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Home My WebLink AboutWQ0033804_CEI_20210602 SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY: NO HARD COPY WILL BE MAILED June 2, 2021 Benjamin & Lisa Sprouse Email: mountainandseagetaways@outlook.com Laurel Mountain Retreat SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report Laurel Mountain Retreat Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0033804 Buncombe County Dear Permittee: The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Laurel Mountain Retreat on 5/27/2021. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0033804. Please carefully review any comments and recommendations noted in the summary of the attached inspection report. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 828-296-4686 or via email at mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov. Sincerely, Mikal Willmer, Environmental Specialist II Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report Ec: LF Robert Barr, RPB Systems Compliance Inspection Report Permit:WQ0033804 Effective:02/21/17 Expiration:01/31/22 Owner :NC Asset Mgnt LLC SOC: Contact Person: Region: County: Directions to Facility: Buncombe Asheville Kathleen A Drysdale Effective:Expiration:Facility:Laurel Mountain Retreat 6 Deerborne Ln Weaverville NC 28787 Title:Phone:281-900-6248Member From I-26 take the Marshall exit (US Hwy 70/25). Go approximately 3.5 miles and exit right onto Sheppard Branch Road (SR 1741). Go 0.25 miles to Lower Sheppard Branch Road. Facility is on the left. Danielle Ann Hunter 1007992 828-251-1900 Secondary ORC(s): 828-251-1900Phone:24262Certification:Robert P BarrPrimary ORC: SI,System Classifications: On-Site Representative(s): Related Permits: Secondary Inspector(s): Primary Inspector: Inspection Date:Exit Time:Entry Time: Phone: 05/27/2021 10:00AM 11:00AM Mikal Willmer 828-296-4686 Facility Status: Permit Inspection Type: Reason for Inspection:Inspection Type: Not CompliantCompliant Routine Wastewater Irrigation Compliance Evaluation Question Areas: Treatment Flow Measurement-Effluent Treatment Flow Measurement-Influent Miscellaneous Questions Treatment Flow Measurement-Water Use Records Treatment Treatment Filters Record Keeping Treatment Lagoons End Use-Irrigation Treatment Disinfection Treatment Flow Measurement Storage End Use-Reuse Standby Power (See attachment summary) Page 1 of 8 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0033804 05/27/2021 Compliance Evaluation NC Asset Mgnt LLC Routine Inspection Summary: Mikal Willmer, with Asheville Regional Office, conducted a Compliance Evaluation Inspection on May 27, 2021 in conjunction with a change of ownership request. This inspection was conducted to determine whether the facility is being operated and maintained in compliance and to provide information to the new owners about the requirements and expectations of Non-Discharge Permit No. WQ0033804. Robert Barr, RPB Systems, was present and assisted in the inspection. Overall, the system is in compliance, but several maintenance items need to be addressed to prevent any degradation of system components, help improve staff safety and accessibility to the treatment system. Tank and Vault Accessibility: Mature vegetation is overgrown and impeding routine maintenance activities of the system. Vegetation must be thinned backed or partially removed to maintain accessibility to all treatment components and to prevent damage to the below-grade tanks. Recirculation Tanks: ORC recently checked the solids level in the recirculation tank. Approximately 6 inches of solids. Continue to monitor any solids build-up to avoid discharge to downstream components. Turbidity Vault: Digital turbidity readout appears operational; however, it is becoming eligible to staff. UV Ballasts: Recommend assessing the current disinfection system. When designed, three bulbs were rated to treat the permitted flow; however, ORC reports they supplement disinfection with chlorine tablets at times. Drip Fields: Fields 7 & 8 have not been used due to concerns with the inability to retreat wastewater returned from the storage pond. It is recommended these fields continue to be maintained. If flows increase to the facility, then 7 & 8 will likely be needed to stay within the annual application rates. Field 6 drip lines are repaired when leaks are detected. Field was dosing at the time of the inspection. Undergrowth needs to be thinned out in some areas to maintain staff’s access to the drip lines and valve box. Storage Pond: Synthetic Liner installed in pond. Permit incorrectly states a Clay lined pond. Approximately 8.5’ of freeboard in pond. Vegetation should be removed from inside the pond to prevent any potential damage to the liner. Grass needs to be mowed and maintained on the interior and exterior of the fence. Additionally, the Permittee needs to remove any small trees and shrubs from the bank and reseed with grass (Reference Section III.14 of your Permit). Please note, removal of larger trees should be assessed by an engineer to determine if it will destabilize the embankment. As a reminder, while this is not a reclaimed use permit, 02U rules are incorporated by reference for several of the fields. Flows are not automatically diverted to certain zones or to the storage pond when turbidity exceeds 10 NTU. This must be done manually. Additionally, the storage pond does not return to the head of plant. Currently designed to return to the drip dose