NC0020401_CORRESPONDENCE_19890610

NPDES DOCUWENT SCAMMINO COVER SHEET
NPDES Permit: NCO020401
Hickory - Northeast WWTP
Document Type: Permit Issuance
Wasteload Allocation
Authorization to Construct (AtC)
Permit Modification.
Speculative Limits
LP-Correspondence
Instream Assessment (67B)
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Permit
History
Document Date: June 10, 1989
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State of P,torth Carolina
Department of Natural Resources and Community Development
Division i)1 LI1'•`i:.)i3iilal[31 .�"a'll;;r:Illr_Ili
512 North Salisbury Srreu • Rz�tcioh, Ntornh Cnrohna ?761i
JtMles G. iMartin, Governor R. Paul Wilms
William W Coi_}cy, Jr., Secretary June 10, 1989
Director
Fir. John T. Marl.ar, Chief
Fa{_i l.:i.t:ies Performance Branch
Water ;Management Division
U.S. Environmental: Protectxicn Agency
Region 1V
345 Courtland St.
Atlanta, Ga. 30365
Subject: City of Marion-Corpening Creek
NPDES Permit No. NG00318713, 1•tcDow:_ll. County
City of hickory-Northeast W4ti''1P
NPDES Permit No, NC002040.1 , Catawba County
" '1`rn,•n i)l" l;l�t7dc=r:sOr1-Nui-bush Crr:.2};" ti.�,tj''
NJ?DES Pr-r Ii-t- No. NIIC00?0`i50, \,Fmc•r Coullt-j
Deal: Mr. l4arlar:
T. am wri-ting in response to the letters received from EPA regarding your
concern over possible ammonia toxicity and subsequent N113-N limits for the
subject fac.''lities . As you are aware, and as was indicated in a recent let-
ter froiii Trevor Clements to Sally Turner (cone attached) , North Carolina
requires whole-effluent toxi.cit:y testing for all major NPDES iacili ties as
well as all. other NPDES discharges of complex: wastewal•-er. Fac'n of the three
fac.i li-t:i.c,s .in question i.s requii.ed to per:forni effluent: monitoring for both
whole-effluent toxicity and umnoni.a . As sucD, I believe the current. subject-
draft permits contain adequate provisions for maintain:i.ng the water quality
standards within t;he receiving waters.
'file Division of Enuiromneiit.al Management I.t)1;1fi) cur"t:ent_ly ;.as a suffi.--
cin,nt rlai:ab)ise oil these Lhr:ee dlschar-es i:o in41Lcat-o that: armon1£r t:ox'icil:v
does not posry a tflrea L to thF l:eceivi.r,g titers . lsfl:l-uent allrr"_onia conccntra-
t ' h r' fi-1 ue } Lest rF'SS ill:F, $Lllllrii.=l l-:!.�e;l i l-1 1,a`D-1-t s S"
t=,!Oi1S all. +% O1_. F. !]1- t=O}:1C-_C-'•` _.
L. r:csoective.ty" A brief capsul.at:fon on ea:c':! faACi.l-:i.tv iiol-LOWS:
- `file CiLy of Marion-(;orpening Cl:eek G�YFP h.as been in compliance with
Che i r: c.rho.Le-cf.f.li.rlc"nt: .t:o>:icity 1.i,mi.t [or t:he ;�a,, L year. . In ad-1 i.t ion , t._lle,ir
NH3--N concentrations leave atreraged less than t mgh. arld we Would slot.- expect.
all .i.nsl_=_cram problem_
P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh, North C:uuhr.a 276i1J65 Ictephone 919-733-7015
An I qual oppaxiwiicy A firmarive C6011 Employer

The City of Hickory-Northeast ;+'iTP discharges into Lake Hickory (one
of the Catawba Chain Lakes) . The effluent limits ware based on minimum
:instantaneous release from the Lake Rhodhiss Dam upstream and are conserva-
tive since they do not take into account: the actual volume of water and dis-
persion that occurs within the lake. We do not expect the facility' to
impose an ammonia toxicity threat to Lake Hickory. Also, the City has been
in compliance with their toxicity limit for the past year. .
- The Town of Henderson has exhibited a toxicity problem and is cur-
rently under a Judicial Order by Consent to address the situation. The 'Town
cannot accept additional complex waste under conditions of the Order . Their
effluent ammonia nitrogen concentrations consistently average .less than 1
my/l and have not been considered the cause of the problem.
The Division is aware of the potential problems that can be caused in
receiving streams by ammonia toxicity. The development of a \'IiYN toxicity
wasteload allocation procedure is on our program agenda for this year.
if you have any additional questions or comments on this matter, please
contact Trevor Clements or myself at (919) 133-7015.
Sincerely,
Steve W. 'Tedder, Chief
Moor ou lity Section . .
Attachments
cc: 'Trevor Clements
Dennis Ramsey
Ken Eagleson
Arthur Mouberry
Forrest westal.l
Revs Gleason
Bill KreuMbergez
Central Files
WLA Mile

Tr�Ule 1 . Comparison of Effluent_ Ammonia Nitrogen Concentrations (mg/1)
for Marion, Henderson, and Hickory
Marion Henderson hickory
Summer Average 0. 12 5.05 1 .04
Minimum 0 . 10 0.30 0.07
Haximum 4 . 58 15.00 5 .74
Winter Average 0. 70 1.3.00 0 .95
Minimum <0. 10 1 .60 0.07
Maximum 8 .80 23.00 9 . 10

Table 2. W}pole-Effluent Toxicity Testing Information and Results
Facility: Marion Henderson Hickory-NE
Required By: Admin. Letter Admin. Letter NPDES Permit
Acute/Chronic: Chronic Arut.e Chronic
Target/Limit: 'Target Target Limit
Frequency: Quarterly P/F Monthly Quarterly P/F
IWC: 74% 97% 11%
Begin Date: November 1988 January 1988 July 1987
Tox Test Date:
7/87 - - NR
8/87 - PASS
9/87 - - -
10/87 - - -
11/87 - - -
12/87 - - FATL
1/88 - 28. 3 -
2/88 - 71. .0 FAIL
3/88 - 1 .9 NR
4/88 FAIL 98.5 -
S/88 %R 79.0 PASS
6/88 PASS 92.0 -
7/88 PASS 92.0
8/88 PASS 79. 4 PASS
9/88 PASS 97 . 7: _ -
10/88 - - -
1.1/88 PASS 20.0 PASS
12/83 - 83. 7 -
1/89 - 9Z4. 2 -
2/89 PASS 1.5.0 PASS
3/89 - NONE -