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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQCS00004_NOVNOI2022DV0059_20220222DocuSign Envelope ID: 5FCB1906-5BAA-4BA7-A015-227DB1DE78EE ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretory 5. DANIEL SMITH Director Certified Mail # 7021 2720 0000 1254 5318 Return Receipt Requested NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality February 23, 2022 Thomas Hartye, PE Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County North Carolina 2028 Riverside Dr. Asheville, NC 28804-3054 SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ISSUE CIVIL PENALTY Tracking No.: NOV-2022-DV-0059 Sanitary Sewer Overflows - January 2022 Collection System Permit No. WQCS00004 MSD Buncombe County Collection System Buncombe County Dear Permittee: A review has been conducted of the self -reported Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO's) 5-Day Report/s submitted by Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County North Carolina. The Division's Asheville Regional Office concludes that the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County North Carolina violated Permit Condition I (2) of Permit No. WQCS00004 by failing to effectively manage, maintain, and operate their collection system so that there is no SSO (Sanitary Sewer Overflow) to the land or surface waters and the SSO constituted making an outlet to waters of the State for purposes of G.S. 143-215.1(a)(1), for which a permit is required by G.S. 143-215.1. The Asheville Regional Office is providing the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County North Carolina an opportunity to provide evidence and justification as to why the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County North Carolina should not be assessed a civil penalty for the violation(s) that are summarized below: Total Vol Total Surface Incident Start Duration Vol Water Number Date (Mins) Location Cause (Gals) (Gals) DWR Action 202200135 1/22/2022 225 129 South Lane Pipe Failure (Break) 760 760 Notice of Violation 202200135 1/22/2022 225 129 South Lane Failure to inspect high -priority line every 6-months. Notice of Violation North Caroltna Department of Environmental Quaky 1 D11sion ofWater Resources Aahe•91e Regional Office 12090 US Highway 70 15.amlama. North Carolina 28T78 DocuSign Envelope ID: 5FCB1906-5BAA-4BA7-A015-227DB1DE78EE This Notice of Violation / Notice of Intent to Enforce (NOV/NOI) is being issued for the noted violation. Pursuant to G.S. 143-215.6A, a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) may be assessed against any person who violates or fails to act in accordance with the terms, conditions, or requirements of any permit issued pursuant to G.S. 143-215.1. This office requests that you respond to this Notice, in writing, within 10 business days of its receipt. In your response, you should address the causes of non-compliance, remedial actions, and all other actions taken to prevent the recurrence of similar situations. The response to this correspondence will be considered in this process. Enforcement decisions will also be based on volume spilled, volume reaching surface waters, duration and gravity, impacts to public health, fish kills or recreational area closures. Other factors considered in determining the amount of the civil penalty are the violator's history of non-compliance, the cost of rectifying the damage, whether the spill was intentional and whether money was saved by non-compliance. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 828-296-4500 or via email at daniel.boss@ncdenr.gov. Ec: Server, LF Ken Stines Sincerely, DocuSigned by:J Anui 2-2 E397192DABFB4FF... Daniel Boss, Asst. Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ r D Aahe9th aarop,oPep1,1reI ,90 U.HighoQuaky 0IS Wonoo.Nf Water Resources gyhe•alPRegionalPHlceI 3P9PPS Hlghr•avNlSr•annama.NortN Ca.aIIna R8�r8