NC0062278_NOV2021LV0448_20210709

Strickland, Bev
From: [e-mail]
Sent: Friday, July 9, 2021 11:15 AM
To: Tuvia, Ori A
Cc: Dax Nolen; Adam Coe
Subject: [External] NOV-2021-LV-0448 : Berkeley Oaks WWTP and request for Assistance
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Ori,
Thank you the extension and opportunity to response to this violation. I was hoping with the extension I could
convey that all my concerns are addressed and all is back to normal. However, as you read herein you will see
that is not yet the case. Please remember there has been more exceeding of limitations and as such, there will
be more violations related to this same issue coming as the lab work gets completed and the my reports are
reviewed by the State. I hope that you know, I have done my best to keep my client up to date as this situation
has and continues to unfold.
Unfortunately, although the blowers have been "repaired" I am still struggling to determine why the clarifier is
still cloudy leading to inadequate chlorination and fecal non-compliance as recently as the first week in July
2001
Friday 4-2-21 Good Friday worked visit 4 of 5 @ 1850
Saturday 4-3-21 visit 5 of 5 @ 1400...Plant functioning as intended.
Sunday 4-4-21 no visit required
Monday 4-5-21 Easter Monday Holiday, no visit required (counts for 1 of 5)
Tuesday 4-6-21 10am approx...Manager informed me that no blowers were operating at the wwtp. I advised
manager to get electrical 3rd
party on scene to TBS incoming power fluctuations and alike. I talked maintenance personnel through a
limited trouble shoot over the phone that got blower #2 operational. #1 blower was locked up so I got the ok
from management and scheduled 3rd party mechanical contractor, Gopher utilities, for the blower repair that
day. Management subsequently decided to employ Wind River for both the electrical and mechanical
work and canceled the call to Gopher. Visit (2 of 5) @ 1420
Wednesday 4-7-21 Visit (3 of 5) @ 1230 Blower #1 still OOC and blower #2 had to be reset again. MLSS (mixed
liquor suspended solids) darker than the brown color intended indicating a lack of mixing and dissolved
oxygen.
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Thursday 4-8-21 Visit (4 of 5) @ 1130, sample at 1130 #2 Blower still on but MLSS still darker and DO
(dissolved oxygen) barely 1.0 mg/I
BOD <2 mg/I
TSS 6.1 mg/I
NH3N <0.1 mg/I
Fecal <1
ALL COMPLIANT for the day
Friday 4-9-21 No visit schedule visit for Saturday to get 5 of 5 required so that the plant doesn't go all weekend
without being checked. My understanding is Wind River was still working to repair the blower (s) at this time. I
never knew when they were coming only when they left.
Saturday 4-10-21 Visit @ 1640 #2 blower still on and MLSS beginning to return to brown. #1 blower motor
recently replaced by Wind River is now locked up...pics to management.
Sunday 4-11-21 Visit (1 of 5) @ 1530 #2 blower on
Monday 4-12-21 Visit (2 of 5) @ one 1100 #2 blower on
Tuesday 4-13 Visit (3 of 5) @ one 1600 #2 blower on
Wednesday 4-14-21 Visit (4 of 5) @ 1510...one 1510 #2 blower on. MLSS continues slowly browning.
Thursday 4-15-21 Visit (5 of 5) @ 1230, samples @ 1300. No change to blower status and MLSS returning to
normal.
BOD 4.5 mg/I
TSS <7.8 mg/I
NH3N <0.1 mg/I
Fecal <2
ALL COMPLIANT for the day
Friday 4-16-21 through Sunday 4-18-21 Not required
Monday 4-19-21 Visit (1 of 5) @ 1200...sent pics of Wind River repairs to management... explain
recent blower issues could led to non-compliance. Both blowers operational but AB (aeration basin) D.O. was
< 1.0 mg/I (1 to 3 being optimal) and darkening with dead spots with just the one blower in
operation. Standard procedure in the past was to run one blower a couple weeks and then the other a couple
weeks...but only one at a time was enough, never two. After Wind River repairs, I had to run both blowers
together to try and get more oxygen and mix into the AB and speed up sluggish RAS (sludge return) to avoid
sludge rising up in the Clarifier, that could lead to solids in the creek.
Tuesday 4-20-21 Visit (2 of 5) @ 1430 both blowers on
Wednesday 4-21-21 Visit (3 of 5) @1300 SSV or settle sludge volume is an on -site test indicating sludge
concentration and settling characteristics... usually from 250m1 to 400 ml...was not measurable, due to solids
settling out in dead spots. Blower coupling hissing and blowers vibrating more than normal but aeration basin
DO is above 1.0 mg/I with both blowers in operation.
2

