NC0020184_SPECULATIVE LIMITS_19901108

NPDES DOCUNEMT SCANNINS COVER SHEET
NPDES Permit: NCO020184
Gastonia — Long Creek WWTP
Document Type: Permit Issuance
Wasteload Allocation
Authorization to Construct (AtC)
Permit Modification
Speculative Limits
201 Facilities Plan
Instream Assessment (67B)
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Permit
History
Document Date: November 8, 1990
ThiM doc=me3Mt 10 pr13Mted oa z-fttUse paper--more aAXy
coimtent oa tIbLe reYerwe side

State of North Carolina
Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources
Division of Environmental Management
512 North Salisbury Street • Raleigh, North Carolina 27611
Jaynes G.Martin,Governor George T. Everett, Ph.D.
William W.Cobey,Jr.,Secretary November 8, 1990 Director
Dr. Robert J. Goldstein
Robert J. Goldstein and Associates
Durant Office Park
8480 Garvey Drive
Raleigh, NC 27604-3175
Subject: City of Gastonia
Proposed Expansion of Long Creek WWTP
NPDES No. NCO020184
Gaston County
Dear Dr. Goldstein:
I am writing in response to your letter of October 24, 1990 in
which you requested speculative limits for a proposed expansion of
Gastonia' s Long Creek WWTP to 16 MGD. The Division of
Environmental Management (DEM) met several times with the City of
Gastonia and J.N. Pease to discuss future wastewater treatment
alternatives . At meetings last February and May, J.N. Pease
presented several waste treatment scenarios including the one you
outlined in your letter. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict
the water quality impacts in the South Fork of the Catawba River
given the impact on river hydraulics from several small dams in the
area and Lake Wylie downstream. In order to develop a water
quality model which reliably predicts impacts on dissolved oxygen
(DO) , the hydraulics of the South Fork Catawba River must be better
defined. A reconnaissance survey needs to be performed in order to
develop more specific study plans, possibly including time-of-
travel (i.e. dye) studies. Staff shortages during the past months
have prohibited DEM from completing this survey.
North Carolina is also initiating a basinwide water quality
management approach. All NPDES permits in the Catawba River basin
will be up for renewal during 1995 and 1996. By 1994, DEM should
complete a basin management plan for the Catawba River which will
be available to the public. The basin approach will allow us to
concentrate our resources in a given area of the state and evaluate
interaction between point and non-point sources of pollutants .
This broader perspective may further affect Gastonia' s wasteload
allocation.
PoHudon Premadon Pays
76R7 TPIPn1­ -
An Equal Or_rnortuniry Affirmative Action EmNover

1
• The City' s chemical specific toxics limits will be derived to
protect the stream standards during 7Q10 flow conditions and will
be based upon its pretreatment headworks analysis and other sources
in the basin. The 7Q10 at the proposed discharge point is approxi-
mately 120 cfs, and a whole effluent toxicity limit will be imposed
at a concentration of approximately 17% at a design flow of 16 MGD.
Gastonia can also expect a dechlorination requirement in order to
protect the stream from chlorine toxicity.
Gastonia can also expect nutrient limits at the South Fork
Catawba outfall. Data collected on Lake Wylie during the past two
summers indicate that the South Fork Catawba River is one of the
eutrophic arms of the lake. A nutrient management plan for the
lake will probably be promulgated within the next year. At pre-
sent, the City should plan for total phosphorus limits of at least
2 mg/1 and possibly 0 .5 mg/1. A total nitrogen (TN) limit of 4 to
8 mg/1 is also possible. The treatment system should be designed
such that plant improvements to remove nutrients are easily imple-
mented.
You should .also . note that color is becoming .a topic of much
interest, and a revised standard will probably be promulgated in
the near future. Therefore, it would be wise for the City to begin
planning for color removal.
Finally, the City should note that the proposed outfall is in
an area of much public concern. There have been many articles in
the Charlotte Observer recently concerning wastewater treatment
plants along the Catawba Chain Lakes. In addition, a moratorium
has ,been placed on Lake Wylie which .prohibits any new- discharges
directly into the lake until water quality impacts are fully
assessed. Since this is an environmentally sensitive area, it may
be in the City' s best interest to solicit the concerns of any
locally active environmental groups so they can be adequately
addressed in the environmental assessment (EA) .
I hope the above information is useful in preparing the EA.
If you have any questions or comments, please call Ruth Swanek or
me at [phone].
Sincerely,
d I
eQaz��
T evor Clements, Asst . Chief
Wate Quality Section
JTC/RCS
cc: Alan Clark
Rex Gleason, MRO
Sam Wilkins, City of Gastonia, Director of Public Works
Central Files

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS
Durant Office Park
8480 Garvey Drive
Raleigh, North Carolina 2 7604-3 1 75 e: r R
Telephone [phone]
October 24, 1990 OCT 2 ` 1990
Mr. Trevor Clements �`, ;ii. ':- } ; ??pi.�'
N.C. Division of Environmental Management 4
Water Quality Technical Support Branch
P.O. Box 27687
Raleigh, N.C. 27611
Dear Mr. Clements :
Robert J. Goldstein & Associates has contracted with
J. N. Pease Associates of Charlotte to assist in
preparation of an environmental assessment for the proposed
Gastonia Wastewater Master Plan Phase 1 Work in the
vicinity of Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina. The
project includes additional sewerlines and a new Long Creek
outfall line to the South Fork of the Catawba River; Duhart
Creek pump station expansion from 6.5 to 10.0 MGD; and Long
Creek treatment plant expansion from 8.0 to 16.0 MGD. The
project site is shown on the attached map.
Because this project involves expanding the capacity
of a discharge facility, we seek draft or speculative waste
limits from your office. We understand that waste limits
will be designed, in part, to avoid potential impacts from
eutrophication or toxic substances. We also request
instructions as to whether specific types of water quality
testing may be required at this time.
Sincerely,
Si�irrn,,c er e l yy, //V
4
Robert J. Goldstein, Ph.D.