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Home My WebLink AboutNC0028975_CEI_20220406 SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY. NO HARD COPY WILL BE MAILED. April 06, 2022 Steven Orr, City Manager Email: citymanager@cityofsaludanc.com City of Saluda SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report Saluda WWTP NPDES WW Permit No. NC0028975 Polk County Dear Permittee: The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Saluda WWTP on 3/10/2022. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in NPDES WW Permit No. NC0028975. The findings and comments noted during this inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report entitled "Compliance Inspection Report". If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 828-296-4686 or via email at mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov. Sincerely, Mikal Willmer, Environmental Specialist II Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report Ec: LF DocuSign Envelope ID: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE 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 NC0028975 22/03/10 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) Saluda WWTP Pearson Falls Rd Saluda NC 28773 Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date 09:30AM 22/03/10 18/11/01 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) /// Trevor Clyde McMinn/ORC/828-691-7191/ Other Facility Data 11:30AM 22/03/10 23/07/31 Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Rodney A Gibson,PO Box 248 Saluda NC 287730248//828-749-2581/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 Mikal Willmer DWR/Division of Water Quality/828-296-4686/ 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: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE 4/6/2022 4/6/2022 NPDES yr/mo/day 22/03/10 Inspection Type C3111218 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) Mikal Willmer, with the Asheville Regional Office, conducted a Compliance Evaluation Inspection of the City of Saluda’s WWTP on March 10, 2022. This inspection was conducted to determine if the facility is operating in compliance and what steps have been taken to correct equipment issues during the TA in 2019. Jay Johnson (HCE), Steven Orr (City of Saluda), and Trevor McMinn (ORC) were present and assisted in the inspection. The City has had occasional exceedances that have been linked to either malfunctioning or damaged equipment. Past flow exceedances are due to excessive I&I in the collection system. An 80/90 moratorium was recently lifted in 2021 due to decreases in the 12-month ADF and submittal of an engineering assessment. Debris: Due to increased maintenance with debris during high flows and leafy debris from surrounding vegetation, the City’s engineer has proposed two options moving forward. Some form of hoop screen over the aeration basins and a mechanical screen to reduce required maintenance. The ORC indicated the excessive debris requires additional maintenance; however, reports he does not have issues maintaining treatment quality. Solids: The ORC reports he has been able to waste adequately to the sludge holding tanks with the current pumping schedule. Currently pumping annually. Recommend increasing this to twice a year if solids build-up becomes an issue or flows increase. Clarifiers: No pin floc or floating solids were noted in the clarifiers. Recommend cleaning the solids from the center well on a more frequent basis. The fiber glass weirs appeared to be slightly out of level. Recommend leveling to prevent short-circuiting of treatment within the clarifier. These are fiber glass weirs and appear to be adjustable. Blowers: All blowers are now operational, and the electrical panel has been upgraded. No issues maintaining air in the ABs and at the effluent since the repairs. Transducer: The transducer was recently replaced due to inaccurate readings. KDT is now calibrating the flow meter annually. Downstream Sampling: Staff are unable to access the downstream location due to the property owner. Staff sample approximately 106’ downstream. A request was made by KACE during the last permit renewal to modify the sampling location. This was also mentioned in the staff report during the last renewal; however, the downstream site is still the same. NC0028975 17 (Cont.) Page#2 DocuSign Envelope ID: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE Permit:NC0028975 Inspection Date:03/10/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Saluda WWTP Compliance Evaluation 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? Utilize MLSS, DO and sludge judge to monitor performance.Comment: 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? Mercury analysis required once per permit cycle.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? Page#3 DocuSign Envelope ID: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE Permit:NC0028975 Inspection Date:03/10/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Saluda WWTP Compliance Evaluation Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site? Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review? Facility is permitted for 0.1 MGD. Annual report not required per statute.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? 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? ORC reports there is adequate volume to waste sludge. These are not sized to be classified as aerobic digesters, rather aerated sludge holding tanks. See summary for details. Comment: Chemical Feed Yes No NA NE Is containment adequate? Is storage adequate? Are backup pumps available? Is the site free of excessive leaking? ORC regularly checks and replaces chemical feed lines as needed. Spill kit is onsite. Chemicals are in HDPE carboys. 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? Page#4 DocuSign Envelope ID: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE