NC0034860_Regional Office Historical File Pre 2018 (29)

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North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Pat McCrory Donald van der Vaart
Governor Secretary
March 16, 2015
Mr. Chip Swinnie, Plant Manager
Schneider Mills, Inc.
Post Office Box 519
Taylorsville, North Carolina 28681
Subject: . Compliance Evaluation Inspection
Schneider Mills WWTP
NPDES Permit No. NCO034860
Alexander County
Dear Mr. Swinnie:
Enclosed is a copy of the Compliance Evaluation Inspection Report for the inspection conducted at the
subject facility on March 3, 2015 by Mr. Wes Bell of this Office: Please inform the facility's Operator -in -
Responsible (ORC) of our findings by forwarding a copy of the enclosed report.
The report should be self-explanatory; however, should you have any questions concerning this report, please
do not hesitate to contact Mr. Bell at [phone], or at [e-mail].
Sincerely,
Michael L. Parker, Regional Supervisor
Mooresville Regional Office
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Division of Water Resources, DENR
Enclosure:
Inspection Report
cc: MSC 1617-Central Files/Basement
Alexander County Health Department
WB
Mooresville Regional Office
Location: 610 East Center Ave., Suite 301 Mooresville, NC 28115
Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Customer Service:1-877-623-67.48
Internet: vww mvaterquality.org
An Eaual Ooaortunity 1 AifirmaUve Action Emdover — 30% Recveledli0% Post Consumer paper

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_ United States Environmental Protection Agency
Form Approved.
EPA Washington, D.C.20460
OMB No. 2040-0057
Water C ompllanpe,inspectlOn Report
Approvalexpires8-31-98
Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS)
Transaction Code NPDES ydmo/day Inspection Type Inspector FacType
1 IN 2 15 I 3 I NCO034860 I11 12 15/03/03 17 18 ICI 191 G I 201 I
21IIIIII IIIIIII11IIIIIIIII I IIIIII I111II111I1 f6
Inspection
Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 CIA ----- Reserved---- —
67
2:0 701d I 71 II 72 I C I 731 II 174 75I III I I I I80
LJ LJ I
JData
Section B: Facility
Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include
Entry Time/Date
Permit Effective Date
POTW name and NPDES permit Number)
09:40AM 15/03/03
11/01/01
Schneider Mills WWTP
1170 NC Hwy 16 N
Exit Time/Date
Permit Expiration Date
Taylorsville NC 28681
12:55PM 15/03/03
15/07/31
Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s)
Other Facility Data
///
Darren David Webb/ORC/828-632-8181/
Name, Address of Responsible Officialrritle/Phone and Fax Number
Contacted
Chip Swinnie,PO Box 519 Taylorsville NC 286810519/Plant Manager/828-632-8181/
No
Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated)
Permit Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenance Records/Reports
0 Self -Monitoring Program Sludge Handling Disposal Facility Site Review Effluent/Receiving Waters
Laboratory
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
(See attachment summary) .
Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspe r(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
i
fill
Wes Bell° / MRO WQ//704-663-1699 Ext.2192/
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#

NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type 1
31 NC0034850 I11 12 15/03/03 17 18 i C i
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
Page# 2

