WQCS00003_NOI_NOV2021DV0285_Response_620_Pennington_Ridge_20210712

tnSton_em
/ Forsyth County
lities
Water • Wastewater • Solid Waste
Administration, P.O. Box 2511, Winston-Salem, NC 27102
0: 336-727-8000, F: 336-727-8432, wsfcutilities.org
July 12, 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
NOV2021DV0285
Re: Sanitary Sewer Overflow Civil Penalties Incident #202101028
Dear Mr. Snider:
This letter serves as the official response from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities (WSFC
Utilities) to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water
Resources Notice of Intent to Enforce Civil Penalty for the March 13, 2021 sanitary sewer
overflow (SSO), Incident #202101028, located at 620 Pennington Ridge Court in Lewisville. The
incident was a direct result of grease deposits in the line.
On March 13, 2021 at 3:56pm, an SSO was reported at 620 Pennington Ridge Court. First
responders arrived at 5:12pm and discovered a large amount of grease in the line, as well as
roots. The crew used a combination jet/vacuum truck to clear the line and normal flow
resumed within two hours.
The crew ran a diffuser for three hours and cleaned the area following standard protocol. The
two upstream and two downstream sewer mains were washed and CCTVed to confirm there
were no other issues within this line.
As is our standard proactive practice, Good Neighbor Policy brochures, plumber policies, Can
the Grease and No Wipes in Pipes literature were distributed to homes in the area.
WSFC Utilities continues to make progress minimizing SSOs and has the proper programs in
place to continue our high level of performance. The FY2019-2020 budget included an increase
City Council: Mayor Allen Joines; 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 Scippio, 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;
Call 311 or 336-727-8000 County Manager: Dudley Watts, Jr.
link Clt Q$,orWinston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission: Randall S. Tuttle, Chair; L. Wesley Curtis, Jr., Vice Chair; Harold E. Day; Tom Griffin; Yvonne H. Hines;
Ci
`T I g Duane Long; Hugh W. Jernigan; Chris Parker; Charles Wilson; Allan Younger

in preventative cleaning of the collection system and last year was our lowest year on record
for SSOs since the baseline year, 1999. While we are required to clean 10% of the system each
year, in FY2019-2020 a total of 393 miles were cleaned, which is 22% of the 1,780-mile gravity
wastewater collection system. Of those 393 miles, 303 miles (77%) in the system were
proactively cleaned by in-house and contracted crews. Our team has a system to schedule more
frequent cleaning for areas with higher incident levels.
In addition to this successful strategy, our No Wipes in Pipes campaign is gaining awareness
with coverage through local media and other outreach efforts. We have confidence in the
positive impact on public education and have learned that our industrial customers have been
requesting flyers to post in their restrooms.
I hope this information is helpful with your investigation of Incident #202101028. If you require
additional information, please contact me at 336-747-7315.
Sincerely,
1
Courtney Driver, P.E.
Utilities Director
cc: Michael Stover, P.E., Assistant Utilities Director -Operations
Kenny Atkins, Utilities Field Operations Manager
Antonio Martinez, ORC
File
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