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Home My WebLink AboutWQ0017530_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20200129 January 29, 2020 Jerry West Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc 705 Highlands Cove Box C Highlands, NC 28741 SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report Highlands Cove WWTP Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0017530 Jackson County Dear Permittee: The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Highlands Cove WWTP on 1/28/2020. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0017530. The findings and comments noted during this inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report entitled "Compliance Inspection Report". If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 828-296-4686 or via email at mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov. Sincerely, Mikal Willmer, Environmental Specialist II Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report EC: WQS-ARO Server ,LF Mark Teague, Environmental Inc. G:\WR\WQ\Jackson\Wastewater\Non-discharge\Highlands Cove, LLC\Inspections\January 29, 2020\WQ0017530_CEI_20200129 Compliance Inspection Report Permit:WQ0017530 Effective:02/03/15 Expiration:01/31/20 Owner :Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc SOC: Contact Person: Region: County: Directions to Facility: Jackson Asheville Jerry West Effective:Expiration:Facility:Highlands Cove WWTP 2160 Highlands Cove Dr Highlands NC 28741 Title:Phone:828-526-3284Director of Operations From Cashiers intersection of Hwy. 64 and Hwy. 107: Travel west on Hwy. 64 for approximately three miles. Highlands Cove is located on the right, wait at guard house for ORC. Secondary ORC(s): Phone:Certification:Primary ORC: SI,WW2,System Classifications: On-Site Representative(s): Related Permits: Secondary Inspector(s): Primary Inspector: Inspection Date:Exit Time:Entry Time: Phone: 01/28/2020 10:00AM 12:00PM Mikal Willmer 828-296-4686 Facility Status: Permit Inspection Type: Reason for Inspection:Inspection Type: Not CompliantCompliant Routine Reclaimed Water Compliance Evaluation Question Areas: Treatment Flow Measurement-Effluent Treatment Flow Measurement-Influent Miscellaneous Questions Treatment Flow Measurement-Water Use Records Treatment Treatment Barscreen Treatment Filters Record Keeping Treatment Activated Sludge Treatment Sludge Storage/Treatment Treatment Clarifiers Treatment Disinfection Treatment Flow Measurement Treatment Return pumps Storage End Use-Reuse Standby Power (See attachment summary) Page 1 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine Inspection Summary: Mikal Willmer, with the Asheville Regional Office, conducted a compliance evaluation inspection of the Highlands Cove WWTP and spray facilities. This inspection was conducted in conjunction with the Highlands Cove’s permit renewal and to determine whether the facility is being operated and maintained in compliance with Non-Discharge Permit No. WQ0017530. Jerry West, Marty Kocot, and Mark Teague were present and assisted in the inspection. A flow reduction request was submitted and approved last year. This will allow additional homes to be built on the property. We discussed any potential for a significant increase in daily average flows at the time of the inspection. Mr. Kocot indicated that even the new homes being built would not be used as permanent residences so flows would still be minimal into the WWTP. Map: Compliance boundaries were redrawn to exclude the water supply wells. Irrigation: Mr. West indicated they do not have plans to begin irrigating the golf course with reclaimed effluent any time soon. Most of the time the effluent is held in the 3.1 MG wet weather storage pond and often evaporates in the summer. Staff also indicated all spray heads are checked during irrigation events (using potable water). Broken spray heads are replaced when identified. Grass is being maintained beneath the powerlines. If irrigation were needed to lower the wet-weather storage pond, facility staff would irrigate the power line easement application area. ORC Designation: Please submit the updated ORC and back-up ORC designations to central office. Disinfection: It is still recommended the UV system be rehabilitated as it is listed as the primary means of disinfection within the permit. CS: The facility's lift station currently has an auto-dialer. Mr. Teague checks and performs weekly maintenance on the LS. The pumps were replaced approximately 3 years ago, and the old pumps were rehabilitated and stored as back-ups. Currently no gravity lines within the system. Each home has a grinder pump. Fiber optic cables are currently being run which will allow for the eventual installation of SCADA for both water and wastewater remote monitoring. Even though each home has a grinder pump and 24 hours of storage, it is recommended a form of Fats, oils, greases (FOGs) education be made available to residents. This can be a note or link distributed with the annual water quality report. Recommend including other items that should not be flushed or put down the drain (sanitary napkins, flushable wipes, etc). Page 2 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine Type Yes No NA NE Activated Sludge Spray, HR Activated Sludge Drip, LR Recycle/Reuse Single Family Drip Infiltration System Lagoon Spray, LR Single Family Spray, LR Activated Sludge Spray, LR Reuse (Quality) Treatment Yes No NA NE Are Treatment facilities consistent with those outlined in the current permit? Do all treatment units appear to be operational? (if no, note below.) ORC, Mark Teague, is actively looking for replacement racks for the UV bulbs. Currently a tablet chlorinator is being used. Facility has not had issues meeting the monthly and daily fecal coliform limit. Comment: Treatment Flow Measurement-Influent Yes