Permit: NCO034860 Owner -Facility: Schneider Mills WWTP
Inspection Date: 03/03/2015 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Permit
Yes No NA NE
(If the present permit expires in 6 months or less). Has the permittee submitted a new
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application?
Is the facility as described in the permit?
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# Are there any special conditions for the permit?
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Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public?
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Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection?
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Comment: The Division received the permit renewal. package on 1/28/2015. The subject permit expires
on 7/31/2015.
The last compliance evaluation inspection was performed at the facility on 6/26/2013.
Record Keeping
Are records kept and maintained as required by the permit?
Is all required information readily available, complete and current?
Are all records maintained for 3 years (lab. reg. required 5 years)?
Are analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs?
Is the chain -of -custody complete?,
Dates, times and location of sampling
Name of individual performing the sampling
Results of analysis and calibration
Dates of analysis
Name of person performing analyses
Transported COCs
Are DMRs complete: do they include all permit parameters?
Has the facility submitted its annual compliance report to users and DWQ?
(If the facility is = or > 5 MGD permitted flow) Do they operate 2417 with a certified operator
on each shift?
Is the ORC visitation log available and current?
Is the ORC certified at grade equal to or higher than the facility classification?
Is the backup operator certified at one grade less or greater than the facility classification?
Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site?
Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review?
Yes No NA NE '
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Permit: NC0034860 Owner - Facility: Schneider Mills wwrP
Inspection Date: 03/03/2015 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Record Keeping Yes No NA NE
Comment: The records reviewed durina the insDection were organized and well maintained. Discharae
Monitoring Reports (DMRs) were reviewed for the period January 2014 through December
2014. The facility failed to achieve the minimum effluent. dissolved oxaven limit (5.0 ma/1) in
April 2014 (1-total), May 2014 0-total), and June 2014 (2-total). The Division has separately
addressed these limit violations through the issuances of Notice of Violations (NOVs).
The ORC and staff must ensure that the effluent results are reported down to the same
decimal places as the permit limits and the monthly average flow calculations only include
the days a discharge occurs (flow calculations should not include days the plant is shut
down).
Laboratory
Are field parameters performed by certified personnel or laboratory?
Are all other parameters(excluding field parameters) performed by a certified lab?
# Is the facility using a contract lab?
# Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees
Celsius)?
Incubator (Fecal Coliform) set to 44.5 degrees Celsius+/- 0.2 degrees?
Incubator (BOD) set to 20.0 degrees Celsius +/-1.0 degrees?
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Yes No NA NE
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Comment: On -site field analvses (dissolved oxvven. DH, temDerature. total residual chlorine) are
Performed under the'Company's field laboratory certification #5012. Water Tech Labs
(BOD, TSS, ammonia, nutrients) and R & A Laboratories. Inc. (toxicity and metals) have
also been contracted to provide analytical support.
The laboratory instrumentation used for field analyses appeared to be properly
calibrated/verified and documented. The ORC must ensure that the effluent total residual
chlorine (TRC) results (Outfall 002) are not reported on future DMRs below the lowest
standard verified on the TRC meter (20 ua/1).
Effluent Samplina
Yes No NA NE
Is composite sampling flow proportional?
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Is sample collected below all treatment units?.
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Is proper volume collected?
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Is the tubing clean?
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# Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees
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Celsius)?
Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type
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representative)?
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�: Schneider Mills WWTP
Permit: NC0034860 Owner - Facility:
Inspection Date: 03/03/2015 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Effluent Sampling Yes No NA NE
Comment: The subiect permit requires both composite and grab effluent samDles. The Division
approved a variance to collect time -based composite samples on 5/26/1998 provided that
the flows do not vary by more than 30%. The sampler was collecting 300 ml. aliquot every
twenty minutes with an internal temperature of less than four degrees celsius.
The facility staff must ensure to perform and documentperiodic aliquot verifications on the
Composite sampler.
Upstream / Downstream Sampling Yes No NA NE
Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type, and 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
sampling location)?
Comment:
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 N ❑ ❑ ❑
Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable?
Comment: The wastewater facility appeared to be properly operated and well maintained. The ORC
incorporates a comprehensive process control program with all measurements being
DrODerly documented and maintained on -site.
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?
Comment: Bar screenings are disposed at the Alexander County Landfill.
Flow Measurement - Influent
# 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?
Yes No NA NE
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Permit: NCO034860 Owner - Facility: Schneider Mills WwrP
Inspection Date: 03/03/2015 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Flow Measurement - Influent Yes No NA NE
Comment: The influent flow meter (Outfall 001) is calibrated twice per year and was last calibrated on
1/6/2015 by ISI.
The flows for Outfall 002 are based on the calculated backwash volume 13,160 -gallons) and
the number of backwash events per day.
Aeration Basins
Mode of operation
Type of aeration system
Is the basin free of dead spots.
Are surface aerators and mixers operational?
Are the diffusers operational?.
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/1)
Yes No NA NE
Ext. Air
Surface
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Comment: Aqueous lime and soda ash are added to maintain appropriate pH/alkalinity levels. The
ORC also adds food (BOD)/nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) supplements and selective
microrganisms to maintain the biological treatment process.
Secondary Clarifier
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 %< of the sidewall depth)
Comment: Polymer is added to the clarifier influent to enhance settling.
----Pumps--WAS-
Arepumps in place?
Yes No NA NE
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a
Permit: NCO034860 Owner - Facility: Schneider Mills yWVrP
Inspection Date: 03/03/2015 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Pumas-RAS-WAS Yes No NA NE
Are pumps operational? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑
Are there adequate spare parts and supplies on site? ❑ ❑ ❑
Comment:
Effluent Pipe
Yes No NA NE
Is right of way to the outfall properly maintained?
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Are the receiving water free of foam other than trace amounts and other debris?
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If effluent (diffuser pipes are required) are they operating properly?
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Comment: The effluent appeared clear with no floatable solids or foam. The receiving
stream did not
appear to be negatively impacted.
Aerobic Digester
Yes No NA NE
Is the capacity adequate?
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Is the mixing adequate?
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Is the site free of excessive foaming in the tank?
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# Is the odor acceptable?
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# Is tankage available for properly waste sludge?
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Comment: Only one of the two blower/motor units were operational (also noted in previous inspection).
The facility should repair the second blower/motor unit within the near future to ensure a
backup system is available for digester aeration/mixing. In addition, the subject permit
requires the proper operation and maintenance of the treatment facility at all times.
Drying Beds
Is there adequate drying bed space?.
Is the sludge distribution on drying beds appropriate?
Are the drying beds free of vegetation?
# Is the site free of dry sludge remaining in beds?
Is the site free of stockpiled sludge?
Is the filtrate from sludge drying beds returned to the front of the plant?
# Is the sludge disposed of through county landfill?
# Is the sludge land applied?
(Vacuum filters) Is polymer mixing adequate?
Yes No NA NE
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Permit: NCO034860 Owner • Facility: Schneider Mills WWTP
Inspection Date: 03/03/2015 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation
Drying Beds Yes No -NA NE
Comment: The dewatered sludges from the wastewater treatment system (drying beds) and water
treatment system are transported to the Alexander County Landfill for disposal.
The permittee and staff must ensure that the filtrate resulting from the removal of sludge in
the water treatment system's sedimentation basin (Outfall 002) is collected/contained and
Properly disposed The facility staff must also ensure proper storage of the water treatment
system's sludge prior to disposal.
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