WQ0033770_Staff Report_20210701

DocuSign Envelope ID: 97D61D2B-9ECE-4745-9803-0656C127CB3B
State of North Carolina
®r- Division of Water Resources
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Environmental Staff Report
Quality
To: ❑ NPDES Unit ® Non -Discharge Unit Application No.: WQ0033770
Attn: Vivien Zhong Facility name: Carolina Plantation
From: Helen Perez
Wilmington Regional Office
Note: This form has been adapted from the non -discharge fg acili , staff report to document the review of both non -
discharge and NPDES permit applications and/or renewals. Please complete all sections as they are applicable.
I. GENERAL AND SITE VISIT INFORMATION
1. Was a site visit conducted? ® Yes or ❑ No
a. Date of site visit: 03/10/2021
b. Site visit conducted by: Helen Perez
c. Inspection report attached? ❑ Yes or ® No Report located in BIMS and LF
d. Person contacted: Jeff Jarman and their contact information: (910) 330 - 8167 ext.
e. Driving directions:
2. Discharge Point(s):
Latitude: Longitude:
Latitude: Longitude:
3. Receiving stream or affected surface waters:
Classification:
River Basin and Subbasin No.
Describe receiving stream features and pertinent downstream uses:
II. PROPOSED FACILITIES: NEW APPLICATIONS
III. EXISTING FACILITIES: MODIFICATION AND RENEWAL APPLICATIONS
1. Are there appropriately certified Operators in Charge (ORCs) for the facility? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
ORC: Jeff Jarman Certificate #: 13491 Backup ORC: Ben Aragona Certificate #:990429
2. Are the design, maintenance and operation of the treatment facilities adequate for the type of waste and disposal
system? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
FORM: WQROSSR 04-14 Page 1 of 6

DocuSign Envelope ID: 97D61D2B-9ECE-4745-9803-0656C127CB3B
Description of existing facilities:
operation of a 300,000 gallon per day (GPD) wastewater treatment and high -rate infiltration facility
consisting of the:
continued operation of the existing 150, 000 GPD Phase I wastewater treatment facilities consisting of. a
manual bar screen with"/2- inch spacing; a static fine screen (parallel to the existing manual bar screen) with
an auger and dewatering press assembly; a 37,500 gallon aerated flow equalization chamber served by a
105 cubic feet per minute (CFM) blower, a membrane diffuser system, two 105 gallon per minute (GPM)
flow equalization transfer pumps, and two 3. 8 horsepower (hp) mixers; a flow splitter box; two 4, 690 gallon
anaerobic chambers, each served by a 1 hp anaerobic mixer; two 9,380 gallon pre -anoxic chambers, each
served by a 2. 5 hp anoxic mixer and backup membrane diffusers in case of mixer failure; two 72, 981 gallon
aeration chambers served by three 500 CFM main plant blowers and a membrane diffuser system, and two
52 GPM internal recycle pumps (one in each aeration chamber); a 100 gallon alum storage tank with four
0. 883 GPH chemical feed pumps; a 100 gallon Micro- C storage tank with four 0. 83 GPH chemical feed
pumps; two 17, 907 gallon post -anoxic chambers each with a 5 hp post -anoxic mixer, and a 52 GPM return
pump (from the post -anoxic chamber to the anaerobic chamber); two 12, 500- gallon hopper -bottom clarifier
chambers with sludge airlift for return to the aeration chamber, and four 30 GPM sludge return pumps to
be tied to the four existing clarifier air lift pumps; two 26 square foot dual -media tertiary filter cells
served by a 50 CFM air scour blower (main plant blowers as backup); an 8, 886 gallon clearwell chamber
with two 780 GPM filter backwash pumps; an 8,616 gallon mudwell chamber with two 100 GPM return
pumps; a 3,125 gallon chlorine contact chamber served by two tablet chlorinators; a 33, 256 gallon aerobic
digester served by the main plant blowers and two flat sheet membrane modules with airlift for digester
decant; an effluent flow meter with stilling well; a 250 kilowatt (kW) auxiliary generator; and all associated
piping, valves, controls and appurtenances;
the continued operation of the existing 300, 000 GPD high -rate infiltration facilities consisting of: four high -
rate infiltration basins with each basin having an effective volume of 1. 0 million gallons (MG) and loaded
at a rate of 3. 48 gallons per day per square foot (GPD/ ftz); a groundwater lowering system with an average
capacity of 471, 400 GPD, consisting of approximately 1, 022 linear feet (LF) of 8- inch perforated PVC
pipe, a 10- mil PVC baffle curtain; a groundwater pump station with two 350 GPM groundwater lowering
pumps, visible/audible high water alarms and a groundwater flow meter; and approximately 2, 875 LF of 6-
inch groundwater force main to transport groundwater to two proposed on -site irrigation ponds with
potential for pond discharge to an unnamed tributary to Halfmoon Creek; and all associated piping, valves,
controls and appurtenances.
