WQCS00013_nov-2020-dv-0542_20210211

UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
January 22, 2021
Mr. Scott Vinson
Regional Supervisor
NCDEQ— Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Raleigh Regional Office
1628 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1628
CERTIFIED MAIL # 7012 0470 0001 7158 8863
Subject Notice of Violation (NOV-2020-DV-0542) Remedial Actions
Dear Mr. Vinson:
On January 19, 2021 the Town of Cary Utilities Department received a Notice of Violation (NOV) letter dated
December 15, 2020 from the North Carolina Department of Environment Quality, Division of Water Resources
— Raleigh Regional Office for a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) that occurred in November 2020. The NOV
required a written response within 15 business days from receipt of the letter with steps taken to abate SSOs
that were labeled with an NOV action.
The Town appreciates the opportunity to provide the following remedial actions performed as a result of the
following SSO incident and includes actions to prevent future occurrences.
Location i Incident # ' Date Gallons Cause ' Action
303 Middleton Ave 202003238 11/14/2020 I 392 Debris in Line NOV
On November 14, 2020 the Town of Cary was notified by a resident who noticed water flowing from a
manhole near 303 Middleton Avenue in Cary. Town staff immediately responded to the location and stopped
the 550 by clearing a blockage of domestic paper and sanitary products from the sewer line. A video
inspection and assessment of the sewer line was performed and a sag was identified in the 8-inch PVC sewer
line that was allowing debris to accumulate. Collection system maintenance records were reviewed and the
sewer line was last cleaned approximately two weeks earlier on October 29, 2020.
Town ofCary
400 James Jackson Avenue • Cary, NC 27513 • PO Box 8005 • Cary, NC 27512-8005
tel [phone] • fax [phone] • www.townufcnry.org

Mr. Scott Vinson
Page 2.
January 22, 2021
Due to previous sewer backups in November 2008 and December 2013, inspection and cleaning of this sewer
line was increased to a 6-month frequency. Due to the identified sewer line sag, we have initiated a sewer line
repair. A utility contractor has been retained to make repair; this sewer line resides in a railroad easement in
which repairs will be completed once a right of entry is obtained to allow digging in the easement. In addition
to our ongoing inspection and cleaning efforts, the Town distributed more than 100 informational letters to
citizens at single family homes and apartments near the location of the spill. The enclosed letter and brochure
remind residents not to use the sewer system as a trash can and provides information for proper cooking
oil/grease disposal. We will continue to regularly inspect the sewer line using acoustic testing to help prevent
another spill and until the permanent sewer line repair is complete.
The Town of Cary appreciates the opportunity to provide additional information on remedial actions taken to
prevent future occurrences of sewer overflows at this location. If there are any questions, please feel free to
contact me at [phone].
Sincerely,
Donald Smith
Wastewater Collection System Manager/ORC
Cc: Jamie Revels, P.E., Utilities Director
Scott Hecht, Public Works Director
Paul Campbell, Wastewater Collection System Operator
Enclosed: Town of Cary Residential Debris Disposal Letter and Brochure
Notice of Violation Letter (NOV-2020-DV-0542)

December 10, 2020
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UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
Dear Cary Citizen:
As a community we work together to preserve and protect our environment and maintaining the
sewer system is an important part of that effort. We are writing to notify you that on November
14, 2020 Town crews cleaned up a sewer spill near your neighborhood. It was determined that
this unfortunate incident happened because a significant amount of personal hygiene trash
had accumulated in this area of our system. We rely on all users of the sewer system to keep
pipe -clogging material out of the sewer pipes. Here's how you can help:
Turn Your F.O.G. into Fuel
Throwing your cooled F.O.G. in the trash is acceptable, or you can pour it into a plastic screw-
top container and have it turned into biofuels. See enclosed brochure for details.
Don't Rush to Flush!
Use a wastebasket —not the toilet— for your trash. Items such as paper towels, sanitary wet
wipes, and personal hygiene products belong in garbage, not the sewer system where it can
clog pipes.
Our community's success at maintaining a healthy environment is a result of a shared
responsibility between our Town government and all who live and work in our community. For
more information search "grease" and/or "wipes" at www.townofcary.org, or call us at 311 or
[phone].
We appreciate your efforts to help prevent blockages and keep the sewage flowing.
Sincerely,
4444,-iA. 441
Maria VanderLoop
Utility Pretreatment Program Supervisor
TOWN O(CARY
400 James Jackson Avenue • Cary, NC 27513 • PO Box 8005 • Cary, NC 27512-8005
id 919-469-4090 • fax [phone] • www.townnfcary.org