tank. Page 2 of 8 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0033804 05/27/2021 Compliance Evaluation NC Asset Mgnt LLC Routine Type Yes No NA NE Reuse (Quality) Infiltration System Single Family Drip Recycle/Reuse Activated Sludge Spray, HR Activated Sludge Drip, LR Activated Sludge Spray, LR Single Family Spray, LR Lagoon Spray, LR Treatment Yes No NA NE Are Treatment facilities consistent with those outlined in the current permit? Do all treatment units appear to be operational? (if no, note below.) The storage pond is listed as having a clay liner. The pond has a synthetic liner. All pumps and alarms appeared to be operational at the time of the inspection. Two of the UV ballasts were off and in the process of being repaired. Zones 7 & 8 are not actively being used and controls are switched to "off" to prevent dosing. Comment: Treatment Flow Measurement-Influent Yes No NA NE Is flowmeter calibrated annually? Is flowmeter operating properly? Does flowmeter monitor continuously? Does flowmeter record flow? Does flowmeter appear to monitor accurately? Comment: Treatment Flow Measurement-Water Use Records Yes No NA NE Is water use metered? Are the daily average values properly calculated? Staff utilize well meter readings for flow reporting on NDMR.Comment: Treatment Flow Measurement-Effluent Yes No NA NE Is flowmeter calibrated annually? Is flowmeter operating properly? Does flowmeter monitor continuously? Does flowmeter record flow? Does flowmeter appear to monitor accurately? Page 3 of 8 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0033804 05/27/2021 Compliance Evaluation NC Asset Mgnt LLC Routine ORC indicated the flow meter and turbidimeter were calibrated recently. Calibration records indicated 5/18/2021. Comment: Standby Power Yes No NA NE Is automatically activated standby power available? Is generator tested weekly by interrupting primary power source? Is generator operable? Does generator have adequate fuel? Propane tank is maintained onsite by the new owners of the property. Routine maintenance is also handled by the owners. Self-tests every week and ORC indicated appeared to run without issue the previous week when they were onsite. Comment: Treatment Filters Yes No NA NE Is the filter media present? Is the filter media the correct size and type? Is the air scour operational? Is the scouring acceptable? Is the clear well free of excessive solids? Is the mud well free of excessive solids and filter media? Does backwashing frequency appear adequate? Facility has 8 EZ-Treat pods that contain styrofoam media. Media blankets are replaced as needed. Facility has one full time resident and several vacation rentals. Spray nozzles/emitters are removed and cleaned as needed. Comment: Treatment Disinfection Yes No NA NE Is the system working? Do the fecal coliform results indicate proper disinfection? Is there adequate detention time (>=30 minutes)? Is the system properly maintained? If gas, does the cylinder storage appear safe? Is the fan in the chlorine feed room and storage area operable? Is the chlorinator accessible? If tablets, are tablets present? Are the tablets the proper size and type? Is contact chamber free of sludge, solids, and growth? If UV, are extra UV bulbs available? If UV, is the UV intensity adequate? # Is it a dual feed system? Does the Stationary Source have more than 2500 lbs of Chlorine (CAS No. 7782-50-5)? If yes, then is there a Risk Management Plan on site? Page 4 of 8 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0033804 05/27/2021 Compliance Evaluation NC Asset Mgnt LLC Routine If yes, then what is the EPA twelve digit ID Number? (1000-____-____) If yes, then when was the RMP last updated? Facility was designed with 6 UV ballasts. The system has no indicator of failed bulbs. Ballasts must be pulled regularly to assess their condition. Two ballasts were offline at the time of the inspection and being repaired. ORC reports they supplement disinfection with chlorine on occasion. See summary for recommendation.. Comment: Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Is a copy of current permit available? Are monitoring reports present: NDMR? NDAR? Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? Are application rates adhered to? Is GW monitoring being conducted, if required (GW-59s submitted)? Are all samples analyzed for all required parameters? Are there any 2L GW quality violations? Is GW-59A certification form completed for facility? Is effluent sampled for same parameters as GW? Do effluent concentrations exceed GW standards? Are annual soil reports available? # Are PAN records required? # Did last soil report indicate a need for lime? If so, has it been applied? Are operational logs present? Are lab sheets available for review? Do lab sheets support data reported on NDMR? Do lab sheets support data reported on GW-59s? Are Operational and Maintenance records present? Were Operational and Maintenance records complete? Has permittee been free of public complaints in last 12 months? Is a copy of the SOC readily available? No treatment units bypassed since last inspection? Facility is under permitted flow. Only 5 of the 25 cabins have been built onsite. Annual soils report was reviewed during the inspection. ESPs were below 15 and pH levels were normal for pine forests. Comment: End Use-Irrigation Yes No NA NE Are buffers adequate? Is the cover crop type specified in permit? Page 5 of 8 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0033804 