NC0031879_Response NOV2019LV0406_20190620

June 20, 2019
CITY OF MARION
P.O. Drawer 700
6 OFFICE OF THE
Marlon, North Carolina 28752 ^ '� Y ' CITY MANAGER
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Mr. G. Landon Davidson, P.G., Regional Supervisor "" t Quality Regjonaj ©p@rations
Water Quality Regional Operations Section, NCDEQ ASh@yjjj@ R@g10hsj AP1111
Asheville Regional Office
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2090 U.S. Highway 70
Swannanoa, North Carolina 28778
Subject: Notice of Violation and Notice of lntent to
Assess Civil Penalty
Tracking #: NOV-2019-LV-0406
Permit No. NCO031879
Corpening Creek WWTP
McDowell County
Dear Mr. Davidson:
I am writing in response to your letter dated June 14, 201.9 and received by the City of
Marion on June 19, 2019, requesting, within 10 days of the receipt of the letter, an
explanation of violations at the City of Marion's Corpening Creek Wastewater Treatment
Plant (WWTP) during the month of May 2019. The violations listed in your letter involved
weekly and monthly violations for Ammonia Nitrogen.
In response to the Notice of Violation at the Corpening Creek WWTP for May 2019, the
Ammonia Nitrogen limit was affected the week of May 19-25 by a serious electrical short
in the WWTP wiring system that supplies the electricity to run our floating aerators. Lary
Carver, the City's Water and Wastewater Treatment Superintendent, called Janet Cantwell
in the Asheville Regional Office to explain what had happened and how the short took out
two of the motors that drive the brushes on the aerators.
The sudden loss of oxygen and the very high temperatures during this period caused the
activated sludge to lose the ability to denitrify, which aids in the removal of the ammonia
level. For a short while, we only had two aerators supplying the WWTP. WWTP staff
immediately installed temporary wiring and replaced the blown motors to get our system
back to normal operation within 24 hours. WWTP staff then reseeded with some bacteria
that we keep on hand from our normal supplier Maryland Biochemical to help bring the
process. back. The process returned. to normal after a short period of time.
The City full believes that there was no impact on the receiving stream from the violation
in question, The appearance of our effluent was also better than might be indicated by this
violation. The daily results of the BOD and fecal tests run during the month show that

everything was running normal and well in compliance at the WWTP, except for this
situation that occurred. I have attached the DMR that indicates that all other parameters at
the WWTP were compliant during the month, except for the violations noted above.
The City would respectfully request that a fine not be issued for the May violation, due to
the problem being caused by an unusual event, an electrical short, and City staff correcting
the violation as quickly as possible.
If you have any further questions or need any additional information, please contact me at
[phone]. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
OBoboyette
City Manager
cc: Larry Carver, Wastewater Treatment Superintendent
Brant Sikes, Public Works Director

T NO.: NC0031879 PERMIT VERSION) 4_0 PERMIT STATUS: Active
-OHIJAME: COMening Creek WWTP CLASS: WW4. I COUNTY: McDowell
ER NAME: City of Marion ORC: Larry Dean Carer ORC CERT NUMBER: 26810
BADE: W W-4. - ORC HAS CHANG D: No
eDMR PERIOD:.05-2019 (May 2019) VERSION: 1.0 STATUS: Processed
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V
JUN 2 4 2019
Water Quality Regional Operations
Asheville Regional Office

NCO031879
ER NAME: City of Marion
BADE: W W-4.
DMR PERIOD: 05-2019{May 2019)
PERMIT VERSION: 4.0
NTP CLASS: WW-4.
ORC: Larry Dean Carver -
ORC HAS CHANGED: No
VERSION: LO
PERMIT STATUS: Active
COUNTY: McDowell
ORC CERTNUMBER: 26810
STATUS: Processed
SAMPLING LOCATION; EFFLUENT DISCHARGE NO.: 001 NO DISCHARGE*: NO (Continue)
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•••• No Reporting Reason: ENFRUSE -No Flow-Reuse/Recycle; ENV WTHR -No Visitation -Adverse Weather, NOFLOW =No Flow; HOLIDAY = No Visitation - Holiday