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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0037834_Permit (Modification)_19930408NPDES DOCUMENT SCANNING COVER SHEET NC0037834 Archie Elledge WWTP NPDES Permit: Document Type: Permit Issuance Wasteload Allocation Authorization to Construct (AtC) , Permit Modification Complete File - Historical Engineering Alternatives (EAA) Correspondence Owner Name Change Instream Assessment (67b) Speculative Limits Environmental Assessment (EA) Document Date: April 8, 1993 This document is printed on reuse paper - ignore any content on the resrerse'side CERTIFIED MAR. RETURN RECEIPTRE QUESTED Ronald G. Seeber, City Attorney City of Winston-Salem P.O. Box 2511 Winston-Salem, NC 27102 Dear Mr. Seeber. State of North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources Division of Environmental Management 512 North Salisbury Street • Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor Jonathan B. Howes, Secretary April 8, 1993 Subject: NPDES Permit No. NC0037834 Archie Elledge WWTP Forsyth County In accordance with your Petition for Contested Case Hearing filed on November 6, 1992, and subsequent Notice of Withdrawal dated March 22, 1993, we are forwarding herewith the subject permit. The permit has been modified as follows: • Effluent Limitations for outfall 001 : 1. The fecal coliform limitation in question has been changed to be 1000.0/ 100m1 monthly average and 2000.0/ 100 ml weekly average. However, following final issuance of the permit, December 31, 1994, the fecal coliform limitation will return to the standard of 200.0/ 100m1 and 400.0/100ml effective January 1, 1995. 2. To supplement the modification and as requested by the City of Winston-Salem the following Toxicity Limits have been withdrawn or added to the permit. A.Chronic Toxicity (Ceriodaphnia) ChV at 76%, Episodic has been deleted from the permit. B.Chronic Toxicity Phase II Effluent Testing occurring monthly has been added to the effluent limitations page specifying the monitoring requirements that apply during the summer months. C.Chronic Toxicity Phase II Effluent monitoring requirements to be implemented on a quarterly basis during the months of January, April, July and October have been added to the winter limitations pages. D.Chronic Toxicity Phase 11 Effluent monitoring requirements to be implemented on a quarterly basis of the effluent prior to chlorination have been added to both the winter and summer effluent pages. Asheville 704/251-6208 Fayetteville 919/486-1541 Regional Offices Mooresville Raleigh 704/663-1699 919/571-4700 Pollution Prevention Pays Washington Wilmtgton 919/946-6481 919/395-3900' P.O. Box 29535, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0535 Telephone 919-733-7015 An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer 4.2 $. g•air APR I G 1993 CENTRAL F iLES Page 2 'Mr. Seeber April 8, i 993 All other terms and conditions contained in the original permit remain unchanged and in full effect. These modifications are issued pursuant to the requirements of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1 and the Memorandum of Agreement between North Carolina and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency dated December 6,1983. It is our understanding that this modification will resolve all items contained in the Petition for Contested Case Hearing. If this is not the case, the City of Albemarle should notify us immediately, but no later than ten (10) days following receipt of this letter. Unless such demand is made, this decision shall be final and binding. If you have any questions concerning this permit, please contact Randy L. Kepler at telephone number 919i733-5083. A. Preston Ho Division of Enviro cc: Kathy Cooper, Attorney General' Office Winston-Salem Regional Office Permits and Engineering Unit Central Files Stan Webb, Supervisor, Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant City of Winston-Salem, P.O. Box 2511, Winston-Salem, NC 27102 ctor ment CENTRAL F!LES r, 't PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT January 14, 1993 City of Winston-a1cm Mr. Don Safrit N. C. Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources 512 North Salisbury Street Raleigh, NC 27611 RE: Permit Adjudication Archie Elledge WWTP (NC0037834) Dear Mr. Safrit: The City of Winston-Salem is adjudicating the Elledge Plant's new NPDES permit because we recently discovered that the plant cannot simultaneously comply with the new fecal coliform and toxicity limits on a consistent basis. In early May, 1992, we discovered that toxic levels of tri-halomethanes (THMs) occurred under cer- tain conditions when we raised our chlorination rate to meet the new 200/100 ml fecal limit. When we discovered this problem, we immediately began conducting pilot tests to determine how we could solve it. We completed the necessary research in late October, 1992 and concluded that the best solution to the problem was to increase the plant's chlorine contact time. Our data showed that we can reduce our chlorine dosage to the point where we can meet the new fecal limit and maintain non -toxic levels of THMs in the plant discharge by in- creasing our total chlorine contact time to sixty minutes at 30 MGD. We are unable to do this until we construct new facilities. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission has already adopted a resolution appropriating $1,000,000 to cover the design and construction of an additional chlorine contact chamber. This chamber will be built as part of the $22,000,000 upgrade to the Elledge Plant which is scheduled for completion in late 1994. I have attached a copy of our Commission's resolution authorizing us to proceed with. this project. Prior to May, 1992, when we discovered the THM problem, all of our biomonitoring data indicated that the plant could meet the toxic- ity limit, provided the effluent was dechlorinated. The contract for the plant upgrade already included the constructionof.: ,:..a $1, 100, 000 dechlorination facility when the THM problem was? d`s�• covered. Box 2511, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27102 • Mr. Don Safrit January 14, 1993 Page 2 We apologize for adjudicating this permit after agreeing to the limits published in the draft document. At the time we agreed to the limits, we did not realize that toxic levels of THM's would form as a result of our chlorinating at a rate to meet the new Fe- cal limit. We ask that DEHNR postpone the implementation of the new limits for these two parameters until December 31, 1994. Granting our request should not constitute a deviation from standard regulatory practice. EPA, for instance, has allowed permittees two years to comply with the 503 Sludge Regulations if they have to construct facilities. EPA has used a similar approach when implementing other regulations. We are willing to work with DEHNR in this mat- ter and we are willing to monitor. The data you asked for to help you in evaluating our request is attached as an Appendix. These data cover the period from May, 1992 through October, 1992. The appendix includes summary infor- mation and copies of laboratory reports. We look forward to meeting with you on January 21, 1993 to discuss this matter. Call me at 919/784-4700 if you have any questions or need additional information. Sincerely, Wg- Stanley_B eb Operations Manager pc: Lee Spencer, Winston-Salem Regional Office Lee Byerly, WTP Superintendent Crystal Couch, IWC Supervisor Barry Shearin, Utility Plants Engineer Attachment(s) It Appendix to Letter to Don Safrit of 1-7-93 I. During the week of May 4, 1992, a bioassay test was conducted to make sure that the act of chemically de - chlorinating would not produce toxic effects. Raw data sheets are attached and a data summary is shown below. (Data Set A) Date Sample Collected Type 5/6/92 deCl Eff. 5/8/92 "2 C1 Doge 13.5 13 C1 Fecal Col. Residua/(ppm) Ct./100m1 ChV% 1.05 84 0.9 208 54% Conclusion: Apparent toxicity in this sample indicated that a toxic agent other than residual chlorine was present. This sample was dechlorinated with sodium sulfite. Chlorine residual in bioassay samples was <0.1 ppm. Toxicity is defined as a ChV% of '. e767c II. During the week of June 22, 1993, another series of tests were performed to determine if the toxicity was a function of chlorination or if it was an agent entering the head - works. Data summary follows with lab reports attached. (Data Set B) Date Sample C1 Cl2 Fecal Col. Collected Type Dose ?