WQ0005849_Staff Report_20200417

DocuSign Envelope ID: 13E0540B-30F6-4C60-8ADD-90323615B9A1
State of North Carolina
®r'. Division of Water Resources
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Environmental Staff Report
Quality
To: ❑ NPDES Unit ® Non -Discharge Unit Application No.: WQ0005849
Attn: Ashley Kabat Facility name: Pluris North Topsail WWTF
From: Tyler G. Benson
Wilmington Regional Office
Note: This form has been adapted from the non -discharge fg acili , staff report to document the review of both non -
discharge and NPDES permit applications and/or renewals. Please complete all sections as they are applicable.
I. GENERAL AND SITE VISIT INFORMATION
1. Was a site visit conducted? ® Yes or ❑ No
a. Date of site visit: May 15, 2019 (enclosed)
b. Site visit conducted by: Morella Sanchez -King
c. Inspection report attached? ❑ Yes or ® No
d. Person contacted: Randy Ray Hoffer and their contact information: (910) 327 - 2880 ext.
e. Driving directions: The WWTF is located in the Sneads Ferry Community on the southeast side of the NC
Hwy. 172/NC Hwy. 210 intersection.
II. PROPOSED FACILITIES: NEW APPLICATIONS NSA
2. Are the tfeatment f4eilit4es
fef: the type
disposal
system? E] Yes Of: E] NE)
new ade"ate
•
of
waste and
3. Afe depth to
table,
the
D Yes E] No
site eendifiens (soils,
wa4ef ete) eensistefft
with
s4mitted r-epefts?
ifHe, Please &g3laifi:
4, Do the
the
lines,
ete.)? E] Yes D No D N/,
pla-as and site map fepr-esen4
aettial site (pr-epef�y
wells,
if no, please explain.:
ifin:
no, please ey,pl
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 13E0540B-30F6-4C60-8ADD-90323615B9A1
S
III. EXISTING FACILITIES: MODIFICATION AND RENEWAL APPLICATIONS
1. Are there appropriately certified Operators in Charge (ORCs) for the facility? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
ORC: Randy Ray Hoffer Certificate #: 23922 Backup ORC: N/A Certificate #:N/A
2. Are the design, maintenance and operation of the treatment facilities adequate for the type of waste and disposal
system? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
Description of existing facilities: No changes from the current description in the permit. Would it be possible to
change the format of the permit Description to an itemized list? Something like this:
• A 1.542.636 GPD surface irritation and high -rate infiltration facili
• Advanced treatment membrane filter bioreactor (BNR)
• Three -cell facultative lagoon with a capacity of approximately 57 million gallons,
• One dewaterin storage tora eg_lagoon with a capacity of approximately 22 million gallons,
• A 542,635 GPD wastewater irrigation system with 129.28 acres spray irrigation area,
• a 1,000,000 GPD high -rate infiltration system with two infiltration basins
Proposed flow: N/A
Current permitted flow: 1,542,635 GPD
Explain anything observed during the site visit that needs to be addressed by the permit, or that may be important
for the permit writer to know (i.e., equipment condition, function, maintenance, a change in facility ownership,
etc.)
The file review conducted during the on -site compliance inspection (05/15/2019) indicates that monitoring wells
MW-3 and MW-7 have recurrent ammonia exceedances, with MW-6 showing some exceedances and/or
concentrations nearing the groundwater standard. Due to these indications of exceeding groundwater standards,
the Wilmington Regional Office requested on June 13, 2019 the installation of an additional monitoring well
located along the compliance boundary. The DWR proposed location for the new well is shown on the provided
map (Figure 1). In addition to this, effluent monitoring indicates sporadic instances when the irrigation fields have
received more flow than the permitted amount in order to maintain compliance for lagoon freeboard parameters.
3. Are the site conditions (e.g., soils, topography, depth to water table, etc) maintained appropriately and adequately
assimilating the waste? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
4. Has the site changed in any way that may affect the permit (e.g., drainage added, new wells inside the compliance
boundary, new development, etc.)? ® Yes or ❑ No
If yes, please explain: It is proposed by WilmingtonRegional Staff that a new monitoring well to be installed
alone the compliance boundary due to monitorinu wells MW-3. MW-6. and MW-7 indicatine ammonia
exceedences of the groundwater standard.