No NA NE Is flowmeter calibrated annually? Is flowmeter operating properly? Does flowmeter monitor continuously? Does flowmeter record flow? Does flowmeter appear to monitor accurately? Comment: Treatment Flow Measurement-Water Use Records Yes No NA NE Is water use metered? Are the daily average values properly calculated? Comment: Treatment Flow Measurement-Effluent Yes No NA NE Is flowmeter calibrated annually? Is flowmeter operating properly? Does flowmeter monitor continuously? Does flowmeter record flow? Does flowmeter appear to monitor accurately? The flow meter was replaced and calibrated by Matt Lassiter on 2-6-19. Flow meter and turbidimeter will be calibrated for 2020 within the next month. Comment: Page 3 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine Standby Power Yes No NA NE Is automatically activated standby power available? Is generator tested weekly by interrupting primary power source? Is generator operable? Does generator have adequate fuel? Facility has a contract with Allan Dearth to service and maintain fuel levels within the generator. Generator automatically tests underload once a week. Comment: Treatment Barscreen Yes No NA NE Is it free of excessive debris? Is disposal of screenings in compliance? Are the bars spaced properly? Is the unit in good condition? Small manual bar screen at the head of the plant. Minor debris noted on the bar screen at the time of the inspection. Each home and condominium unit have a grinder pump (over 100 grinder pumps). Comment: Treatment Activated Sludge Yes No NA NE Is the aeration mechanism operable? Is the aeration basin thoroughly mixed? Is the aeration equipment easily accessed? Is Dissolved Oxygen adequate? Are Settleometer results acceptable? Is activated sludge an acceptable color? Mixed liquour appeared to be well mixed and free of dead spots.Comment: Treatment Clarifiers Yes No NA NE Are the weirs level? Are the weirs free of solids and algae? Is the scum removal system operational? Is the scum removal system accessible? Is the sludge blanket at an acceptable level? Is the effluent from the clarifier free of excessive solids? Rectangular clarifiers appeared free of excessive solids. Facility receives minimal flow throughout the year. Minor algae building up on the weir teeth but did not appear to be obstructing flow. Comment: Treatment Return pumps Yes No NA NE Are they in place? Are they operational? Page 4 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine All piping appears to have been fixed of any leaks and RAS box was modified in 2018 to prevent splash over onto the ground. Comment: Treatment Filters Yes No NA NE Is the filter media present? Is the filter media the correct size and type? Is the air scour operational? Is the scouring acceptable? Is the clear well free of excessive solids? Is the mud well free of excessive solids and filter media? Does backwashing frequency appear adequate? Filter media was replaced in both filters in 2018. One tertiary filter currently experiences airlock. Mr. Teague indicated he was going to install an air relief valve as a potential correction. Comment: Treatment Sludge Storage/Treatment Yes No NA NE Is the aeration operational? Is the aeration pattern even? If required, are Sanitary "Ts" present in tankage? Facility receives minimal flow. Sludge holding tank appears to be adequately sized. Environmental Inc. hauls solids as needed to Rosman WWTP. Comment: Treatment Disinfection Yes No NA NE Is the system working? Do the fecal coliform results indicate proper disinfection? Is there adequate detention time (>=30 minutes)? Is the system properly maintained? If gas, does the cylinder storage appear safe? Is the fan in the chlorine feed room and storage area operable? Is the chlorinator accessible? If tablets, are tablets present? Are the tablets the proper size and type? Is contact chamber free of sludge, solids, and growth? If UV, are extra UV bulbs available? If UV, is the UV intensity adequate? # Is it a dual feed system? Does the Stationary Source have more than 2500 lbs of Chlorine (CAS No. 7782-50-5)? If yes, then is there a Risk Management Plan on site? If yes, then what is the EPA twelve digit ID Number? (1000-____-____) If yes, then when was the RMP last updated? Page 5 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine Facility's UV system has never worked adequately. Issues with freezing caused the original systems racks to crack and break. System is not easily accessible. Staff are currently using the tablet chlorinator to dose the system. Records indicate this has been adequately disinfecting the wastewater. Comment: Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Is a copy of current permit available? Are monitoring reports present: NDMR? NDAR? Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? Are application rates adhered to? Is GW monitoring being conducted, if required (GW-59s submitted)? Are all samples analyzed for all required parameters? Are there any 2L GW quality violations? Is GW-59A certification form completed for facility? Is effluent sampled for same parameters as GW? Do effluent concentrations exceed GW standards? Are annual soil reports available? # Are PAN records required? # Did last soil report indicate a need for lime? If so, has it been applied? Are operational logs present? Are lab sheets available for review? Do lab sheets support data reported on NDMR? Do lab sheets support data reported on GW-59s? Are Operational and Maintenance records present? Were Operational and Maintenance records complete? Has permittee been free of public complaints in last 12 months? Is a copy of the SOC readily available? No treatment units bypassed since last inspection? Facility has never spray irrigated reclaimed effluent onto the golf course. All compliant effluent flow is routed to the 3.1 MG wet-weather storage pond. Comment: