NC0026352_Inspection_20010827

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AVA 744t
NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Michael F. Easley, Governor
August 27, 2001
Mr. Delane Jackson
Town Administrator
Town of Bladenboro
.POBox 445
Bladenboro; NC 28320
SUBJECT: Compliance Evaluation Inspection
Town of Bladenboro
Wastewater Treatment Plant
NPDES Permit No. NC0026352
Bladen County
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph.D.
Acting Director
Division of Water Quality
Dear Mr. Jackson:
Enclosed is a copy of the Compliance Evaluation Inspection conducted August 21, 2001.
During the inspection a technical assistance visit was also conducted by Don Register from our office.
As part of the inspection a tour of the Wastewater Treatment Plant was conducted. The observations
and recommendations from the inspection are in Part D. Summary of Findings/Comments of this
inspection report. The cooperation of Mr. Lynn Brisson, Grade IV ORC, Mr. Curlie Locklear, Grade
IV Backup Operator and Mr. David McKew, Grade IV Regional Manager was appreciated. As
a reminder preservation of the Waters of the State can only be acquired through consistent NPDES
permit compliance.
Please: review the attached report. If your or your staff have any questions do not hesitate to
contact me at [phone].
Sincerely,
(L, J -,
Belinda S. Henson
Environmental Chemist
/bsh
Enclosures
cc: Mr. Lynn Brisson, ORC, Hydro Management Services
Central Files Fayetteville Regional Office
FRO Files 225 Green Street - Suite 714, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28301-5043
Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone] Internet: www.enr.state.nc.us/ENR
An Equal Opportunity 1 Affirmative Action Employer - 50% Recycled 110% Post Consumer Paper

NPDES COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Fayetteville Regional Office
Section A. National Data System Coding
Transaction Code: N NPDES NO. NC0026352 Date: 010821 Inspection Type: C
Inspector: S Facility Type: 1 Reserved:
Facility Evaluation Rating: 3 BI: N QA: N Reserved:
Section B: Facility Data
Name and Location of Facility Inspected:
Town of Bladenboro WWTP
Entry Time: 10:00am Permit Effective Date: 010901
Exit Time/Date: 3:30pm/010821 Permit Expiration Date: 040731
Name(s), title(s) of On -Site Representative(s):
Lynn Brisson (Certified Grade IV) - "ORC"
Curlie Locklear (Certified Grade IV) - "Backup Operator"
David McKew (Certified Grade IV) - "Regional Manager"
Phone Number(s): [phone]
Name, Title and Address of Responsible Official:
Mr. Delane Jackson, Town Administrator
PO Box 445
Bladenboro, NC 28320
Contacted: no
Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection
(S = Satisfactory, M = Marginal, U = Unsatisfactory, N = Not Evaluated, N/A = Not Applicable)
Records/Reports S
Flow::
easurement S
ora
reatmen
onitorin
isposa
rogran
Effluen
eceiving Waters: S
ompliance Schedule N/.=
eration `& Maintenance S-
ther::

Mr. Jackson
Page 3
August 27, 2001
Section D: Summary of Findings/Comments:
1. The wastewater stream is made up of 100% domestic. The facility continues to be operated by the
contract company "Hydro Management Services". Mr. Brisson is the ORCand has been operating this
facility since July 17, 2001.
Three (3) constant speed influent pumps are used to bring wastewater into the plant. One (l) pump was
not operational at the time of the inspection. A recommendation is to repair this pump to insure the
availability of ways to pump the wastewater flow into the plant.
The manual bar screens"was operational. A recommendation is to install an automatic bar screen
since.this facility is not required to be staffed 24 hours a day. The screenings are cleaned from the
headworks daily and placed in a container which is disposed of through the county landfill.
The two (2) aeration basins contain two (2) aerators in each. The aerators had been turned off to assist
the plant with operating under conditions with flows of over .700 MGD due to 3 inches of rain the
night before. The facility has Inflow/Infiltration (I/I) into their plant which increases flows during rain
events: Inflow/Infiltration problems should be addressed and eliminated to assist with the
efficiency of the operation of the wastewater plant.
The two (2) secondary clarifiers appeared to have some fine floc flowing over the weirs at the time of
the inspection.
The polishing clarifier appeared to have a sludge depth of less than (<) 1 foot with a tank depth of
thirteen (13) feet. The clarifier does not have a recirculation line so solids are pumped from the clarifier
three times/week by submersible pumps and piped to the sludge holding basin.
The effluent flows from the polishing clarifier to the aerated polishing pond before chlorine. Historical
background does not reveal solid removal from the polishing pond. An evaluation of the solids
content should be completed in'the polishing pond.
8 The effluent is disinfected by chlorine and dechlorinated by sulfur dioxide. A recommendation to
install a flow paced chlorine system which could reduce NPDES permit limit violations and could
also reduce costs in disinfection.
9. The effluent flow meter was calibrated August , 2000 by "Carolina Technical Co. Please be reminded
that all records should be retained for three (3) years. It is advisable that the flow meter calibration
document contain the % error before and after calibration in the future by the technician.
10. The effluent appeared to be free of solids.
11. The effluent is discharged to.a 2.5 acre wetland area which flows to Bryant Swamp. The effluent is
discharged at the end of the pipe and through a few of the distribution openings. Ouroffice has allowed
the Town to discharge at the end of the pipe instead of through the openings.