Thursday 4-22-21 Visit (4 of 5) @ 1300, samples at 1330. #2 blower tripped on the motor Wind River just
replaced the motor on. Back to one blower.
BOD <2 mg/I
TSS <6.3 mg/I
NH3N 3.8 mg/I
Fecal 5
ALL COMPLIANT for the day
Friday 4-23-21 Visit (5 of 5) @ 1645
Saturday 4-24-21 through Sunday 4-25-21 No visit required
Monday 4-26-21 Visit (1 of 5) @ 1130...Wind River on site with manager. Blower motor #2 replaced again
under factory warranty...not sure how all this happened as I was not directly involved with those specifics.
Leave newly replaced #2 blower on only.
Tuesday 4-27-21 No Visit
Wednesday 4-28-21 Visit (2 of 5) @ 0900, sample @ 1000. NO measureable DO in the AB. Called Andrew at
Wind River directly to tell him both blowers are on hand and we need more DO and mixing, and that has been
like it was before they made pulley changes / motor changes...requiring a drop of 3 rpm's. He said he would
look into it. I do not recall him following up or even talking to him until I called him again on May 12 to tell him
the blower coupling was hissing and most likely loose...at which time he told me they were done with that job
and that "yes, that work order is closed".
BOD 7.4 mg/I
TSS 13 mg/I
NH3N 9.4 mg/I
Fecal <2
ALL COMPLIANT for the day. However, the average of both NH3N's for the last two sampling events are above
the MONTHLY average limit. I did not notice that or I would have noted it on the EDMR. (on-line monthly
report)
Thursday 4-29-21 Visit (3 of 5) @ 1200...both blowers on
Friday 4-30-21 visit (4 of 5) @ 1200...both blowers on
Saturday 5-1-21 Visit (5 of 5) @ ...both blowers on
The week of June 24th 2021, Gopher found and then installed the pulleys intended to speed up the motors
and hopefully provide more air. Wind River never returned any of the replaced equipment name plate data,
specs or parts ...or explained clearly why the pulleys had to be changed initially . This and other poor
communication made it difficult for Gopher to know what was there originally to better prescribe the fix.
3

The month of May and June were spent trying to understand what work was performed initially and then
trouble shooting the problems left behind by the first contractor, (tightening belts and blower couplings) then
finding and procuring the needed parts (pulley etc..) and finally installation of same by the second contractor.
Fast forward to today...Moreover, we were hoping with the changing of the pulleys that the plant would come
around on its own. As of yesterday July 8, 2001....The aeration pH is normal (7.0 s.u.) and the aeration basin
D.O. is >2.0 mg/I but the effluent is still cloudy.
I also noticed yesterday that although the MLSS is brown and DO is up as stated above....and BOTH blowers
are still in operation at same time that there is a dead spot right underneath the blower platform that wasn't
there before.
After speaking with management, I was asked to get a quote from Gopher to install a third blower and
manifold to compensate for the lack of treatment. However, before I do that I would welcome an on -site visit
by the public staff to get their expertise and input. Please call ahead a day or so, so that I can arrange my
routes.
Dusty Metreyeon
Metwater, Inc.
704-506-4255
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