NC0044164_Draft Permit_20200603

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Governor
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Secretary *illkaw+"°®*
S.DANIEL SMITH NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
June 3, 2020
City of Lenoir
Attn: Radford L.Thomas
Director of Public Utilities
PO Box 958
Lenoir,NC 28645
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC0044164
Lake Rhodhiss WTP
Grade I Physical Chemical WPCS
Caldwell County 1
Dear Mr.Thomas:
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Please review this draft carefully to ensure a
thorough understanding of the information,conditions,and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
> Iron has been removed from the Effluent table in Section A. (1)as there are no longer water quality
standards for Iron and the permit renewal application indicates that Iron sulfate or Ferrous sulfate does not
have the potential to be discharged.
> Former Footnote#4 in Section A. (1)has been removed as this is no longer required.
➢ Section A. (2)has been corrected to Acute Toxicity Pass/Fail Monitoring per current water treatment
plant guidance.
> Limits for Copper have been added to the Effluent table in Section A.(1.)in conjunction with a
Compliance Schedule in Section A. (3)based on a reasonable potential to exceed water quality standards.
➢ Limits for Zinc have been added to the Effluent table in Section A.(1.)in conjunction with a Compliance
Schedule in Section A. (3)based on a reasonable potential to exceed water quality standards.
> The limit for Total Residual Chlorine in the Effluent table in Section A. (1.)has been changed,per current
water treatment plant guidance.
> Section A. (4)and Footnote#1 in Section A. (1)have been updated regarding electronic submission of
effluent data. Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports
(DMRs).
➢ The Supplement to Cover Sheet page has been updated to include the estimated maximum,monthly
average flow, stream index,an updated components list, and the HUC code.
> Quarterly monitoring for Hardness has been added to the Effluent table in Section A. (1)per current water
treatment plant guidance.
The NC 2007-2014 Water Quality Standard(WQS)Triennial Review was approved by the NC Environmental
Management Committee(EMC)on November 13,2014. The US EPA subsequently approved the WQS revisions
on April 6,2016 with some exceptions.The NC Division of Water Resources NPDES Permitting Unit is required
to implement the new dissolved metal standards in all permits public noticed after April 6,2016.
The new standards for most metals include acute standards.Further,the freshwater standards for several metals
are expressed as the dissolved form of the metals,and seven metals have hardness-dependent equations.As a
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Page2of2
Draft Permit NC0044164
Lake Rhodhiss WTP
result,the NPDES Permitting Unit will need site-specific effluent hardness data and instream hardness data,
upstream of the discharge,for each facility monitoring these metals in order to calculate permit limitations.
Effluent hardness and instream hardness sampling,upstream of the discharge,has been added to this permit at a
monitoring frequency of quarterly. See Section A. (1)Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements.
The NPDES standard conditions(Parts II,III,and IV)that are a part of the permit are not included in this draft
document(cover,map,and Part I).The conditions are the same as in your current permit except that agency and
division names have been updated.The latest version is available at https://bit.ly/2BZ4xxx and can be viewed
online or downloaded as a PDF file.
With this notification,the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a notice in
newspapers having circulation in the general Caldwell County area,per EPA requirements.Please provide your
comments,if any,to me no later than 30 days after receiving this draft permit.
Following the 30-day public comment period,the Division will review all pertinent comments and take
appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit.If you have questions concerning the draft,please contact me at
the telephone number listed at the bottom of this page,or via e-mail [[e-mail]].
Sincerely,
Sydney Carpenter
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting
ec: NPDES File[Laserfiche]
Asheville Regional Office [Laserfiche]
Operator Certification Program
Aquatic Toxicology Unit

NPDES Permit NC0044164
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
In compliance with the provision of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended,
The City of Lenoir
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Lake Rhodhiss WTP
5474 Waterworks Road
Granite Falls
Caldwell County
to receiving waters designated as the Catawba River (at Lake Rhodhiss) in the Catawba River Basin in
accordance with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I,
II, III and IV hereof
This permit shall become effective
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on March 31, 2025.
Signed this day
S. Daniel Smith, Director
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 8

NPDES Permit NC0044164
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby revoked. As
of this permit issuance, any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer effective. Therefore,the
exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the permit conditions,requirements,
terms, and provisions included herein.
The City of Lenoir
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate a conventional water treatment plant with a discharge of wastewaters from filter
backwash and sedimentation basins with a design potable flowrate of 12 MGD and an estimated
maximum, monthly average wastewater discharge of approximately 0.284 MGD. This facility is
located at 5474 Waterworks Road, Granite Falls in Caldwell County. Water and wastewater
treatment includes the following components:
• Mechanical pre-treatment Acti-flo
• Sedimentation basins w/Trac-Vac
• Filter basins
• Clearwells
• Backwash tank
• Alum sludge holding/thickening tank
• Decant sludge lagoon
• Chemical usage consists of:
o Alum/Aluminum Sulfate
o Fluoride
o Anionic polymer
o Sodium Hypochlorite
o Sodium Bisulfite
o Zinc-metaphosphate
o Potassium Permanganate
o Activated Carbon
o Sodium Hydroxide
2. Discharge from said treatment works at the location specified on the attached map into the Catawba
River(at Lake Rhodhiss), currently classified WS-IV; B; CA waters [Stream Index: 11-(37)] in sub-
basin 03-08-32 [HUC: 0305010108] of the Catawba River Basin.
