NC0088749_NOV-2020-LV-0598 AND NOV-2020-LM-0065 Response_20200911

September 8, 2020
Lon T. Snider
Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Winston-Salem Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
NC Department of
Environmental Quality
Received
Via Certified Mail
Return Receipt Requested
RE: NOV Tracking Numbers NOV-2020-LV-0598 and NOV-2020- LM-0065
Lissara WWTP Permit No. NC0088749, Forsyth County, NC
Dear Mr. Snider:
SEP 11 2020
Winston-Salem
Regional Office
I am in receipt of your August 24, 2020 correspondence regarding the above -referenced Notices
of Violation for the Lissara WWTP in Forsyth County, NC.
As suggested in your letter, the permittee wishes to provide additional information for each of the
Notices of Violation as follows:
NOV-2020-LM-0065
The first quarter monitoring requirement for effluent Nitrogen and Phosphorus
concentrations was overlooked due to a health -related issue with the Operator in
Responsible Charge (ORC) at that time. Another ORC has now been assigned to the plant.
Exceedence of BOD limits are believed to be related to improper disposal of certain
solvents and paints into some residential waste systems. These disposals are thought to be
occurring at residences that are occupied as well as under construction. The concern with
solvents, paints and other harmful chemicals in the waste stream is that they are depleting
the microbes and reducing the efficiency of the WWTP. The Homeowner's Association
representative and builders with new homes under construction have been contacted and
directed not to dispose of solvents, paints or other chemical products into the residential
waste systems. Additionally, there is good reason to believe that an increase in use of
bleaches and other disinfectants has been on the rise in residences due to the COVID
pandemic. It is noted that higher exceedences of allowable BOD limits occurred about
the time that the pandemic issue came to the forefront of public concern. (Mid -March).
Several individual residential waste tanks as well as the tanks, piping and other aspects of
the treatment plant itself have been cleaned more than once in an effort to control adverse
impacts to the microbes in the plant treatment tanks.

NOV-2020-LV 0598
Exceedence of BOD limits during the month of March 2020 are thought to be related to
the same conditions as noted above. In order to look further into what may be causing
BOD non- compliance issues, the ORC requested that VOC analysis #8260 be conducted
on influent samples to validate suspicions that solvents and paints were continuing to be
disposed of at certain residences. Toluene and p-isopropyl- toluene
were detected in the samples which prompted additional instructions to the
residents regarding proper waste disposal practices. The ORC is presently evaluating the
option of adding additional microbes to the plant system.
As a final comment, your reminder regarding verbal notification to the Regional Office of
knowledge of any non-compliance issues related to the Lissara WWTP has been shared with the
ORC. This permit condition will be addressed closely in the future.
Please contact me with any further comments or questions.
Very Truly Yours,
Russ Willard (For C. J. Ramey)
Lissara Partners LLC
P.O. Box 10
Bethania, NC 27010
336.655.7339