Mr. Jackson
Page 4
August 27, 2001
12. The effluent composite sampler was operational. The sampler tubing appeared to have some buildup
in it. The tubing should be replaced or cleaned immediately to eliminate possible NPDES permit
limits.
13. Sludge is treated in a aerated sludge holding basin (thickener) and a aerobic digester. The .17 acre
aerated lagoon is used as the aerobic digester presently. The facility has 63.1 acres of land permitted
for sludge disposal under permit # WQ0014452. The facility has not disposed of sludge through land
application since 1997. A recommendation would be to begin sludge disposal as soon as possible
to assist with maintaining treatment process equilibrium and maintaining NPDES permit
compliance.
14. The facility has dual sludge drying beds which are not used and have not been used for years. The
facility staff discussed possibly removing the beds from the site.. Please submit a request to our office
in writing.
15. Backup power is located at the facility to assist with operations when power outages occur. It is
manually controlled.
16. The following NPDES permit required parameters are analyzed on site: pH, Temperature, Dissolved
Oxygen, and Chlorine Residual. All other required parameters are analyzed by the commercial
laboratory "Environment 1" with the exception of. Toxicity which is analyzed by "Similab".
17. Laboratory records were reviewed for the month of June 2001 on the day of the inspection and compared
to Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs). Records for August and September 2000 were faxed to our
office for review. All records reviewed appeared to be adequate. Mr. Brisson communicated during the
inspection that he had been operating this facility since July 17, 2001 and he had not had a chance to
organize the records. As a requirement all records should be maintained for 3 years and all sludge
records maintained for 5 years.
18. A compliance evaluation analysis report for the period July 2000 through June 2001 revealed a Toxicity
violation for the month of February 2001.
19. The following Notice of Violations (NOVs) have been sent to the permittee from our office:
August 2000 - One (1) Fecal Coliform (weekly)
November 2000 -Two (2) Fecal Coliform (weekly)
February 2001 - Toxicity
March 2001 - Toxicity.
Please respond to our office within 30 days of receipt of this report concerning the following items: 2, 3,
4, 7, 8, 12, and 13.

Name and Signature of Inspector
Belinda S. Henson
eeQ
Name and Signature of Reviewer
Action Taken
Agency/Office/Telephone Date
DENR/Fayetteville/(9 1 0)4 8 6- 154 1
Agency/Office/Telephone
DENR/F ayetteville/(9 1 0)4 8 6- 154 1
Regulatory Office Use Only
Compliance Status
Noncompliance
Compliance
2`1_a i
Date
Date