(ppm) Residual(ppm) Ct./100m1 ChV% 6-24-92 Unchl. EF. 0 0 22,100 6-26-92 " " 0 0 -- >96% 6-24-92 deCl2 EF 11.5 1.1 360 6-26-92 " " 19 1.1 136 54% Conclusion: Tests indicated that the toxicity was either a function of Chlorination or the act of dechlorination. III. Following the June tests, we felt that pilot testing was required to determine how we could achieve an effluent product which would meet the 200/100 ml fecal limit and still pass the bioassay. We assumed that toxic formation was a function of chlorine dosage since tests on dechlori- nated samples performed in 1990 and 1991 passed the bioas- say easily. These samples, however, had been collected when the chlorination dose was <10 ppm. We were seeking to achieve a method by which we could make our chlorine a more efficient disinfectant thus giving us more kill per pound and allowing us to feed dosages less than the 10 ppm level at which we suspected toxic by -prod; ducts would not form. Page 2 Since hypochlorous acid is the most efficient form of chlorine and this form predominates at lower pH values, we ran a series of bench scale contact tanks which had the pH values of their contents manipulated to measure the effect on fecal kill. The contact time was maintained at 40 minutes which is the plants designed contact time at 30 MGD. The data for this pilot test is as follows. C12 = 0 ppm 1 ppm 2 ppm 3 ppm 6 ppm 9 ppm Reactor, pH Fecal Fecal Fecal Fecal Fecal Fecal Number Ct. Ct. Ct. Ct. Ct. Ct. 1-1 5.5 >3400 318 56 18 4 <2 1-2 6.0 11,300 >500 44 18 2 4 1-3 6.5 22,100 >500 82 12 4 4 1-4 7.0 31,000 >500 218 4 <2 2 These data indicated that fecal kill was enhanced when the efflu- ent pH was lowered. It remained to be seen however, if we had ceased forming toxic by-products. We were also very surprised when Reactor 1-4, which simulated the plant's normal pH value, achieved a much greater degree of kill than the plants system. (We later discovered that the post aeration system in the contact chamber caused the tank to short circuit effectively reducing the contact time by -42%.) Following the conclusion of this test, we ran another series of bioassays to determine if the pH reduction prior to chlorination strategy would allow us to meet both the fecal and bioassay lim- its. APAM analysis was performed on these three samples to monitor any change in organics. The lab data from these tests are as follows and lab reports are attached (Data Set C) Type of Cl2 C1 Fecal Sample Dose ppm Contact Time(min.)* Ct. pH ChV% THM(PPb) UNC12 Cntrl 0 0 TNTC 7.5 >76% <1.0 deCl Plant Ef. 15 62 min. deCl Reactor Ef. 2 40 *Theoretical contact time. 300 7.5 55% 127 44 6.0 >76% <1.0 Page 3 Conclusion: The strategy of reducing effluent pH to increase the disinfection rate was shown to be a possible solution to the problem. However, the data showed the likelihood that the problem could be caused by our having to feed high doses of chlorine to compensate for the reduced contact time caused by short circuits in the tank. V. In September we initiated tests to determine how much ad- ditional detention time was needed in the plant's disinfec- tion system to achieve a kill sufficient to meet the 200 #/100 ml limit when the chlorine dose was held below 10 ppm. The data indicated that the plant required a total of sixty minutes of contact time at 30 MGD to provide a con- tinuous fecal count of less than 200 #/100 ml when the chlorine dose was -9.0 ppm. At this point in the study, we lowered the plant's chlorine dosage to -10 ppm and ran another series of bioassay tests to insure that the plant effluent, once dechlorinated, would pass the bioassay test. The data summary is as follows and lab reports are attached as Data Set D. Type of Cl2 C1 Fecal Sample Dose ppm Contact Time Count ChV% Un- chlori- nated Cntrl 0 0 TNTC >96% deC12 Effluent 9.6 40 min. 180 91% Conclusion: The data confirmed that the toxicity limit could be met provided the chlorine dosage was held to <10 ppm, and the residual chlorine removed