NCG551449_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20220121

January 21, 2022

Timothy Harvey
120 Debra Drive
Durham, NC 27704

Subject: Compliance Evaluation Inspection
Single Family Wastewater Treatment System
General NPDES Permit NCG550000
Certificate of Coverage NCG551449
Facility: 120 Debra Drive
Durham County

Dear Mr. Harvey:

On January 18, 2022, Stephanie Goss and Cassidy Kurtz from the Raleigh Regional Office
visited your single-family residence (SFR) wastewater treatment system to evaluate compliance
with the subject General NPDES Permit. You were contacted to schedule an inspection via a
mailed letter with no response. The dog sitter/house sitter was home at the time of the inspection
and allowed the inspectors access to the fenced-in back yard. The inspector left a packet of
information with the dog sitter/house sitter regarding Single Family Treatment Systems and the
requirements of the General Permit at the residence.

Our records indicate the treatment system consists of a septic tank, sub-surface sand filter, tablet
chlorinator with chlorine contact chamber, dechlorination chamber and discharge pipe.

General NPDES Permit NCG550000 and Certificate of Coverage (COC) NCG551449 authorize
the discharge of domestic wastewater from your treatment system to receiving waters designated
as an unnamed tributary to Panther Creek classified a WS-IV, Nutrient Sensitive Waters (NSW)
in the Neuse River Basin. The authorized discharge is in accordance with the effluent limits and
monitoring requirements established within the General Permit. Findings during the inspection
were as follows:

1. Treatment system operation: The wastewater treatment system shall be maintained at all
times to prevent seepage of sewage to the surface of the ground.

2. Pumping the septic tank: You are required to inspect the septic tank at least yearly to
determine if solids must be removed or if other maintenance is necessary. Septic tanks should
be pumped out every five years or when the solids level is found to be more than 1/3 of the
liquid depth in the septic tank compartment, whichever is greater. A pumping company can
check the status periodically and determine when pumping is required. Within 30-days of
receiving this letter, please send a copy of the most recent receipt/invoice to this office
showing the date the septic tank was last checked and/or pumped out. The General NPDES
DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E
Page | 2

Permit requires the permittee to retain records associated with sewage disposal activities for a
period of at least 5 years.

3. Chlorine tablets in the chlorinator: You are reminded that it is required that chlorine tablets
be maintained in the chlorinator to ensure proper disinfection of the discharged wastewater.
Chlorine tablets provide effective disinfection and prevent/limit harmful bacteria from
discharging to the environment. The product label for these tablets must indicate the tablets
are approved for wastewater use and not for swimming pools. Part 1, Section D (1) of
General NPDES Permit NCG550000 requires the permittee to inspect the tablet chlorinator
weekly to ensure there is an adequate supply of tablets for continuous and proper operation.
Section D (4) requires the permittee to maintain all system components,
including...disinfection units...at all times and in good operating order. The inspector was not
able to open the chlorinator to determine if there were any chlorine tablets in the chlorinator.
Please ensure the correct type of tablets are used and maintained in the chlorinator as
required by the General NPDES Permit.

4. Dechlorination tablets: You are responsible for always having dechlorination tablets (if a
required part of your system) in place. They must be the kind for wastewater treatment and
not for swimming pools. The inspector was not able to open the dechlorinator to determine if
there were any dechlorination tablets in the treatment unit. Please ensure the correct type of
tablets are used and maintained in the dechlorinator as required by the General NPDES
Permit.

5. Analyzing the effluent: Part 1. C., Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements, within
General Permit NCG550000 requires a permittee to sample and analyze the effluent leaving
his/her treatment system prior to discharge annually. Parameters to be sampled and analyzed
include Flow, BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), Total Suspended Solids, Fecal Coliform,
Total Residual Chlorine, Total Nitrogen, Ammonia Nitrogen and Total Phosphorous. Within
30-days of receiving this letter, please let this office know if you have monitored your
effluent discharge within the last 12 months and provide this office with a copy of the lab
results if you have. If you have not monitored your effluent, then please collect a
representative sample of the effluent, have it analyzed by a certified commercial laboratory
and submit the results to this office no later than April 30, 2022. If, during this time, you are
unable to collect a representative sample of the effluent discharge due to insufficient flow
from the discharge pipe, then update this office with that information and continue to monitor
the discharge and if conditions for sampling become favorable, then arrange to collect a
sample. Failure to monitor the effluent discharge as required is a violation of NPDES
General Permit NCG550000.

