NC0024911_Report_20210106

0 SEWE,940
° � Metropolitan Sewerage District
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OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NORTH CAP 2co�BF COUNT Y NO° LpQo RECEIVED
ED
JAN 0 6 2021
December 22, 2020
NCDEQ/DWRINPDES
NCDEQ/Water Quality NCDEQ/Water Quality
NPDES Complex Permitting Asheville Regional Office
1617 Mail Service Center 2090 US 70 Highway
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 Swannanoa, NC 28778-8211
Dear Sir/Madam:
This report is written to maintain compliance with Metropolitan Sewerage District(MSD) of Buncombe
County NPDES discharge permit issued October 1, 2018. Section A(8) of the NPDES Permit requires
submission of a wastewater treatment optimization and improvement plan for the ammonia schedule of
compliance. This treatment optimization and improvement plan is outlined in the ammonia compliance
schedule of compliance. As outlined,the compliance schedule will be adhered to by following sound
engineering design, permitting, bidding, planning, scheduling, and construction practices. These tasks
will be incorporated with operational strategies and sampling protocols to attain the October 31, 2030,
ammonia limits deadline.
• The new WRF headworks, placed in service February 19, 2019, consisting of 1/2 inch bar
screens with compactor, 6 mm fine screens with compactor and vortex grit removal
with washer. A new surge pumping station utilizing the existing repurposed anaerobic
digesters for 4.2 million gallons of storage and a flow split/diversion structure that will
serve as a point of return for flow from the surge pumping station and will be utilized in
the Phase 2 upgrade to tie-in to the new high-rate primary treatment process.
• This new headworks equipment has increased the removal of solids waste from the
wastewater stream. However, there is not a reduction of soluble components of the
wastewater stream by the headworks equipment.
• The volume of screenable material removed by the bar screens,fine screens, and vortex
grit removal systems from January 1, 2020 to date is 724 cubic yards. This is 49 cubic
yards less than the period of February 19, 2019, to December 31, 2019. The volume
removed by the headworks is dependent on rainfall events which flush the collection
system and the amount of septage hauled to the MSD septage receiving station.
• NPDES Influent and effluent compliance sampling are conducted as per the Permit and
the additional sampling in the ammonia schedule in preparation of future reports. A
new sampling point will be established beginning as soon as feasible, at the effluent of
the High-Rate Primary Clarifier(HRPC) located north of the headworks removal systems
prior to entering Rotating Biological Contractor(RBC) Basin number one (1).
Protecting Our Natural Resources-
2028 RIVERSIDE DRIVE, ASHEVILLE,NORTH CAROLINA 28804 TELEPHONE:[phone] FAX:[phone] WEBSITE:www.msdbc.org

• The sampling results demonstrate no reduction of ammonia nitrogen sampled as the
wastewater flows through the new headworks structure. The current total nitrogen
removal rate is 32%and the ammonia nitrogen removal rate is 10%through the Water
Reclamation Facility (WRF).Additional sampling of in-plant side streams demonstrates
concentrations of ammonia nitrogen being conveyed back to the influent pump station
of the WRF.
• The optimization and improvements will be reported annually as construction projects
are completed and sampling results are summarized. The overall optimization of the
WRF will be achieved through operational strategies, sampling analysis and planned
construction project completion.
• Shook Construction is the General Contractor for the new High-Rate Primary Treatment
Project (HRPT).The HRPT Project Notice to Proceed was issued December 5, 2018 and
construction began January 7, 2019. The HRPT original substantial completion date was
October 28, 2020. As the project progressed there has been project creep, inclement
weather days and scheduling issues, which moved the substantial completion date to
February 8, 2021.
• On November 10, 2020, MSD experienced a major catastrophic fire of the warehouse
located above the Water Reclamation Facility. This warehouse contained most of the
MSD's pumps, emergency piping, mobile lighting and twenty (20) spare Rotating
Biological Contractors (RBC's). Unfortunately,this warehouse also housed new
equipment that was to be installed in the HRPT. Much of this equipment has long lead
times from different venders/suppliers. At the December 2nd construction meeting the
contractor's prediction is substantial completion on August 22, 2021, with the final
completion on October 21, 2021. However, equipment suppliers projected lead times
are 26 weeks for some of the equipment lost in the fire, so substantial and final
completion dates could be moved further into the future. MSD will maintain the
reporting schedule as outlined in the ammonia schedule.
If there are questions or concerns regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact Roger
Edwards, Water Reclamation Facility ORC, at [e-mail] or 828-225-8224.
Sincerely
_ xj
homas E. Hartye, PE
General Manager
MSD of Buncombe County