by treatment with sulfur dioxide. The Fecal limit of 200 #/100 ml probably could not be consistently met unless additional contact time was provided. It '�5._ wl l�rr - Sa1ein Acta - kuncl ► ►-1 n'1 pftbiem c ► - ►h3 fro me€¢- _foal __$2.2 m,l'fog_ upjrcce__- _ c4Chloo„al,orz__s�,in CPS dou - racf --10 ppirc. LTNM _ _k+.neh.o-j2 thsaJce ktriCkYL teri-6.4„ -lempY --Dcip' F _Know -I-G _ _ =Gad ._t,�r,f,! _lad{-_ June rs _ (A)t _I moini i-r 1(noll rzvr ec -- q_uta,L4CALI u e4[ � 5 �ecc l i rvrn ti- ui' U ctr_c F� _ _--g/t'l___&ifithoyt_ Cm/ad- hire � _ alao__. havepbJnlneefiYt nrtathij _ft* nrut-f-i pie_ conc LPTAlot-j-0 inui4 covlc . Clut,11/) 03in+er prechIU,__ 1000 ( 100 rn,e peAm aboue Monday, November 30, 1992 MEMORANDUM To: Trevor Clements, Assistant Chief for Technical Support From: Subject: Donald Safrit, P.E., Sup Permits and Engineering Unit Winston Salem, City of - Archie Elledge Permit No. NC0037834 Forsyth County In accordance with Water Quality Section procedures, please review the attached petition filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings. Please evaluate the objections raised by the permittee and provide me with your comments within ten (10) working days of your receipt of this package. The items under adjudication are: Fecal Coliform limit of 200. Current construction of dechlor facilities to be completed by 9/94. Discussed w/Stan Webb (784-4700) of WS and they have concerns about meeting both fecal and toxicity testing requirements; more detailed letter to follow. Will distribute upon receipt - WS will probably want to meet & discuss. DS 11/30/92 Miscellaneous comments: If you have any questions, please contact Randy Kepler cc: Office of the Attorney General - Kathy Cooper Donald Safrit Randy Kepler • RECEIVED DEC 0 1 1992 TECHNICAL SUPPORT BRANCH • (Your Name) (3) • • PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY 2a IYPfi STAT* OP NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF (t) rors'tri r AO•dline (3), Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission ?«hoes►, • v. N. C. _Division of Environmental Management 1 ipondent. (1 he State Agency or Board about which you are complaining) IN THE Pricr. OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEAR NOS AV PETITION FOR A CONTP.STFD CASE IIEARINO 1 hereby ask for a contested cue hearing at provided for by 0.11. 1500-23 because the: (4)_. C. Division of Environmental Management (name or agency) (Briefly state facto showing how you believe you have been harmed by the state agency or board.) See Attachment hat: ((/ moro space Is naided, rue additional sIWn: and attach) (5) (Chock all that apply) Because of these facts, the agency has: deprived me or property; x acted erroneously; ordered me to pay a tine or civil penalty; to use proper procedure; _motherwlse substantially preludloed my `acted arbitrarily or capriciously; or rights; and based on these sets the agency felled to act u required by law or rule. has exceeded its authority or Juriedktion; ******* ************vl****************miter****************************** (6) Data: , November 6, 1992 (7) Your telephone number: (919) 727-8418 (8) Print your address: P . 0. Box 2511, Winston—Salem, NC 27102 (9) Print your name; mas W. Griffin (10) Your signature: ktsi ************** *.****A*************** *****rU***dr****tkrU******** ****** Vou must mall or deliver a soya to the State Agency named on line (3) of this form. Please indicate below. • CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 1 certify that this Petition has been served on the State Agency named below by depositing a copy of it with the United States Postal Service with sufficient postage OR by delivering it to the named agency. Served on: (11) A. Preston Howard, Jr., (12) N. C. Division of Environmental Management (name}Acting Director Now) (13) 512 N. Salisbury Street, Ralei h NC 27611 (address) (14) This the 6th day of November 14 92 . (1S) ,• /your signatuia) • When you have completed thls form_ you Mt mall or deliver the ORt IN 1 , and one to the Office of Admints• trative Hearings, P.O. Drawer 27447. RaIe1&h. NC 27611.7447. 