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 13E0540B-30F6-4C60-8ADD-90323615B9A1
5. Is the residuals management plan adequate? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
6. Are the existing application rates (e.g., hydraulic, nutrient) still acceptable? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
7. Is the existing groundwater monitoring program adequate? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, explain and recommend any changes to the groundwater monitoring program: The program has been
adequate. However, it is recommended that the facility has an additional new monitoring well installed due to
MW-3, MW-6, and MW-7 showing ammonia exceedances of the groundwater standard.
8. Are there any setback conflicts for existing treatment, storage and disposal sites? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, attach a map showing conflict areas.
9. Is the description of the facilities as written in the existing permit correct? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
10. Were monitoring wells properly constructed and located? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain: The WiRO is waiting for a well location map.
11. Are the monitoring well coordinates correct in BIMS? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A- Needs to be checked in a future
site visit. An inspection for this renewal was not possible due to COVID 19 restrictions.
If no, please complete the following ex and table if necessary):
Monitoring Well
Latitude
Longitude
O / //
O / 11
O / //
O / //
O / //
O / II
O I //
O I /I
O I //
O I /I
12. Has a review of all self -monitoring data been conducted (e.g., DMR, NDMR, NDAR, GW)? ® Yes or ❑ No
Please summarize any findings resulting from this review:
NDMR:
No violations to comment.
NDAR:
No violations to comment.
GW: The file review conducted during the on -site compliance inspection indicates that monitoring wells MW-3
and MW-7 have recurrent ammonia exceedances, with MW-6 showing some exceedances and/or concentrations
nearing the groundwater standard at the review boundary.
Provide input to help the permit writer evaluate any requests for reduced monitoring, if applicable.
13. Are there any permit changes needed in order to address ongoing BIMS violations? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, please explain:
14. Check all that apply:
® No compliance issues
❑ Notice(s) of violation
❑ Current enforcement action(s) ❑ Currently under JOC
❑ Currently under SOC ❑ Currently under moratorium
Please explain and attach any documents that may help clarify answer/comments (i.e., NOV, NOD, etc.)If the facility has
had compliance problems during the permit cycle, please explain the status. Has the RO been working with the
Permittee? Is a solution underway or in place?
Have all compliance dates/conditions in the existing permit been satisfied? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain:
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 13E0540B-30F6-4C60-8ADD-90323615B9A1
15. Are there any issues related to compliance/enforcement that should be resolved before issuing this permit?
❑ Yes ®No❑N/A
If yes, please explain:
16. Possible toxic impacts to surface waters: N/A
17. Pretreatment Program (POTWs only): N/A
IV. REGIONAL OFFICE RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Do you foresee any problems with issuance/renewal of this permit? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, please explain:
2. List any items that you would like the NPDES Unit or Non -Discharge Unit Central Office to obtain through an
additional information request:
Item
Reason
Monitoring wells map with
a delineation showing the
review and compliance
WiRO Staff has requested this from the primary ORC.
boundaries.
3. List specific permit conditions recommended to be removed from the permit when issued:
Condition Reason
4. List specific special conditions or compliance schedules recommended to be included in the permit when issued:
Condition Reason
5. Recommendation: ❑ Hold, pending receipt and review of additional information by regional office
❑ Hold, pending review of draft permit by regional office
❑ Issue upon receipt of needed additional information
® Issue
❑ [_�96DCAE=754468
yok&Upy:state reasons: )
6. Signature of report preparer: $coat. Docuftned by:
...
Signature of regional supervisor.
Date: 4/17/2020 HABAUACMC434...
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 13E0540B-30F6-4C60-8ADD-90323615B9A1
V. ADDITIONAL REGIONAL STAFF REVIEW ITEMS
Figure 1
Figure 1. Approximate Location of Suggested Groundwater Monitoring Well (east of high rate infiltration basins)
along the Compliance Boundary. For details, refer to the Summary section of the enclosed Compliance Inspection
Report.
FORM: WQROSSR 04-14 Page 5 of 5