Section D: Summary of Findings/Comments
Brief Facility Description:
Continue to operate a 0.5 MGD WWTP consisting of the following treatment units: influent
pump station, bar screen. parshall flume, effluent flow recording equipment, dual aeration basins,
dual primary clarifiers, aerated sludge holding basin. dual sludge drying beds, 0.17 acre aerated
lagoon (used as a sludge digester), 42 ft. diameter final clarifier, 0.36 acre polishing pond.
FACILITY SITE REVIEW
Ye No N/A 1. Treatment units properly operated and maintained.
No N/A 2. Standby power or other equivalent provision provided.
Yes N/A 3. Adequate alarm system for power or equipment failure available.
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
4. Sludge disposal procedures appropriate:
a. Disposal of sludge according to regulations
b. State approval for sludge disposal received.
Yes N/A 5. Sufficient sludge disposed of to maintain treatment process equilibrium.
Yes No N/A 6. The ORC and Backup Operator are officially designated with
NCDENR/DWQ Training and Certification Unit.
Yes No N/A 7. Adequate spare parts and supplies inventory maintained.
No N/A 8. Plant has general safety structures such as rails around or covers over
tanks, pits, or wells.
Yes No N/A 9. Plant is generally clean, free from open trash areas.
10. Screening:
T) No N/A a. Manual
Yes No N/A b. Mechanical
Yes (No) N/A c. Buildup of debris
Ye No N/A d. Screenings properly disposed of.
11.
Yes No
Yes No N/A
Yes No NIA
Grit Removal:
a. Excessive organic content in the grit chamber
b. Excessive odors
c. Grit properly disposed of.

Page 2
12. Primary clarifier:
Yes No a. Excessive gas bubbles
Yes No N/A b. Black and odorous wastewater
Yes No N/A c. Poor suspended solids removed :
Yes No N/A d. Excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier
Yes No N/A e. Weirs level
Yes No N/A f Weir blockage
Yes No N/A g. Evidence of short circuiting
Yes No N/A h. Lack of adequate scum removal
Yes No N/A i. Excessive floating sludge
Yes No N/A j. Broken sludge scraper.
Yes No Na
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
13.
Trickling Filter:
a. Trickling filter ponding(indicating clogged media)
b. Leak at center column of trickling filter's distribution arms
c. Uneven distribution of flow on trickling filter surface
d. Uneven or discolored growth
e. Excessive sloughing of growth
f Odor
g. Clogging of trickling filter's distribution ann orifices
h. Filter flies, worms, or snails.
14. Activated Sludge Basins/Oxidation Ditches:
Yes o * N/A a. Dead spots
Yes -N/A b. Failure of surface aerators
Yes V N/A c. Air rising in clumps
Yes sCa N/A d. Dark foam or bad color
. Yes (g N/A e. Thick billows of white, sudsy foam
Yes No N/A f. Air rising unevenly
' Yes No N/` g. Excessive air leaks in compressed air piping.
15. Stabilization Ponds/Lagoons:
Yes No N% a: Excessive weeds including duckweed in stabilization ponds
Yes No b. Dead fish or aquatic organisms
Yes No N/A c. Buildup of solids around influent pipe
Yes No N/A d. Excessive scum on surface.

Page 3
16. Secondary Clarifier:
Yes' N/A a. Excessive gas bubbles on surface
Yes N/A b. Level overflow weirs
Yes N/A c. Weir blockage
Yes N/A d. Evidence of short circuiting
Yes (0 N/A e. Excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier
e7 No N/A f. Pin floc in overflow
j, No N/A g. Effective scum rake
Yes J) N/A h. Floating sludge on surface
Yes Tot N/A i. Excessive high sludge blanket
Yes 1 N/A j. Clogged sludge withdrawal ports on secondary clarifier.
17. Filtration:
Yes No /A a. Filter surface clogging
Yes No N/A b. Short filter run
Yes No N/A c. Gravel displacement of filter media
Yes No N/A d. Loss of filter media during backwashing
Yes No N/A e. Recycled filter backwash water in excess of 5 percent
Yes No N/A f. Formation of mudballs in filter media.
Yes No N/A
Yes ' N/A
Yes N/A
(fa) No N/A
Yes No N/A
Os; No N/A
Ye No N/A
Qs No N/A
Yes No N/A�
18. Chlorination Unit:
a. Sludge buildup in contact chamber
b. Gas bubbles
c. Floating scum and/or solids
d. Adequate ventilation of chlorine feeding room and storage area
e. NIOSH-approved 30 minute air pack
f. All standing chlorine cylinders chained in place
g. All personnel trained in the use of chlorine
h. Proper chlorine feed, storage, and reserve supply.
19. Ultraviolet radiation disinfection present and in use.
20. Dechlorination:
No N/A a: Proper storage of sulfur dioxide cylinders
No N/A b. Adequate ventilation of sulfur dioxide feeding room
Yes No N/A c. Automatic sulfur dioxide feed or feedback control operating
properly.
Yes No N/A
Yes 0' N/A
Yes N/A
Yes No 404
21. Aerobic Digester:
a. Excessive foaming in tank
b. Noxious odor
c. Mechanical aeration failure
d. Clogging of diffusers.

