NC0025321_NOVNOI2020PC0197_RESP_20200427

Gavin Brown, Mayor
Gary Caldwell, Mayor Pro Tern
Ion Feichter, Alderman
Julia Freeman, Alderman
LeRoy Roberson, Alderman
Robert W. Hites, Jr. Town Manager
William Cannon, Town Attorney
RI
4/27/2020
APR 3 0 2020
Mr. Landon Davidson, P.E., Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Asheville Regional Office Asheville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
2090 US Highway 70
Swannanoa, NC 28778
Re: Response to Notice of Violation & Intent to issue Civil Penalty
NOV-2020-PC-0197
Dear Mr. Davidson:
Thank you for providing the Town with an opportunity to respond to the Division's NOV
regarding the "Unauthorized Bypass" of 44,000 gallons of waste that occurred at our plant on
March 25, 2020. 1 will outline the event, our immediate response and our plan to mitigate future
overflows.
BYPASS OF BASIN BETWEEN PRIMARY CLARIFIERS AND EFFLUENT PUMP BLDG.
On March 23, 2020 the water shed received .87 inches of rain. On the 24'h it received another
1.96 inches totaling 2.83 inches over a two- day period. The inflow entering the plant from these
rain events exceeded the plant's ability to handle the flows. The plant has three influent pumps
with each having a rated capacity of 3.0 gpd. Even though the pumps were running at maximum
capacity the flow entering the plant exceeded their ability to move the influent through the plant.
The increased flows resulted in an overflow occurring in the primary effluent pump basin where
the pumps are located. In early March the Town installed an 18- inch riser to rim of a splitter box
to bring it roughly to the same elevation as the effluent pump basin. Adding the riser to the
splitter basin was the Town's response to the overflow it experienced on February 12th and 13'h.
The installation of the riser resolved the issue of overflows at the splitter basin but moved the
overflow to the effluent pump basin.
REMEDIATION OF BYPASS
The staff responded to the spill by raking the area and placing lime where the bypass occurred.
The solution to these overflows is to focus our cameras on areas where the collection system
crosses creeks as well as the areas where the smoke testing indicate inflow. After we located
the areas, we will repair the simple failures in- house and bid out the more complex failures to
the private sector.
16 South Main Street • P.O. Box 100 • Waynesville, NC 28786 Phone [phone] Fox [phone]
Web Address: www.waynesvillenc.aov

Page 3.
NOV 2020-PC-0197
Please do not hesitate to contact me at my cell number 828-550-5238 should you have any
questions:
Sincerely,
Robert W. Hites Jr. Town Manager
16 South Main Street • P.O. Box 100 • Waynesville, NC 28786 Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
Web Address: www.waynesvillenc.gov