The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutNCG590036_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20210903ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary S. DANIEL SMITH NORTH CAROLINA Director Environmental Quality September 3, 2021 Shawn Pennell Public Utilities Director City of Hickory Post Office Box 398 Hickory, North Carolina 28603-0398 Subject: Compliance Evaluation Inspection Hickory WTP NPDES Permit No. NCG590036 Catawba County Dear Mr. Pennell: Enclosed is a copy of the Compliance Evaluation Inspection (CEI) Report for the inspection conducted at the subject facility on August 31, 2021, by Mr. Wes Bell of this Office. Please advise the facility's Operator -in -Responsible Charge (ORC) of our findings by forwarding a copy of the enclosed report. Should you have any questions concerning this report, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Bell at (704) 235-2192, or via email at wes.bell@ncdenr.gov. Enclosure: Inspection Report NORTH Dep®rlmont of Environmental Onolit Sincerely, EDocuSigned by: A14CC681AF27425... W. Corey Basinger, Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality 1 Division of Water Resources Mooresville Regional Office 1610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301 I Mooresville, North Carolina 28115 704.663.1699 United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA Washington, D.C. 20460 Water Compliance Inspection Report Form Approved. OMB No. 2040-0057 Approval expires 8-31-98 Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS) Transaction Code 1 IN I 2 IL I 21IIIIII NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection 3 I NCG590036 111 121 21/08/31 117 Type 1810I IIIIIIIIIII Inspector Fac Type 19I S I 2011 IIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII I IIIIII P6 Inspection Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA Reserved 67I2.0 I 70I4 I 71IN I 72 I N I 73I 1 74 751 I I 1 I I I I I I I80 l Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include POTW name and NPDES Dermit Number) Hickory WTP 1560 Old Lenoir Rd Hickory NC 28603 Entry Time/Date 09:15AM 21/08/31 Permit Effective Date 21/08/01 Exit Time/Date 10:40AM 21/08/31 Permit Expiration Date 24/07/31 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) /// Mark E Haynes/ORC/828-323-7530/ Wesley K Boyd//828-323-7530 / Other Facility Data Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Contacted Warren Wood,PO Box 398 Hickory NC 286010398//828-323-7412/ No Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Permit Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenar Records/Reports Self -Monitoring Progran Sludge Handling DispoFacility Site Review Effluent/Receiving Wate Laboratory Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) (See attachment summary) Name(s) and Signature(s) Wes Bell of Inspector(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date �Docusigned by: DWR/MRO WQ/704-663-1699 Ext.2192/ 9/2/2021 "-A61696D90CC3437... Signature of Management Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date W. Corey Basinger DWR/Division of Water Quality/704-235-2194/ EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. DocuSigned by: 9/3/2021 "-A14CC681AF27425... Page# 1 NPDES yr/mo/day 31 NCG590036 111 121 21/08/31 I17 Inspection Type 18 [j 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) Page# 2 Permit: NCG590036 Inspection Date: 08/31/2021 Owner - Facility: Hickory WTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Permit Yes No NA NE (If the present permit expires in 6 months or less). Has the permittee submitted a new ❑ ❑ •❑ application? Is the facility as described in the permit? • ❑ ❑ ❑ # Are there any special conditions for the permit? ❑ ❑ • ❑ Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: The Division issued a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) for NCG590036 on 7/12/21 with an effective date of 8/1/21. The facility had previously operated/discharged under the authority of Permit No. NC0044121. The last compliance evaluation inspection at this facility was performed by DWR staff on 5/8/19. Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Are records kept and maintained as required by the permit? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is all required information readily available, complete and current? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Are all records maintained for 3 years (lab. reg. required 5 years)? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Are analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the chain -of -custody complete? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Dates, times and location of sampling • Name of individual performing the sampling • Results of analysis and calibration • Dates of analysis • Name of person performing analyses • Transported COCs ■ Are DMRs complete: do they include all permit parameters? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Has the facility submitted its annual compliance report to users and DWQ? ❑ ❑ • ❑ (If the facility is = or > 5 MGD permitted flow) Do they operate 24/7 with a certified ❑ ❑ • ❑ operator on each shift? Is the ORC visitation log available and current? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the ORC certified at grade equal to or higher than the facility classification? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the backup operator certified at one grade less or greater than the facility • ❑ ❑ ❑ classification? Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review? ❑ ❑ • ❑ Page# 3 Permit: NCG590036 Inspection Date: 08/31/2021 Owner - Facility: Hickory WTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Comment: The records reviewed during the inspection were organized and well maintained. Discharge monitoring reports (eDMRs) were reviewed for the period August 2020 through July 2021. No effluent limit violations were reported and all monitoring frequencies were correct. All parameters/samples to determine total nitrogen values were being properly collected and calculated/reported. Laboratory Are field parameters performed by certified personnel or laboratory? Are all other parameters(excluding field parameters) performed by a certified lab? # Is the facility using a contract lab? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Incubator (Fecal Coliform) set to 44.5 degrees Celsius+/- 0.2 degrees? Incubator (BOD) set to 20.0 degrees Celsius +/- 1.0 degrees? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ DOME Comment: On -site effluent field analyses (pH and total residual chlorine) are performed under the City of Hickory WTP's laboratory certification #5072. Pace Analytical Services and ETT Environmental (chronic toxicity) have also been contracted to provide analytical support. The effluent pH and total residual chlorine sample collection/analysis times were being performed within the 15-minute required holding times. Effluent Sampling Yes No NA NE Is composite sampling flow proportional? ❑ ❑ • ❑ Is sample collected below all treatment units? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is proper volume collected? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the tubing clean? El El • El # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 El El • El degrees Celsius)? Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type • ❑ El El representative)? Comment: The subject permit requires effluent grab samples. Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping? • El El El Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable El El El Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable? Page# 4 Permit: NCG590036 Inspection Date: 08/31/2021 Owner - Facility: Hickory WTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Comment: The wastewater generated from the water treatment process is conveyed to an equalization tank where the solids are settled. The clarified wastewater is dechlorinated (sulfur dioxide gas) prior to discharge into the receiving stream. The EQ basin's sludge is pumped to the gravity thickener. All of the gravity thickener's wastewater/sludge is pumped (via pump station) to the City's Northeast WWTP. The sludge is ultimately disposed at the Regional Compost Facility for further treatment/processing. All NPDES facilities appeared to be properly operated and well maintained. Flow Measurement - Effluent # Is flow meter used for reporting? Is flow meter calibrated annually? Is the flow meter operational? (If units are separated) Does the chart recorder match the flow meter? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ▪ ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: The flow meter is calibrated/verified twice per year and was last calibrated/verified on 4/19/21 by Diversified Integration. Effluent Pipe Is right of way to the outfall properly maintained? Are the receiving water free of foam other than trace amounts and other debris? If effluent (diffuser pipes are required) are they operating properly? Comment: The effluent appeared clear with no floatable solids or foam. Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ • ❑ Page# 5