End Use-Reuse Yes No NA NE Is the acreage in the permit being utilized? Does the acreage specified in the permit correspond to the measured acreage at the site? Are all essential units provided in duplicate? Is an automatically activated standby power source available? Page 6 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine Is the equalization capacity adequate? Is aerated flow equalization present? Has the turbidity meter been calibrated in the last 12 months? Does the turbidity meter have recording capabilities? Is all flow diverted at the appropriate times? Is all upset wastewater diverted from reuse storage unit? Is all upset wastewater treated, retreated, or disposed of acceptably? Is upset wastewater treated prior to discharge to irrigation storage? Is public access restricted from irrigation area during active site use? If golf course, is a sign posted in plain sight on the club house? Is the cover crop acceptable? Are buffers adequate? Is the site free of ponding/runoff? Is the acreage in the permit being utilized? Is the application equipment acceptable? Is the application area free of limiting slopes? How close is the closest water supply well? Are any supply wells within the CB? Are any supply wells within 250' of the CB? Is municipal water available in the area? Are GW monitoring wells required? Are GW monitoring wells located properly w/ respect to RB and CB? Are GW monitoring wells properly constructed, including screened interval? Not all upset water can be diverted to the 5-day upset pond because fecal coliform is not instantaneous. Any wastewater that is diverted to the upset pond is recycled back through the WWTP. The facility map has been redrawn with new compliance boundaries excluding all water supply wells. Comment: 5 DAY STORAGE POND - Storage Yes No NA NE Storage Type?5-day detention pond Storage amount?331920 Gallons # At what point is side-stream wastewater returned to treatment?Returned to headworks Is there a Spill Control Plan? Aerated or Mixed?NONE If aeration is present, is it adequate? Page 7 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine If present, are diffusers cleaned regularly? Is influent structure acceptable? Are banks/berms free of seepage and erosion? Are banks/berms free of excessive vegetation? Is pond lined? Liner Type Full, synthetic Is liner acceptable? Are baffles/curtains acceptable? Does the pond have a freeboard marker? Required freeboard?2 Feet Actual freeboard? Is there suitable grassed vegetation? Is the vegetation maintained? Is the area free of excessive weeds and/or woody species? Is the area free from signs of overflow? Is color acceptable? Are floating mats acceptable? No excessive buildup of solids? Are aerators/mixers acceptable? Is effluent structure acceptable? If present, is pond cover acceptable? Over two feet of freeboard available within the pond. Mainly contains rainwater. Staff have the recycle pumps set to run for 30 minutes and off for 40. recommended maintaining some amount of water in the pond to help protect the integrity of the liner. Comment: WET WEATHER STORAGE - Storage Yes No NA NE Storage Type?Pond Storage amount?3198560 Gallons # At what point is side-stream wastewater returned to treatment?N/A Is there a Spill Control Plan? Aerated or Mixed?NONE If aeration is present, is it adequate? If present, are diffusers cleaned regularly? Is influent structure acceptable? Are banks/berms free of seepage and erosion? Page 8 of 9 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0017530 01/28/2020 Compliance Evaluation Highlands Cove Property Owner's Association Inc Routine Are banks/berms free of excessive vegetation? Is pond lined? Liner Type Full, synthetic Is liner acceptable? Are baffles/curtains acceptable? Does the pond have a freeboard marker? Required freeboard?2 Feet Actual freeboard? Is there suitable grassed vegetation? Is the vegetation maintained? Is the area free of excessive weeds and/or woody species? Is the area free from signs of overflow? Is color acceptable? Are floating mats acceptable? No excessive buildup of solids? Are aerators/mixers acceptable? Is effluent structure acceptable? If present, is pond cover acceptable? Minimal flow entering the wet weather storage pond. Build-up of duckweed and algae on the water's surface. Discussed potential aeration options to reduce the amount of growth within the pond. Comment: Page 9 of 9 Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 09744FAA508D46508D99B045057C1555 Status: Completed Subject: Please DocuSign: WQ0017530_CEI_20200129.ltr.docx, WQ0017530_CEI_20200129.inspt.pdf Source Envelope: Document Pages: 10 Signatures: 1 Envelope Originator: Certificate Pages: 1 Initials: 1 Mikal Willmer AutoNav: Disabled EnvelopeId Stamping: Disabled Time Zone: (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) 217 W. Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27699 Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov IP Address: 149.168.204.10 Record Tracking Status: Original Jan 29, 2020 | 08:22 Holder: Mikal Willmer Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov Location: DocuSign Signer Events Signature Timestamp Mikal Willmer mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov Environmental Specialist North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Drawn on Device Using IP Address: 149.168.204.10 Sent: Jan 29, 2020 | 08:22 Viewed: Jan 29, 2020 | 08:22 Signed: Jan 29, 2020 | 08:23 Freeform Signing Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp Witness Events Signature Timestamp Notary Events Signature Timestamp Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted Jan 29, 2020 | 08:22 Certified Delivered Security Checked Jan 29, 2020 | 08:22 Signing Complete Security Checked Jan 29, 2020 | 08:23 Completed Security Checked Jan 29, 2020 | 08:23 Payment Events Status Timestamps