Page 4
Yes No (N/A)
Yes No N/A
22. Anaerobic Digester:
a. Floating cover tilting
b. Gas burner operative
23. Sludge Drying. and/or disposal:
Yes No N/A) a. Poor sludge distribution on drying beds
No N/A b. Vegetation in drying beds WS ,nc r usefi; ;•210,
Yes Oo N/A c. Dry sludge remaining in drying beds
Yes cLQ9 N/A d. Dry sludge stored on site
No N/A e. Filtrate from sludge drying beds returned to front of plant
Yes 5l N/A f. Sludge disposal through county landfill.
Yes No N/A g. Sludge land applied. FlQue ref 01; `t- fia ictoof a t°p l `(
24. Filter Press:
Yes No 073 a. High level of solids in filtrate from filter presses or vacuum filters
Yes No N/A b. Thin filter cake caused by poor dewatering
Yes No N/A c. Sludge buildup on belts and/or rollers of filter press
Yes No N/A d. Excessive moisture in belt filter press sludge cake.
25. Polishing Ponds or Tanks:
Yes N N/A a. Objectionable odor, excessive foam, floating solids, or oil sheens on
water surface
Yes No N/A b. Solids or scum accumulations in tank or at side of pond
Yes o N/A c. Evidence of bypassed polishing ponds or tanks because of low.
capacity.
26. Plant Effluent:
Yes N/A a. Excessive suspended solids, turbidity, foam, grease, scum, color, and
other macroscopic particulate matter present
Yes N/A b. Potential toxicity (dead fish, dead plant at discharge)
Yes No N/A c. Outfall discharge line easily accessible.
• 27. Flow Measurement:
'es No N/A a. Proper placement of flow measurement device
No N/A b. Flow meter calibrated
Yes (i N/A c. Buildup of solids in flume or weir
Yes Td N/A d. Broken or cracked flume or weir
Yes No (FILV e. Clogged or broken stilling wells
Yes N/A f. Weir plate edge corroded or damaged
Yes No N/A g. Flow measurement error less than 10%.

Page 5
28. Sampling:
CYes='No N/A a. Sampling and analysis completed. on parameters specified by permit
Yes No NIA b. Composite sample temperatures maintained at 4 degrees Celsius or
less (but above freezing) during sampling
es' No N/A c. Contract laboratory used for sample analysis
Yes N/A d. Effluent composite samples obtained are flow proportional.
RECORDREEPING AND REPORTING
es No N/A 1. Records and reports maintained as required by permit.
ry No N/A 2. All required information available, complete, and current.
es t No N/A 3. Records maintained for 3 years and all sludge records maintained for 5
years.
No N/A 4. Analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs.
5. Sampling and analyses data adequate and include:
(es) No N/A a. Dates, times, and location of sampling
es'" No N/A b. Name of individual performing sampling
es`? No N/A c. Results of analyses and calibration
a No N/A d. Dates of analyses
(Yes' No N/A e. Name of person performing analyses.
Gg No N/A
T. es No N/A
(Yes; No N/A
6. Monitoring records adequate and include:
a. Monitoring charts kept for 3 years
b. Flowmeter calibration records kept for 3 years.
7. The pH meter is calibrated daily with two buffers and checked with a
third bufferand properly documented.
•
Yes No N/A 8. Expiration dates of pH buffers adequate.
Yes No N/A 9. All thermometers used in NPDES permit reporting is calibrated
annually with an NIST certified thermometer or a traceable
thermometer annually and documented.
gl No N/A 10. The following NPDES permit required parameters are analyzed on site:
pH, Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen and Chlorine Residual.

