HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0089095_NOVNOI2020PC0306_20200630
Certified Mail # 7019 1640 0000 1354 3279
Return Receipt Requested
July 1, 2020
Aubrey L Deaver
A&D Water Service Inc
PO Box 1407
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768-1407
SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ASSESS CIVIL PENALTY
Tracking Number: NOV-2020-PC-0306
Permit No. NC0089095
High Vista Falls WWTP
Henderson County
Dear Permittee:
The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the High Vista Falls WWTP on June
26, 2020. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions
and limitations specified in NPDES WW Permit No. NC0089095. A summary of the findings and comments noted
during the inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report.
The Compliance Evaluation inspection was conducted by Division of Water Resources staff from the Asheville
Regional Office. The following violation(s) were noted during the inspection:
Inspection Area Description of Violation _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Effluent Sampling Flow proportional composite sampling is not being performed.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Flow Measurement - Effluent The chart recorder is broken and the flow meter is not capable of interfacing with sampler
to perform flow proportional sampling. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Equalization Basins The equalization basin sometimes overflows during high flows and therefore is undersized.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Filtration (High Rate Tertiary) The tertiary filters are still broken.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bar Screens The WWTP gets too much flow and rags for the current screening system.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
Inspection Area Description of Violation _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Operations & Maintenance There needs to be a safety railing in the dechlor ination chamber to prevent the ORC from
falling into the tank. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Notice of Violation/Intent to Issue Civil Penalty is being issued for the noted violation of North Carolina General
Statute (G.S.) 143-215.1 and the facility’s NPDES WW Permit. Pursuant to G.S. 143-215.6A, a civil penalty of
not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) may be assessed against any person who violates or
fails to act in accordance with the terms, conditions, or requirements of any permit issued pursuant to G.S.
143-215.1.
If you wish to provide additional information regarding the noted violation, request technical assistance, or discuss
overall compliance please respond in writing within ten (10) business days after receipt of this Notice. A review of
your response will be considered along with any additional information provided. You will then be notified of any
civil penalties that may be assessed regarding the violations. If no response is received in this Office
within the 10-day period, a civil penalty assessment may be prepared.
Remedial actions should have already been taken to correct this problem and prevent further occurrences in the
future. The Division of Water Resources may pursue enforcement action for this and any additional violations of
State law. If the violations are of a continuing nature, not related to operation and/or maintenance problems, and
you anticipate remedial construction activities, then you may wish to consider applying for a Special Order by
Consent.
Reminder: Pursuant to Permit Condition 6 in Section E, the Permittee is required to verbally notify the Regional
Office as soon as possible, not to exceed 24 hours, from first knowledge of any non-compliance at
the facility including limit violations, bypasses of, or failure of a treatment unit. A written report may
be required within 5 days if directed by Division staff. Prior notice should be given for anticipated or
potential problems due to planned maintenance activities, taking units off-line, etc.
If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Daniel Boss with the Water Quality
Regional Operations Section in the Asheville Regional Office at 828-296-4500.
Sincerely,
G. Landon Davidson, P.G., Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Asheville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
ATTACHMENTS
Ec: WQS ARO Server
Laserfiche
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Water Compliance Inspection Report
Form Approved.
OMB No. 2040-0057
Approval expires 8-31-98
Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS)
Transaction Code NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type
1 N 52 NC0089095 20/06/26 C S31112171819 20
21 66
Inspection Work Days Facility Self-Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA ----------------------Reserved-------------------
N67707172 73 74 75 80
Section B: Facility Data
Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include
POTW name and NPDES permit Number)
High Vista Falls WWTP
Creasman Hill Rd
Mills River NC 28759
Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date
Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date
10:30AM 20/06/26 15/11/01
Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s)
///
Vincent L Edwards/ORC/828-697-3077/
Other Facility Data
12:00PM 20/06/26 20/10/31
Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number
Patty Carland,117 Kira Ln Hendersonville NC 28739//828-890-4810/Contacted
No
Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated)
Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenance Self-Monitoring Program
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
(See attachment summary)
Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s)Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
Lauren E Armeni DWR/ARO WQ/828-296-4500/
Daniel J Boss DWR/ARO WQ/828-296-4658/
Signature of Management Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete.
Page#1
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
7/1/2020
7/1/2020
7/1/2020
NPDES yr/mo/day
20/06/26
Inspection Type
C3111218
1
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
On 6/26/2020 I (Daniel Boss) and Lauren Armeni conducted a follow up inspection of the High Vista
Falls WWTP. We met with Vince Edwards (ORC) for the inspection.
The condition of the plant is no different from my previous inspection on 2/10/2020. The tertiary filters
are still broken, the flow meter has not been replaced, the screening for rags is inadequate, and
effluent sampling is still not flow proportional.
The ORC has to climb down a ladder into the dechlorination tank in order to fill the tablet tube. There is
no safety railing to prevent a fall into the tank. This is a safety hazard.
