WQCS00003_NOV2021DV0038_20210215

Winston-Salem / Forsyth County
Utilities
Water • Wastewater • Solid Waste
Administration, P.O. Box 2511, Winston-Salem, NC 27102
0: 336-727-8000, F: 336-727-8432, cityofws.org/utilities
February 15, 2021
Lon T. Snider, Regional Supervisor
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27105
Re: Sanitary Sewer Overflow Civil Penalties Incident #202002807
Dear Mr. Snider:
NC Department cf
Environmental
Received
FEB 19 2021
Winston -Sale
Regional Gr:c:::,
This letter serves as the official response from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities to the
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Resources Notice of
Intent to Enforce Civil Penalty for the October 17, 2020 sanitary sewer overflow (SSO), Incident
#202002807, located at 4640 Old Town Road in Winston-Salem. The incident was a result of
bypass pump failure at a contractor construction site on the North Mill Creek Outfall
replacement project. This project is upsizing existing sewer mains to increase capacity and
reduce SSOs.
On October 17 at 3:oopm, Utilities Field Operations was notified of an SSO at 4640 Old Town
Road. First responders were notified by a contractor working on a project in the area that their
bypass pumps had failed. According to the contractor's project manager, the flanges on the
suction side of the pump were not allowing the pump to prime and initiate pick up. They
reported that all three lines were lose, drawing air but no water.
The contractor built a berm to help contain the wastewater. They also blocked the storm drain
to prevent more wastewater from entering the creek. They followed protocol to contain the
spill, repair the pumps and conduct cleanup.
This incident lasted approximately five hours. A news release reported the contractor's original
estimate of a total discharge of 168,000 gallons with 49,000 gallons reaching surface waters.
The contractor later revised the total amount of discharge to approximately 294,000 gallons
Citylink311
Call 311 or 336-727-8000
[e-mail]
CityCouncil: Mayor Allen Joints; Denise D. Adams, Mayor Pro Tempore, North Ward; Barbara Hanes Burke, Northeast Ward; Robert C. Clark, West Ward;
John C. Larson, South Ward; Jeff Macintosh, Northwest Ward; Kevin Mundy, Southwest Ward; Annette Scipplo, East Ward; James Taylor, Jr., Southeast Ward;
City Manager: Lee D. Garrity
County Commissioners: David R. Plyler, Chair; Don Martin, Vice Chair; Fleming El -Amin; Ted Kaplan; Richard V. Linville; Tonya McDaniel; Gloria D. Whisenhunt;
County Manager: Dudley Watts, Jr.
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission: Randall 5. Tuttle, Chair; L Wesley Curtis, Jr., Vice Chair; Harold E. Day; Tom Griffin; Yvonne H. Hines;
Duane Long; Hugh W. Jernigan; Chds Parker; Donald R. Stewart; Charles Wilson; Allan Younger

with an estimated 210,000 gallons of untreated wastewater entering Mill Creek.
Following resolution of this SSO, a diffuser ran for 18 hours. Shamrock Environmental
conducted cleanup of the spill area following sewage recovery protocol.
WSFC Utilities continues to make progress in minimizing SSOs and has the proper programs in
place to continue our high level of performance. Our comprehensive sanitary sewer evaluation
study has provided strategic cleaning and examination of our system to identify areas with the
greatest need for repair and replacement.
I hope this information is helpful with your investigation of Incident #202002807. If you require
additional information, please contact me at 336-747-7315.
Sincerely,
Courtney Driver, P.E.
Utilities Director
cc: Michael Stover, P.E., Assistant Utilities Director -Operations
Kenny Atkins, Utilities Field Operations Manager
Antonio Martinez, ORC
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