Proposed flow: N/A
Current permitted flow: 150,000 GPD
Explain anything observed during the site visit that needs to be addressed by the permit, or that may be important
for the permit writer to know (i.e., equipment condition, function, maintenance, a change in facility ownership,
etc.)
The current configuration of the headworks is problematic since the bar screen is located after the EQ basin.
Wastewater flows from the influent pump station to the EQ and then to the bar screen. This requires daily
scrapping of the bar screen, constant cleaning of the EQ and evidence of solids escaping to the clarifier.
Approximately every 6 weeks, floating solids and ,grease have to be vacuumed out of the EQ and other treatment
units. The static fine screen with auger and dewateringpress from the 2015 modification, to alleviate this issue,
was never installed.
3. Are the site conditions (e.g., soils, topography, depth to water table, etc) maintained appropriately and adequately
assimilating the waste? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 97D61D2B-9ECE-4745-9803-0656C127CB3B
4. Has the site changed in any way that may affect the permit (e.g., drainage added, new wells inside the compliance
boundary, new development, etc.)? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, please explain:
Is the residuals management plan adequate? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
6. Are the existing application rates (e.g., hydraulic, nutrient) still acceptable? ® Yes or ❑ No
If no, please explain:
7. Is the existing groundwater monitoring program adequate? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, explain and recommend any changes to the groundwater monitoring program:
8. Are there any setback conflicts for existing treatment, storage and disposal sites? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, attach a map showing conflict areas.
9. Is the description of the facilities as written in the existing permit correct? ❑ Yes or ® No
If no, please explain: See description above. Highlighted sections of the current permit description have not
been installed. Construction of Phase II needs to be verified before adding to the description.
10. Were monitoring wells properly constructed and located? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain:
11. Are the monitoring well coordinates correct in BIMS? ® Yes ❑ No ❑ N/A
If no, please complete the following (expand table if necessary):
Monitoring Well
Latitude
Longitude
O l lI
O I II
O l lI
O I II
O / //
O I II
O / //
O I it
O / //
O / //
12. Has a review of all self -monitoring data been conducted (e.g., DMR, NDMR, NDAR, GW)? ® Yes or ❑ No
Please summarize any findings resulting from this review:
NDMR Exceedance Violations:
Total Nitrogen: 12r19, 4/20, 5/20, 7/20
OOD: 7/20
Flow: b/19-9/19, 2/20-9/20
Flow exceedances appeared to be due to a 90-degree angle of the effluent pipe causing a vacuum
and false high Immis flo Ameter readings. The facility- has been in compliance since this elbow was
replaced-
W-59 F vimv:
Mai #3: high TDS in 1 L`17, 3/ 18
W #1: high TDS in 11/17
Only 4 W-59 reports hz- a been submitted wi#h MW paramebu sampling since mstallafton in
June 2015_ Reports received: 11/17, 3/18, 7/18, 7/20_
Provide input to help the permit writer evaluate any requests for reduced monitoring, if applicable.
