eDMR
application system. See Special Condition A.(5).
2. The monthly average effluent Total Suspended Solids and BOD concentrations shall not exceed 15 %of
the respective influent value(85 %removal).
3. If chlorine or chlorine derivatives are used for disinfection then the facility must monitor total residual
chlorine and meet the compliance limit. The Division shall consider all effluent TRC values reported
below 50 µg/L to be in compliance with the permit. However,the Permittee shall continue to record and
submit all values reported by a North Carolina certified laboratory(including field certified),even if these
values fall below 50 µg/L.
4. TN=TKN+NO3-N+NO2-N, where TN is Total Nitrogen,TKN is Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, and NO3-
N+NO2-N are Nitrate and Nitrite Nitrogen respectively.
5. Chronic Toxicity (Ceriodaphnia dubia) P/F at 0.75%: March, June, September, and December. See
Special Condition A. (2).
b. There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.
Page 3 of 7

Permit NC0083275
A. (2) CHRONIC TOXICITY PERMIT LIMIT (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B.0200]
The permittee shall conduct quarterly chronic toxicity tests using test procedures outlined in the "North
Carolina Ceriodaphnia Chronic Effluent Bioassay Procedure,"(Revised December 2010, or subsequent
versions).
The effluent concentration defined as treatment two in the procedure document is 75 %. The testing
shall be performed as a Ceriodaphnia dubia 7-day pass/fail test. The tests will be performed during the
months of March,June, September, and December. These months signify the first month of each
three-month toxicity testing quarter assigned to the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be
obtained during representative effluent discharge and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final
effluent discharge below all treatment processes.
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
TGP3B. Additionally, DWR Form AT-1 (original) is to be sent to the following address:
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1621
ur,results can ne sent to me email, A 1 rorms.At1 ti cuncuenr.gov.
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water 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
Water 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.
Should any test data from this monitoring requirement or tests performed by the North Carolina Division
of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re-opened and
modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
Page 4 of 7

Permit NC0083275
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival, minimum control organism reproduction, 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.) NOTIFICATION OF PROPOSED CHANGE IN WASTEWATER
CHARCTERISTICS
[G.S. 143-215.66]
The Permittee shall notify the Division prior to commencing a discharge of industrial wastewater. The
current permit reflects a discharge of 100% domestic wastewater. Any significant changes in wastewater
characteristics will require a Major Permit Modification.
A. (4.) EFFLUENT MERCURY ANALYSIS
[G.S. 143-215.66]
The Permittee shall provide in conjunction with the next permit renewal application a minimum of one
effluent mercury analysis using EPA Method 1631E determined within 12 months prior to the application
date. Any additional effluent mercury measurements conducted shall also be submitted with the renewal
application.
If the mercury analysis is not provided with the application,the application may be returned as incomplete
and the Permittee considered non-compliant.
A. (5.) ELECTRONIC I LPORT!N C DISCH.4i.RGE MONITORING REPORTS
[G.S. 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. The eDMR system may be
accessed at: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr.
Page 5 of 7

Permit NC0083275
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
following address:
NC DEQ/Division of Water Resources/Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
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 pennittee 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 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
Page 6 of 7

Permit NC0083275
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:
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 [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 7 of 7

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Receiving Stream: Broad River Stream Class:WS-1V
Stream Segment:9-(25.5) Sub-Basin#:03-08-02
1 River Basin: Broad HUC:030501050501
SCALE County: Rutherford 10,00 35.2064°N, -81.8875°W