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Home My WebLink AboutNC0006564_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20220105 SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY: NO HARD COPY WILL BE MAILED. January 05, 2022 Corey Carpentier Baxter Healthcare Corporation Email: corey_carpentier@baxter.com SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report Baxter Healthcare Corporation NPDES WW Permit No. NC0006564 McDowell County Dear Permittee: The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Baxter Healthcare Corporation on 12/28/2021. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in NPDES WW Permit No. NC0006564. The findings and comments noted during this inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report entitled "Compliance Inspection Report". There were no significant issues or findings noted during the inspection and therefore, a response to this inspection report is not required. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 828-296-4667 or via email at lauren.armeni@ncdenr.gov. Sincerely, Lauren Armeni, Environmental Specialist Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report Ec: Laserfiche Brian Valiquette (ORC) Stephen Gouge (EHS Manager) DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B554326-D360-4F0A-A365-8C68B1D4FFD6 EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 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 NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type 1 N 52 NC0006564 21/12/28 C S31112171819 20 21 66 Inspection Work Days Facility Self-Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA ----------------------Reserved------------------- N67707172 73 74 75 80 Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include POTW name and NPDES permit Number) Baxter Healthcare Corporation 65 Pitts Sta Rd Marion NC 287527925 Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date 09:15AM 21/12/28 16/09/01 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) /// Other Facility Data 10:45AM 21/12/28 20/01/31 Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Anita Jensen, ///Contacted No Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Permit Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenance Records/Reports Self-Monitoring Program Sludge Handling Disposal Facility Site Review Effluent/Receiving Waters Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) (See attachment summary) Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s)Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date Lauren E Armeni DWR/ARO WQ/828-296-4500/ Signature of Management Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. Page#1 DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B554326-D360-4F0A-A365-8C68B1D4FFD6 1/5/2022 1/5/2022 NPDES yr/mo/day 21/12/28 Inspection Type C3111218 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) Lauren Armeni, with the Asheville Regional Office, conducted a Compliance Evaluation Inspection of the Baxter Healthcare Corporation WWTP on December 29, 2021. This inspection was conducted to determine whether the facility is being operated and maintained in compliance with NPDES Permit No. NC0006564. Brian Valiquette (ORC), Corey Carpentier (Senior Environmental Engineer), and Stephen Gouge (EHS Manager) were present and assisted in the inspection. Overall, the facility is well-maintained and operated, and appears to be in compliance with NPDES Permit No. NC0006564. Equalization Basins: At the time of the inspection, one surface aerator motor was broken in EQ Tank #2. The replacement is on site and they are waiting on a crane service to swap out the motors. Surface aerators are constantly running. Flow from the EQ basins enters a fine mesh screen (2 mm) and then goes into the pH tank, where the two streams from the EQ basins are mixed together and pH levels are adjusted as needed. It is crucial for any additional debris to be screened out of the wastewater in order to protect the downstream membrane filters. Following the pH tank is the nutrient dosing tank, which adds nutrients as needed. Aeration Basins/Membrane Filtration: Following the aeration basins, membrane filtration is the next step in the treatment process. The filters are continuously aerated. These filters are cleaned twice a week with bleach and citric acid. Sludge collects at the bottom and is either wasted to one of two digesters or returned to EQ Basin #1. Sludge Handling: Taken from Baxter's Sludge Management Plan, "The digested sludge is dewatered through a centrifuge to a 14%- 20% cake. Drainage from the sludge and wash down water from the centrifuge is pumped back to equalization basin #1 for recirculation through the aeration basins and membrane filtration process. The cake is conveyed to a dump trailer positioned under a roof at the centrifuge dewatering building. Once this trailer is filled, it is picked up by Southern Soil Builders, Inc. and transported to Catawba County where it is land applied to four field sites totaling 80.8 net acres." The centrifuge is ran approximately four times per week. Their