13. Are there any permit changes needed in order to address ongoing BIMS violations? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, please explain:
14. Check all that apply:
❑ No compliance issues
® Notice(s) of violation
❑ Current enforcement action(s) ❑ Currently under JOC
❑ Currently under SOC ❑ Currently under moratorium
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 97D61D2B-9ECE-4745-9803-0656C127CB3B
Please explain and attach any documents that may help clarify answer/comments (i.e., NOV, NOD, etc.)
A NOV was issued for the inspection on 3/10/2021. A response was received and the facility is working with
WIRO on the missing GW-59 reports and a clarification of what items were completed or plan to be completed in
the 2015 modification.
If the facility has had compliance problems during the permit cycle, please explain the status. Has the RO been
working with the Permittee? Is a solution underway or in place? N/A
Have all compliance dates/conditions in the existing permit been satisfied? ❑ Yes ® No ❑ N/A
If no, please explain: Schedule 1.1 of current permit was not completed. It appears that only the Alum and Micro-
C systems have been installed from the list of modifications on the 2015 permit. No Engineering Certification was
suhmitted _
15. Are there any issues related to compliance/enforcement that should be resolved before issuing this permit?
❑Yes®No❑N/A
If yes, please explain:
16. Possible toxic impacts to surface waters: Unknown
17. Pretreatment Program (POTWs only): N/A
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 97D61D2B-9ECE-4745-9803-0656C127CB3B
IV. REGIONAL OFFICE RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Do you foresee any problems with issuance/renewal of this permit? ❑ Yes or ® No
If yes, please explain:
2. List any items that you would like the NPDES Unit or Non -Discharge Unit Central Office to obtain through an
additional information request:
Item
Reason
Plans for completing the
items on the 2015
Modification.
Verification on what will be installed.
Plans on constructing Phase
II.
Verification.
3. List specific permit conditions recommended to be removed from the permit when issued:
Condition
Reason
Attachment C-Monthly
Piezometer reporting
MWs have been installed and require water level reporting 3xyear.
Total Residual Chlorine
requirement for PPI 002
No need for measuring this in the groundwater lowering system effluent after
infiltration.
4. List specific special conditions or compliance schedules recommended to be included in the permit when issued:
Condition Reason
5. Recommendation: ❑ Hold, pending receipt and review of additional information by regional office
❑ Hold, pending review of draft permit by regional office
® Issue upon receipt of needed additional information
❑ Issue
❑ Deny (Please stA qq as, )
6. Signature of report preparer:
Signature of regional supervisor: 1D645MA39694BE...
Date: 8/5/2021
M...dIA S"dy. kC
4AC7DC434...
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 97D61D2B-9ECE-4745-9803-0656C127CB3B
V. ADDITIONAL REGIONAL STAFF REVIEW ITEMS
This staff report was prepared for the renewal of W00033770, Carolina Plantation WWTF. A routine compliance
inspection was completed on March 10, 2021 and a NOV was issued. The violations listed in the NOV have either
been addressed or are in the process of being addressed. Old North State no longer uses Envirolink to manage their
facilities and the Permittee has been very responsive to ,get back into compliance. The inspection report, NOV and the
facility response to the NOV can be found on Laserfiche.
Schedule I.1 of the current permit has not been met. The items listed in the 2015 Modification have not been
constructed except for the Alum and Micro-C systems. An Engineering Certification has not been submitted.
Permittee has stated that Phase II will not be constructed. The Carolina Plantation subdivision is built out and they do
not plan to accept any additional wastewater outside of the subdivision.
Currently, permit requires monthly piezometer reporting for six piezometers. The three monitoring wells were
installed in 2015 and require water level reporting as well. WIRO recommends removing the monthly piezometer
readings.
In addition, Total Residual Chlorine is required weekly for PPI 002, Groundwater Lowering_ System Effluent. No
other infiltration facility in the Wilmington Region with chlorine disinfection has this monitoring requirement for the
groundwater lowering effluent. WIRO recommends removingthquirement.
FORM: WQROSSR 04-14 Page 6 of 6