Page 6
(e) No N/A 11. The NPDES permit required parameter Total Chlorine Residual is
analyzed by approved method.
Yes No N! 12. BOD incubator temperature maintained at 20 +/- 1 Degrees Celsius
and the temperature maintained in a log for every day of operation.
Yes No NIA 13 Fecal coliform incubator maintained at 44.5 +/- 0.2 Degree Celsius and
the temperature maintained in a log for every day of operation.
Yes No N/A
Yes No N/A
es No N/A
Yes No N/A
14. Plant records adequate and include:
a. O & M Manual
b. "As -built" engineering drawings
c. Schedules and dates of equipment maintenance repairs
d. Equipment data cards.
Yes No N/ 15. Permittee is meeting compliance schedule.
No N/A 16. DMRs complete and include all NPDES permit required parameters.
Yes No N/ 17.. The facility has a permitted flow greater than 5 MGD and is required
to operateseven days per week 24 hours a day.
rest No N/A 18. ORC visitation logs available and current.
Yes) No N/A 19. ORC certified at a level equal to or greater than the classification of
the wastewater facility.
YNo N/A 20. Backup Operator certified at one level less than the classification of
the wastewater facility or greater.
Yes;) No N/A 21. Current copy of the complete NPDES permit on site.
No N/A 22. Facility description verified as contained in NPDES permit.
Yes ,No N/A 23. . Facility analyzes process control parameters for example: NILSS,
MCRT, Settleable Solids and others that are applicable.
Yes No
Revised 7/16/01
by Belinda Henson
Industrial Waste Surveys (IWS) sent to all possible Significant
Industrial Users (SIUs) within the last five years (especially new
industries).

INSPECTION REPORT
UPDATE OPTION: TRX: 5IF KEY: NC0026352INSCEI 010821
SYSMSG: *** DATA ADDED SUCCESSFULLY
***
PERMIT--- NC0026352 REG/COUNTY-- 06 BLADEN
FACILITY-- BLADENBORO (TOWN) - WWTP LOC-- BLADENBORO
.INS TYPE
CEI
NEXT PLANNED
'INSPECTION INSPECTED BY.:
DATE:- 010821 HSB
REPORT INSPECTION DMR RESPONSE RECEIVED
DATE STATUS STATUS DUE DATE DATE
010827 C C
COMMENTS:
RESPONSE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF REPORT.

Town of Bladenboro
September 10, 2001
Ms. Belinda S. Henson
Environmental Chemist
NCDENR, Fayetteville Regional Office
225 Green Street
Suite 714
Fayetteville, NC 28301-5043
Dear Ms. Henson,
ENR-FRO
D Vf in
As requested, I am writing in response to several items identified in your August 27,
2001 letter regarding the August 21, 2001 inspection and technical assistance visit of the
Town of Bladenboro WWTP. I have reviewed the Inspection report and offer the
following responses to the items that you requested in Section D of your report. I have
numbered the responses consistent with your item numbers.
2. The influent pump station at the WWTP incorporates the use of three (3) pumps.
During the inspection, one pump was out of service. Please note; however, that this
pump had been repaired and was on -site during the inspection. The pump was
returned to service on August 29, 2001.
3. The WWTP utilizes a manual bar screen for removal of influent screenings prior to
biological treatment. This unit has been operational and served the facility needs
since the current facility constructed. During periods of excessive flow, the manual
bar screen requires additional operator attention. This would be a major modification
and would require the purchase of the bar screen as well as modification to the flow
channel to accept this unit and continue to provide the manual screen for back-up
periods. The Town will investigate the cost and feasibility of incorporating a
mechanical bar screen into the existing influent structure.
4. The Town will continue to identify and reduce areas of-inflow/infiltration. The Town
has recently been awarded a grant to repair its collection system.
7. The WWTP operational staff will conduct a survey of the current solids content in the
polishing pond. Sludge depths and core samples will be collected throughout the
pond to determine an estimate of sludge accumulation.
8. Information is being collected on the addition of flow paced capabilities to the existing
chlorination and dechlorination systems. The Town will evaluate the equipment
requirements and cost for future upgrade considerations.
305 South Main Street * Post Office Box 455 * Bladenboro, NC 28320
Phone [phone] * Fax [phone]

12. The inspection recommended the replacement of the effluent composite sampler
tubing. The tubing will be replaced and a more aggressive routine replacement
schedule adopted by staff to avoid the potential for build up.
13. Provisions are being made to land apply stabilized sludge currently inventoried in
the aerated lagoon.
I hope this information is helpful in addressing your comments and recommendations. I
appreciate the continued assistance from your office. If you have any further questions
or require additional information, please advise.
Sincerely,
Town of Bladenboro
dAkt
Delane Jacks n
Town Adminis rator
Cc: Hydro Management Services