6. Discharge outlet location. The permittee is required to conduct a visual review of the outfall
location at least twice each year (one at the time of sampling) to ensure that no visible solids
or other obvious evidence of system malfunctioning is observed. Any visible signs of a
malfunctioning system shall be documented, and steps taken to correct the problem. The
discharge pipe was not visible and accessible the day of the inspection. Please ensure the
outlet is always visible/maintained and cleared of vegetation, soil and leaves.

DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E
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Part II Section B.14 of General Permit NCG550000 requires the permittee to “pay the annual
administering and compliance monitoring fee within thirty days after being billed by the
Division.” The annual fees ($60 per year) for the period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2022, was
due by July 5, 2021. These fees have not been paid and are overdue. Payment in the amount
of $420 must be remitted to the Division as indicated on the attached Annual Permit Fee
Invoice.
The wastewater treatment system should be periodically inspected to ensure the treatment
components are always maintained and in good operating order. You are also reminded to
maintain all monitoring data and associated maintenance records onsite for a minimum of
three years and available for inspection.
If you have questions or comments about this inspection or the requirements to take corrective
action (if applicable), then please contact via email at [e-mail] or 919-791-
4256.
Sincerely,
Vanessa E. Manuel Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Raleigh Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
Attachment(s):EPA Water Compliance Inspection Report
Annual Permit Fee Invoice-Due July 5, 2015
Annual Permit Fee Invoice-Due July 9, 2016
Annual Permit Fee Invoice-Due July 8, 2017
Annual Permit Fee Invoice-Due July 5, 2018
Annual Permit Fee Invoice-Due July 6, 2019
Annual Permit Fee Invoice-Due July 6, 2020
Annual Permit Fee Invoice-Due July 5, 2021
Cc: RRO/SWP Files
Laserfiche
DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E
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 NCG551449 22/01/18 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)
120 Debra Drive
120 Debra Dr
Durham NC 27704
Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date
Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date
11:20AM 22/01/18 13/08/01
Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s)
///
Other Facility Data
11:32PM 22/01/18 18/07/31
Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number
Timothy Harvey,120 Debra Dr Durham NC 27704///Contacted
No
Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated)
Permit Operations & Maintenance Records/Reports Self-Monitoring Program
Facility Site Review Compliance Schedules 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
Stephanie Goss DWR/RRO WQ/919-791-4200/
Cassidy Kurtz DWR/RRO WQ/919-807-6388/
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
1/21/2022
DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E
1/21/2022
NPDES yr/mo/day
22/01/18
Inspection Type
C3111218
1
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
NCG551449 17
Page#2
DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E
Permit:NCG551449
Inspection Date:01/18/2022
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
120 Debra Drive
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:
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?
The effluent pipe could not be located during the inspection.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)?
Comment:
Compliance Schedules Yes No NA NE
Is there a compliance schedule for this facility?
Is the facility compliant with the permit and conditions for the review period?
Comment:
Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE
Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping?
Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable
Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable?
Page#3
DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E
Permit:NCG551449
Inspection Date:01/18/2022
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
120 Debra Drive
Compliance Evaluation
Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE
Comment:
Septic Tank Yes No NA NE
(If pumps are used) Is an audible and visual alarm operational?
Is septic tank pumped on a schedule?
Are pumps or syphons operating properly?
Are high and low water alarms operating properly?
Comment:
Sand Filters (Low rate)Yes No NA NE
(If pumps are used) Is an audible and visible alarm Present and operational?
Is the distribution box level and watertight?
Is sand filter free of ponding?
Is the sand filter effluent re-circulated at a valid ratio?
# Is the sand filter surface free of algae or excessive vegetation?
# Is the sand filter effluent re-circulated at a valid ratio? (Approximately 3 to 1)
Comment:
Disinfection-Tablet Yes No NA NE
Are tablet chlorinators operational?
Are the tablets the proper size and type?
Number of tubes in use?
Is the level of chlorine residual acceptable?
Is the contact chamber free of growth, or sludge buildup?
Is there chlorine residual prior to de-chlorination?
The tops of chlorinator were not able to come off to view if there were tablets in the
chlorinator.
Comment:
De-chlorination Yes No NA NE
Type of system ?Tablet
Is the feed ratio proportional to chlorine amount (1 to 1)?
Is storage appropriate for cylinders?
# Is de-chlorination substance stored away from chlorine containers?
Are the tablets the proper size and type?
Page#4
DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E
Permit:NCG551449
Inspection Date:01/18/2022
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
120 Debra Drive
Compliance Evaluation
De-chlorination Yes No NA NE
The inspector was not able to open the dechlorinator to determine if dechlorination
tablet were insede the dechlorinator during the time of the inspection.
Comment:
Are tablet de-chlorinators operational?
Number of tubes in use?
Comment:
Page#5
DocuSign Envelope ID: 68486DCF-E29C-4CD5-8E2A-6BACE115014E