NC0065684_Complaint Investigation_20201210

ROY COOPER
Governor
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Serrctary
S. DANIEL SMITH
dir rr t or
Aqua NC
Ms. Laurie T. Ison, Area Manager
4163 Sinclair Street
Denver, NC 28037
Dear Ms. Ison:
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
December 10, 2020
SUBJECT: Odor Complaint Investigation
Country Wood WWTP
NPDES Permit NCO065684
Union County, NC
During the month of November 2020 this Office received numerous odor complaints about Country Wood Waste
Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). On December 3, 2020, Roberto Scheller of this Office conducted an investigation of
the subject facility and surrounding neighborhood. This investigation was conducted on a day with conditions similar
to days' complaints were received by this Office, warm daytime temperatures and cooling in evening, light wind, high
humidity and high barometric pressure. The lower end of Hawthorn Drive was walked to investigated sewer odors,
starting at 4:40 p.m., on Juniper Court with no sewer odor detected. Pecan Court was walked at 4:48 p.m. to 5:00
p.m. with a light sewer odor detected at corner of Pecan and Hemlock Drive. At the corner of Pecan and Hawthorne
Drive, near house #1408, manhole had a slight hydrogen sulfide smell. The next manhole down gradient had a light
sewer odor. No sewer odors were detected on Aspin Court at 5:17 p.m. Manhole in the cul-de-sac of Quince Court
had the light smell of hydrogen sulfide. Creekside sewer lift station was checked for sewer odors at 5:30 p.m. with no
odors detected. At time of site investigation odors emitting from collection system (manholes) and WWTP appeared
to be normal with no loud, obnoxious, or over powering odors detected.
Homeowners should be aware that sewer odor or gas are always present in the sewer system and cannot be
eliminated. This is why there are provisions in the uniform plumbing code to insure that vent pipes and traps are
installed to the house plumbing system to carry odors and gasses out through the roof vent and prevent it from coming
back into the structure. The most common cause of sewer gas odors entering structures are as follows:
Caps on floor traps and cleanouts are not properly installed.
Infrequently used washing machine drains.
Cleanout plugs removed from inside of floor drains.
In -line Cheater Vent on vent less sink or plumbing fixture has failed.
Seldom used floor drains or fixtures will allow water in trap to evaporate.
Homeowners that reported strong sewer odors inside of their homes should
plumbing system for any drain system air leaks.
have a plumber check the entire house
North Cefoine Departmental Environmental C� - -y I _ _ _ =f Water;esauroes
Mootesmlle Regions:Ofloe 1 610 East Center A.anue, S t= ...1 I A'oo—so e, North Carona 28115
`� 7044634699

• Vents should be checked for proper installation and free of obstructions.
• Atmospheric conditions can have an effect on when you may get odor inside of the house. When barometric
pressure is falling or very low, the air outside is heavier than air from the sewer system. This acts like a cap on
the vent stack causing pressure to build up in the sewer system and discharge sewer odors from the system in
the structure through holes and leaks in the structure's drain system.
This Office has conducted numerous site visits in 2018 and 2020 in regards to odor complaints. At the time of site
visits no odors emitting from collection system (manholes) or WWTP were loud, obnoxious, or over powering.
Complaints prompted compliance inspections of the WWTP on May 22, 2018 and again on October 14, 2020.
Inspections found Country Woods WWTP compliant with NPDES permit conditions and well operated; therefore, at
this time no further investigation is deemed necessary. If you should have any questions in regards to this matter,
please do not hesitate to contact myself or Roberto Scheller at [phone] or roberto.scheller(a�ncdenr.gov.
Sincerely,
CDocuSigned by:
�4.Gw H P.: 411ft for
F161FB69A2D84A3...
W. Corey Basinger, Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
Cc: Kolleen M. Dickinson, Code Enforcement Officer, Town of Stallings: codeofficer(a)stallingnc.org
North Carom@ Department of Environmental gualay I D:vsan of Water Rtsources
hlooresvi le Regional Office 1 810 East Center Avenue, Suite 3011 Moo resvile, North CArohna 28115
,•�• 704t83-1898