11-06 (11 j91) ***END*** ATTACHMENT Petition for A Contested Case Hearing Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission Versus N. C. Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division -of Environmental Management The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission is seeking relief from provisions in NPDES Permit (NC0037834) issued by the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources and received by our office on October 7, 1992. The NPDES Permit requires tha the, Utility Commission monitor each weekday for fecal of 200 mg/1 }in the plant effluent and provides that the discharge i violation of the permit if the monthly average fecal count exceeds 200 mg/1. In the event of a permit violation as a result of the fecal limit, the Commission will be subject to sanctions, including fines and penalties. The Utility Commission is currently upgrading the ArcIie Elledge Wastewater Treatment Plant and as a part of this upgrading, dechlorination facilities are being installed and the Commission feels that this new fecal limit should not be in the permit until after completion of construction of the dechlorination facilities and testing of those facilities. To require the Commission to meet the 200 mg/1 prior to completion of the plant upgrade would subject the Commission to sanctions in the event of a violation and the limit substantially prejudices the Commission's rights. DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT March 31, 1992 MEMORANDUM To: Rosanne Barona 4v THROUGH: Trevor Clements FROM: Ruth Swanek 5 SUBJECT: Winston-Salem Archie Elledge WWTP Comments of Draft NPDES Permit NPDES No. NC0037834 Forsyth County I have reviewed the City of Winston-Salem's letter of January 30 concerning its draft NPDES permit and offer the following comments: 1. There should be no problem moving the upstream sampling location to the bridge located 1300 feet upstream of the SR 1120 bridge. However, this bridge is not located on the topographic map, and it would aid us in reviewing the data if Winston-Salem would submit a copy of the topo map with the location noted on it. 2. The monitoring proposed by Winston-Salem is acceptable to Technical Support. 3. The new Phase II toxicity test should be included in Winston-Salem's NPDES permit. In addition, the sampling may be changed to January, April, July, and October to allow the City to sample on the same schedule as the Lower Muddy Creek Plant. 4. Sampling for cyanide was included in the NPDES permit due to the amount of cyanide permitted to industries. If the City monitors for cyanide for one year, and all concentrations are below detection, the Division will reduce the monitoring frequency upon request. One year of data is needed to determine whether any seasonal variation occurs in the effluent. 5. Winston-Salem has identified its major cadmium source, and is now close to meeting its permit limit. However, conversation with Crystal Couch of the City indicated that the data are borderline and the City would like no limit during the life of the permit. Since the time period in question is only five extra months, Technical Support does not object to their request. However, if you would like more information concerning this issue, the City will be meeting with Pretreatment in the near future to discuss the state funded study the City is performing. They may bring additional cadmium data which they recently collected. If you have any questions concerning my comments, please call me at extension 503. cc: Steve Mauney, WSRO Larry Ausley, ESB MEMO TO: DATE - SUBJECT: Ik)r rn1On - LirG� e �lIPd4� lt)Gc)� CLIfi fal d /v Lee 89er/c,{ , e c ta}vr of , Arckl e. Ei(ed ac Wi,OrP evncerned abouf the COdmit rn mac,/ r<j Will be yin (rot) WOitf C lim,/J ;, 1 /ea ' Di aos./-k i5 Cedrinirj l'D (%Y)plemevtf Afripl r-c fD C-Lieuniix ru. 00 ( Cadmium. (1,6or�tij ir) kr uo eldeurp,Lc C 0.05 l#m,/; ale would /X L tp inati G r ea,tILJ d t5cu _5 r'e5(,t l c tint., /-icd 5GmpJrr ,. %Dre, orn 50; . holcl off DIA Co/Tic/61 f / ntl (L)C.? (aprvvc ! Form 35'd %I Lin cyfec the n ieeby6 . t i/l(r 'MO Ivt// reduce_ # e CviictuiS cy /eller LOT1/?f ' /alb; L.5bd .