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NPDES Permit NC0044164
PART I
A. (1.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade I Physical Chemical WPCS [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration,the Permittee
is authorized to discharge from outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored' by the
Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
CHARACTERISTICS
[eDMR Code] Monthly Daily Measurement Sample Sample
Average Maximum Frequency Type Location
Flow(MGD) [50050] Continuous Recording Effluent
Total Suspended Solids(mg/L) [C0530] 30 mg/L 45 mg/L 2/Month Grab Effluent
pH(su) [00400] Not<6.0 or>9.0 2/Month Grab Effluent
standard units
Turbidity2 (NTU) [00076] See Footnote 2 2/Month Grab Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine 3 (pg/L) [50060] 17 pg/L 2/Month Grab Effluent
Aluminum(pg/L) [01105] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Copper 4(pg/L) [01042] 7.88 pg/L 10.47 pg/L Monthly Grab Effluent
Manganese [01055] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Zinc 4(pg/L) [01092] 126.7 pg/L 125.7 pg/L Monthly Grab Effluent
Fluoride(pg/L) [00951] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Phosphorus(TP)(mg/L) [C0665] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Nitrogen(TN)(mg/L) [C0600] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Whole Effluent Toxicity Monitoring 5 [TGE6C] Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Hardness—Total as Monitor&Report QuarterlyGrab Effluent
[CaCO3 or(Ca+Mg)]6(mg/L) [00900] p
Hardness—Total as Monitor&Report QuarterlyGrab Upstream
[CaCO3 or(Ca+Mg)]7(mg/L) [00900] p p
Footnotes:
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the Division's eDMR system [see Section
A. (4)].
2. The discharge from this facility shall not cause turbidity in the receiving stream to exceed 25 NTU.
3. Limit and monitor only if the facility adds chlorine or chlorine derivatives to water that is eventually discharged. The
Division shall consider all effluent TRC values reported below 50 ug/1 to be in compliance with the permit. However,
the Permittee shall continue to record and submit all values reported by a North Carolina certified laboratory(including
field certified),even if these values fall below 50 ug/l.
4. See Section A. (3)for a compliance schedule regarding Total Copper and Total Zinc monitoring over the next five
years.
5. Acute Whole Effluent Toxicity(WET)testing(Pimephales promelas)shall be performed as a 24-hour pass/fail test at
90%effluent concentration,during January,April,July and October[See Section A. (2.)].
6. Effluent hardness sampling should be performed in conjunction with testing for hardness dependent metals(copper,
zinc).
7. The Permittee shall sample instream hardness,upstream of the facility's discharge.The sample shall be representative
of the hardness in the receiving stream. If the Permittee is a member of the Monitoring Coalition Program,sampling
for instream hardness may be waived as long as the Monitoring Coalition agrees to sample hardness at the nearest
upstream location,at a minimum frequency of quarterly,and the Permittee has obtained approval from DWR-NPDES
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NPDES Permit NC0044164
Permitting Unit that the upstream station being monitored by the Coalition is representative of the receiving stream for
this discharge.The Permittee is responsible for submitting instream hardness test results with its permit renewal
application package.If Coalition membership is cancelled or the Coalition terminates instream hardness sampling at
the approved station,the Permittee will immediately notify the Division and resume sampling for instream hardness,
upstream of its discharge.
All samples collected should be from a representative discharge event.
THERE SHALL BE NO DISCHARGE OF FLOATING SOLIDS OR VISIBLE FOAM IN OTHER THAN TRACE AMOUNTS.
A. (2.) ACUTE TOXICITY PASS/FAIL MONITORING (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B .0200]
The permittee shall conduct acute toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in the
North Carolina Procedure Document entitled "Pass/Fail Methodology For Determining Acute Toxicity
In A Single Effluent Concentration" (Revised-December 2010, or subsequent versions). The
monitoring shall be performed as a Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) 24-hour static test. The
effluent concentration at which there may be at no time significant acute mortality is 90% (defined as
treatment two in the procedure document). The tests will be performed during the months of
January, April,July, and October. These months signify the first month of each three-month toxicity
testing quarter assigned to the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained during
representative effluent discharge and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent
discharge below all treatment processes.
The parameter code for Pimephales promelas is TGE6C. All toxicity testing results required as part
of this permit condition will be entered electronically using the Division's eDMR system for the month
in which it was performed, using the appropriate parameter code. Additionally, DWR Form AT-2
(original) is to be sent to the following address:
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1621
Or, results can be sent to the email, ATForms.ATB(a,ncdenr.gov.