05/27/2021 Compliance Evaluation NC Asset Mgnt LLC Routine Is the crop cover acceptable? Is the site condition adequate? Is the site free of runoff / ponding? Is the acreage specified in the permit being utilized? Is the application equipment present? Is the application equipment operational? Is the disposal field free of limiting slopes? Is access restricted and/or signs posted during active site use? Are any supply wells within the CB? Are any supply wells within 250' of the CB? How close is the closest water supply well? Is municipal water available in the area? # Info only: Does the permit call for monitoring wells? Are GW monitoring wells located properly w/ respect to RB and CB? Are GW monitoring wells properly constructed, including screened interval? Are monitoring wells damaged? Permit does not specify the cover crop. The drip system irrigates into a forested area of pine trees. Comment: End Use-Reuse Yes No NA NE Is the acreage in the permit being utilized? Does the acreage specified in the permit correspond to the measured acreage at the site? Are all essential units provided in duplicate? Is an automatically activated standby power source available? Is the equalization capacity adequate? Is aerated flow equalization present? Has the turbidity meter been calibrated in the last 12 months? Does the turbidity meter have recording capabilities? Is all flow diverted at the appropriate times? Is all upset wastewater diverted from reuse storage unit? Is all upset wastewater treated, retreated, or disposed of acceptably? Is upset wastewater treated prior to discharge to irrigation storage? Is public access restricted from irrigation area during active site use? If golf course, is a sign posted in plain sight on the club house? Is the cover crop acceptable? Are buffers adequate? Is the site free of ponding/runoff? Page 6 of 8 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0033804 05/27/2021 Compliance Evaluation NC Asset Mgnt LLC Routine Is the acreage in the permit being utilized? Is the application equipment acceptable? Is the application area free of limiting slopes? How close is the closest water supply well? Are any supply wells within the CB? Are any supply wells within 250' of the CB? Is municipal water available in the area? Are GW monitoring wells required? Are GW monitoring wells located properly w/ respect to RB and CB? Are GW monitoring wells properly constructed, including screened interval? This is not a reuse permit; however, 02U has been incorporated by reference regarding reduced setbacks for fields 3, 5, 7 & 8. The irrigation control panel has these labeled for "turbidity override" should the turbidity exceed 10 NTUs. This is not automatic, see summary for details. Comment: ST-1 - Storage Yes No NA NE Storage Type?Pond Gallons Storage amount?77600 # At what point is side-stream wastewater returned to treatment?post-treatment /pre-disinfection Is there a Spill Control Plan? Aerated or Mixed?NONE If aeration is present, is it adequate? If present, are diffusers cleaned regularly? Is influent structure acceptable? Are banks/berms free of seepage and erosion? Are banks/berms free of excessive vegetation? Is pond lined? Liner Type Full, synthetic Is liner acceptable? Are baffles/curtains acceptable? Does the pond have a freeboard marker? Required freeboard?2 Feet Feet Actual freeboard?8.5 Is there suitable grassed vegetation? Page 7 of 8 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0033804 05/27/2021 Compliance Evaluation NC Asset Mgnt LLC Routine Is the vegetation maintained? Is the area free of excessive weeds and/or woody species? Is the area free from signs of overflow? Is color acceptable? Are floating mats acceptable? No excessive buildup of solids? Are aerators/mixers acceptable? Is effluent structure acceptable? If present, is pond cover acceptable? See summary for details.Comment: Page 8 of 8 Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 1F7BD0D13B57458295198DE7C01ECE0E Status: Completed Subject: Please DocuSign: WQ0033804_CEI_20210528.docx, WQ0033804_CEI_20210528insp.pdf Source Envelope: Document Pages: 9 Signatures: 1 Envelope Originator: Certificate Pages: 1 Initials: 1 Mikal Willmer AutoNav: Disabled EnvelopeId Stamping: Disabled Time Zone: (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) 217 W. Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27699 Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov IP Address: 149.168.204.10 Record Tracking Status: Original Jun 2, 2021 | 09:50 Holder: Mikal Willmer Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov Location: DocuSign Security Appliance Status: Connected Pool: StateLocal Storage Appliance Status: Connected Pool: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Location: DocuSign Signer Events Signature Timestamp Mikal Willmer Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov Environmental Specialist North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 149.168.204.10 Sent: Jun 2, 2021 | 09:50 Viewed: Jun 2, 2021 | 09:50 Signed: Jun 2, 2021 | 09:51 Freeform Signing Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp Witness Events Signature Timestamp Notary Events Signature Timestamp Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted Jun 2, 2021 | 09:50 Certified Delivered Security Checked Jun 2, 2021 | 09:50 Signing Complete Security Checked Jun 2, 2021 | 09:51 Completed Security Checked Jun 2, 2021 | 09:51 Payment Events Status Timestamps