(1'? G y�CF m (/ - (2JxY c�.l Jire �-trd7 IDl�3ll/ l ,(e - me ,ertc.) h vlc�r� - Ott_ l)LA cad/ Creafe ancj p leo %r (Jcast youtp I (/`-rif6K)e3 From North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources cs, punted on Recycled e le cyc tlPaper PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Cityof Winston-Salem January 30, 1992 Mr. Dale Overcash North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources 512 North Salisbury Street Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 RE: Comments on the Draft of NPDES Permit NC0037834 (Elledge WWTP-Winston-Salem, North Carolina) Dear Mr. Overcash: We received the draft of the above referenced permit on January 3, 1992. Our staff has reviewed its terms and conditions and we are submitting the following comments. 1. The draft permit designates the bridge on NCSR 1120 as the "upstream" sampling location. This bridge carries a fairly heavy traffic volume which constitutes some danger to our personnel during ri,onitoring activities. `k':4 There is a bridge located on the plant site that is ap- proximately 1300 feet upstreari, of the bridge on SR 1120. We would prefer to have this bridge designated as the upstreari, sampling point as it is a safer location. 2. During the winter months the conductivity of stream samples must be determined weekly and the monitoring frequency for this parameter increases to three times per week during summer. With the exception of D. 0. , fecal col i forri,, and temperature, monitoring is not required for any other parameters. We feel that additional data is needed to adequately monitor the plant's impact on the receiving stream. We would like to have the conductivity monitoring frequency reduced to once per month and have weekly monitoring instituted for 60D, TSS, pH, and am- monia nitrogen. Box 2511, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27102 Mr. Dale Overcash January 30, 1992 Page 2 3. The language and requirements of Part III, condition f are not acceptable to us because they do not incorporate any of the recormirrmendations made by the Ad hoc Biomonitor- ing Review Committee. We request that the basic language of Part III condition f in the NPDES permit for our Muddy Creek WWTP (NC0050342) be incorpo- rated in the final permit for the Elledge WWTP. We also request that biorironitoring samples be taken at Elledge during the months of January, April, July and October. This is the same sampling schedule currently in place for the Muddy Creek Plant and its use at the Elledge Plant will allow us to sample both discharges at the same time. 4. The draft permit requires monthly monitoring for cyanide. Past testing for th-is parameter indicate that the effluent cyanide concentration is below the detection limit for the ARAM test (<20 ug/1). (See attached APAM test result). The City feels that it is unnecessary to require monthly monitoring for cyanide because it is not present in detectable quantities. We therefore request that cyanide monitoring be de- leted from the permit until data from the annual APAM test indi- cates cyanide Is a parameter of concern. 5. The draft permit institutes an effluent cadmium liriiita- tion an March 1, 1993, which is five months before the permit's expiration date. The implementation date for the effluent cadmium limit was postponed because the City and a major I.U. will be participating in a state funded study designed to evaluate methods to control cadmium originating from an uncontrollable source. We have no idea as to how long the study will last and we feel that the implementation of the effluent cadmium limitation should be delayed until the study is completed or until the permit is renewed. This action would result in a five month delay, at most, in implementing the effluent cadmium limitation. �II l.�Vl 4ti L(-1_lL IL /U5-0/3(. Mr. Dale Overcash January 30, 1992 Page 3 Thank you for your cooperation in this matter and please call me at 919/784-4700 if you have any questions. pc: 1t Sincerely, Stan ebb Wastewater Operations Manager Lee 8yerly, WT Plant Superintendent Crystal Couch, IWC Supervisor Barry Shearin, Utility Plants Engineer Larry Coble, Winston-Salem Regional Supervisor