sludge land application permit number is WQ0031725. NC0006564 17 (Cont.) Page#2 DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B554326-D360-4F0A-A365-8C68B1D4FFD6 Permit:NC0006564 Inspection Date:12/28/2021 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Baxter Healthcare Corporation 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? The permit is currently in the renewal process.Comment: 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? Comment: Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping? Page#3 DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B554326-D360-4F0A-A365-8C68B1D4FFD6 Permit:NC0006564 Inspection Date:12/28/2021 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Baxter Healthcare Corporation Compliance Evaluation Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable? The facility is is well-maintained with excellent housekeeping. Process control parameters include COD (influent autosampler), pH, FC, ammonia, phosphate, conductivity, MLSS, membrane pressure, UV transmittance, and DO. Comment: Bar Screens Yes No NA NE Type of bar screen a.Manual b.Mechanical Are the bars adequately screening debris? Is the screen free of excessive debris? Is disposal of screening in compliance? Is the unit in good condition? Comment: Equalization Basins Yes No NA NE Is the basin aerated? Is the basin free of bypass lines or structures to the natural environment? Is the basin free of excessive grease? Are all pumps present? Are all pumps operable? Are float controls operable? Are audible and visual alarms operable? # Is basin size/volume adequate? There are two EQ basins - one for high strength COD (2,500 mg/L or greater - EQ Basin #2) and one for low strength COD (less than 2,500 mg/L - EQ Basin #1). When mixed together, the ideal COD of approximately 1,000 mg/L is maintained. The EQ basin with the high strength COD can be fed through at a slower rate to maintain this ideal COD concentration. See summary for details. Comment: Aeration Basins Yes No NA NE Mode of operation Ext. Air Type of aeration system Diffused Is the basin free of dead spots? Are surface aerators and mixers operational? Page#4 DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B554326-D360-4F0A-A365-8C68B1D4FFD6 Permit:NC0006564 Inspection Date:12/28/2021 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Baxter Healthcare Corporation Compliance Evaluation Aeration Basins Yes No NA NE Are the diffusers operational? Is the foam the proper color for the treatment process? Does the foam cover less than 25% of the basin’s surface? Is the DO level acceptable? Is the DO level acceptable?(1.0 to 3.0 mg/l) Flow from the nutrient dosing tank enters one of three aeration basins, which run in parallel. Mr. Valiquette said MLSS is kept around 6,500 mg/L, but wasting is increased if MLSS exceeds this number. DO is auto-adjusted within the basins and is kept around 3.2 mg/L. See summary for details. Comment: Aerobic Digester Yes No NA NE Is the capacity adequate? Is the mixing adequate? Is the site free of excessive foaming in the tank? # Is the odor acceptable? # Is tankage available for properly waste sludge? Activated sludge collects at the bottom of the membrane filters and is pumped to one of two aerobic digesters as needed. See summary for details on how sludge from the digester is handled. Comment: Disinfection - UV Yes No NA NE Are extra UV bulbs available on site? Are UV bulbs clean? Is UV intensity adequate? Is transmittance at or above designed level? Is there a backup system on site? Is effluent clear and free of solids? The UV system is maintained weekly by staff.Comment: Flow Measurement - Effluent Yes No NA NE # 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? The effluent flow meter was last calibrated on September 27, 2021.Comment: Page#5 DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B554326-D360-4F0A-A365-8C68B1D4FFD6 Permit:NC0006564 Inspection Date:12/28/2021 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Baxter Healthcare Corporation Compliance Evaluation Flow Measurement - Effluent Yes No NA NE Effluent Pipe Yes No NA NE 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: 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? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type representative)? At the time of the inspection, the thermometer read 4 degrees Celcius.Comment: Standby Power Yes No NA NE Is automatically activated standby power available? Is the generator tested by interrupting primary power source? Is the generator tested under load? Was generator tested & operational during the inspection? Do the generator(s) have adequate capacity to operate the entire wastewater site? Is there an emergency agreement with a fuel vendor for extended run on back-up power? Is the generator fuel level monitored? The generator has been able to run the entire facility during power outages. At the time of the inspection, the fuel gauge was full. The generator is tested quarterly by Carolina Cat. Comment: Page#6 DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B554326-D360-4F0A-A365-8C68B1D4FFD6