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than
30 days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be complete, accurate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all
concentration/response data, and be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved designate
signature.
Total residual chlorine of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if chlorine is
employed for disinfection of the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during any month, the permittee will complete
the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity(AT) test form indicating the facility name,
permit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report with the notation of"No Flow"
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NPDES Permit NC0044164
in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted to the Water Sciences Section at the
address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, then
monthly monitoring will begin immediately. Upon submission of a valid test, this monthly test
requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above
Should any test data from either these monitoring requirements or tests performed by the North
Carolina Division of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit
may be re-opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid test and will
require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than the last day of the month following
the month of the initial monitoring.
A. (3.) SCHEDULE OF COMPLIANCE (OUTFALL 001)
[NCGS 143-215.1(b)]
1. Within one year from the effective date of the permit the Permittee shall submit to the Division of
Water Resources a Corrective Action Plan summarizing the actions or strategy to be taken to
achieve compliance with the Total Copper and Total Zinc limits at Outfall 001. Specific dates for
completion or implementation of each action shall be included.
2. Within two years from the effective date of the permit submit a report to the Division summarizing
actions taken in accordance with the Corrective Action Plan.
3. Within three years from the effective date of the permit submit a report to the Division summarizing
actions taken in accordance with the Corrective Action Plan.
4. Within four years from the effective date of the permit submit a report to the Division summarizing
actions taken in accordance with the Corrective Action Plan.
5. Achieve compliance with Total Copper and Total Zinc limits specified in Section A. (1) within five
years of the permit effective date.
Upon approval of the Corrective Action Plan by the Division, the report and actions become an
enforceable part of this permit. Any modifications to the schedule shall be requested to the Division at
least ninety(90) days before the deadline. Modifications to the schedule in excess of four months will
be subject to public notice.
The Corrective Action Plan and reports shall include the owner's name, NPDES permit number and
Permittee contact person, and shall be submitted to:
(1)NCDEQ/Division of Water Resources (2) NCDEQ/Division of Water Resources
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting Asheville Regional Office
1617 Mail Service Center 2090 U.S. 70 Highway
Raleigh,NC 27699-1617 Swannanoa, NC 28778-8211
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NPDES Permit NC0044164
A. (4.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF DISCHARGE MONITORING REPORTS
[G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and
program reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on
December 21, 2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this
permit(Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B. (11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D. (2.) Reporting
• Section D. (6.) Records Retention
• Section E. (5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)1
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's
Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
submitted electronically using eDMR. The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter
monitoring data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. The eDMR system may be
accessed at: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr.
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the
facility being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have
broadband access, then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements
may be granted and discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms (MR 1, 1.1,
2, 3) or alternative forms approved by the Director. Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to
the following address:
NC DEQ/Division of Water Resources/Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
See"How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Regardless of the submission method, the first DMR is due on the last day of the month following
the issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last day of the month following the
commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21, 2020, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports, when applicable:
• Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
• Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and
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NPDES Permit NC0044164
• Clean Water Act(CWA) Section 316(b)Annual Reports.
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division(see"How to Request a
Waiver from Electronic Reporting"section below).
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9),the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time
of each electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify
the initial recipient for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the
entity(EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program)that is the
designated entity for receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for
each type of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the
appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES
Electronic Reporting Rule is found at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-24954/national-pollutant-di scharge-
elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the"Reporting Requirements" section
above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an
electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to
the Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to
the Division for written approval at least sixty(60) days prior to the date the facility would be
required under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a
temporary waiver shall not exceed 5 years and shall thereupon expire. At such time,monitoring
data and reports shall be submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re-applies for
and is granted a new temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic
reporting waivers are not transferrable. Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request
may submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved
reporting waiver request is effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on
the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resourcesiedmr
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NPDES Permit NC0044164
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.)
Lill
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part
II, Section B. (11.)(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(b). A person, and not a position,must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR
reporting purposes.
For eDMR submissions,the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user
account and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North
Carolina's eDMR system, registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit
the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification. Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall
make the following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF
CERTIFICATION WILL BE ACCEPTED:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my
direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or
persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the
information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate,
and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information,
including the possibility of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations."
5. Records Retention [Supplements Section D. (6.)1
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR
submissions. These records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the
date of the report. This period may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR
122.41].
Page 8 of 8

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City of Lenoir Facility Lake Rhodhiss WTP X
Latitude: 35°47'00" N USGS Quad: Morganton North Location
Longitude: 81°28'57" W Stream Segment: 11-(37) not to scale
Receiving Stream:Lake Rhodhiss(Catawba River) Sub-Basin: 03-08-32
Stream Class: WS-IV&B CA Drainage Basin: Catawba River Basin NPDES Permit No. NC0044164
North Caldwell County