NC0089095 17 (Cont.)
Page#2
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
Permit:NC0089095
Inspection Date:06/26/2020
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
High Vista Falls WWTP
Compliance Evaluation
Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE
Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping?
Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable
Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable?
Comment:
Bar Screens Yes No NA NE
Type of bar screen
a.Manual
b.Mechanical
Are the bars adequately screening debris?
Is the screen free of excessive debris?
Is disposal of screening in compliance?
Is the unit in good condition?
The WWTP gets too much flow and rags for the current screening system.Comment:
Equalization Basins Yes No NA NE
Is the basin aerated?
Is the basin free of bypass lines or structures to the natural environment?
Is the basin free of excessive grease?
Are all pumps present?
Are all pumps operable?
Are float controls operable?
Are audible and visual alarms operable?
# Is basin size/volume adequate?
The equalization basin was not aerated. The ORC says that aerating the basin causes the
pumps to clog. The equalization basin sometimes overflows during high flows and therefore
is undersized.
Comment:
Aeration Basins Yes No NA NE
Mode of operation Ext. Air
Type of aeration system Diffused
Is the basin free of dead spots?
Are surface aerators and mixers operational?
Are the diffusers operational?
Page#3
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
Permit:NC0089095
Inspection Date:06/26/2020
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
High Vista Falls WWTP
Compliance Evaluation
Aeration Basins Yes No NA NE
Is the foam the proper color for the treatment process?
Does the foam cover less than 25% of the basin’s surface?
Is the DO level acceptable?
Is the DO level acceptable?(1.0 to 3.0 mg/l)
Comment:
Secondary Clarifier Yes No NA NE
Is the clarifier free of black and odorous wastewater?
Is the site free of excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier?
Are weirs level?
Is the site free of weir blockage?
Is the site free of evidence of short-circuiting?
Is scum removal adequate?
Is the site free of excessive floating sludge?
Is the drive unit operational?
Is the return rate acceptable (low turbulence)?
Is the overflow clear of excessive solids/pin floc?
Is the sludge blanket level acceptable? (Approximately ¼ of the sidewall depth)
Sludge judge reading showed only 1.5' of clarified effluent out of 12'. Only about 3' was
actual sludge blanket, the remaining unclarified layer was pin floc.
Comment:
Disinfection-Liquid Yes No NA NE
Is there adequate reserve supply of disinfectant?
(Sodium Hypochlorite) Is pump feed system operational?
Is bulk storage tank containment area adequate? (free of leaks/open drains)
Is the level of chlorine residual acceptable?
Is the contact chamber free of growth, or sludge buildup?
Is there chlorine residual prior to de-chlorination?
Comment:
De-chlorination Yes No NA NE
Type of system ?Tablet
Is the feed ratio proportional to chlorine amount (1 to 1)?
Is storage appropriate for cylinders?
Page#4
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
Permit:NC0089095
Inspection Date:06/26/2020
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
High Vista Falls WWTP
Compliance Evaluation
De-chlorination Yes No NA NE
# Is de-chlorination substance stored away from chlorine containers?
Comment:
Are the tablets the proper size and type?
Are tablet de-chlorinators operational?
Number of tubes in use?1
The dechlorination tube is inside a concrete tank. The ORC currently has to climb down into
the tank to fill the tube and there is not a safety railing to prevent a fall into the tank.
Comment:
Filtration (High Rate Tertiary)Yes No NA NE
Type of operation:Up flow
Is the filter media present?
Is the filter surface free of clogging?
Is the filter free of growth?
Is the air scour operational?
Is the scouring acceptable?
Is the clear well free of excessive solids and filter media?
The tertiary filters are still broken.Comment:
Flow Measurement - Effluent Yes No NA NE
# Is flow meter used for reporting?
Is flow meter calibrated annually?
Is the flow meter operational?
(If units are separated) Does the chart recorder match the flow meter?
The chart recorder is broken and the flow meter is not capable of interfacing with sampler to
perform flow proportional sampling.
Comment:
Effluent Sampling Yes No NA NE
Is composite sampling flow proportional?
Is sample collected below all treatment units?
Is proper volume collected?
Is the tubing clean?
# Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees
Celsius)?
Page#5
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
Permit:NC0089095
Inspection Date:06/26/2020
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
High Vista Falls WWTP
Compliance Evaluation
Effluent Sampling Yes No NA NE
Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type
representative)?
Flow proportional composite sampling is not being performed.Comment:
Page#6
DocuSign Envelope ID: 6862CA46-AE71-4C5A-981A-5FC7109618A5
t Complete items 1, 2, and 3.
■ Print your name and address c
so that we can return the Card
■ Attach this card to the back of
Aubrey L Deaver
-A&D Water Service Inc
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Pisgah For 'f, NC 28768-1407
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