NC0089265_NOV-2019-LV-0937 Response_20200113

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NC Department of
Environmental Quality
Received
Winston-Salem
Regional Office
TOWN OF DOBSON
PHONE 307 NORTH MAIN STREET • POST OFFICE BOX 351 FAX
[phone] DOBSON, NORTH CAROLINA 27017 [phone]
January 6, 2020
Lon T. Snider, Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Winston-Salem Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
RE: Notice of Violation & Intent to Assess Civil Penalty
Tracking Number: NOV-2019-LV-0937
Dear Mr. Snider,
The Town of Dobson recently received the Notice of Violation letter for September 2019 for
permit number NC0089265. On behalf of the Town, I sincerely apologize for the length of time that it has
taken for our water treatment plant facility to become compliant with state standards. The Town is fully
committed to ensuring that our water treatment plant is compliant with state standards and that we provide
safe drinking water to our citizens.
Unfortunately, securing funding for a project of this magnitude in a small Town, such as Dobson,
led to many delays early in the process. Then frustratingly, several issues arose with the first engineering
firm hired to handle the water treatment plant upgrade project, which led to additional delays and
performance issues with the project. Therefore, we started over with a new engineering firm and
attempted to pick up the pieces and move on with what already felt like a cursed project. Determined to
move forward and satisfy state requirements, while providing much needed improvements to our outdated
water treatment plant, the Board of Commissioners hired a new engineering firm and hoped the project
would get the kickstart needed to continue successfully.
With much happiness, I can inform you that the Town has secured funding for the necessary
construction improvements, completed the bidding and contract issuance process, and construction is
underway. The first priority of the construction project is to complete those measures associated with the
backwash waste improvements — the backwash holding tank, sludge pump station, dewatering system,
piping modifications, and related work. The Contractor has finished construction on the holding tank and
is preparing to test it. Construction will continue on other parts of the alum sludge project and will begin
shortly on the upgrades inside the water treatment plant.
I will wholeheartedly work with your department to provide any information needed during the
construction process. Enclosed with this letter, you will find pictures of the construction progress to date.
With the knowledge that more notices will be arriving to the Town in future months as construction

continues, please do not hesitate to contact me at anytime throughout the process. The Town of Dobson
wants nothing more than to complete construction and finally satisfy all compliance requirements set forth
by the State of North Carolina.
If you would like to set a meeting to discuss the previous, current, and any future violations, please let me
know. I would be more than happy to discuss this further and show the progress made to date to correct
this matter at the Dobson Water Treatment Plant.
Thank you for your time and understanding as we work to correct this problem.
Sincerely,
G4Q 0 I I
Laura Neely, Town Manger
Town of Dobson
PO Box 351
Dobson, NC 27017
[phone]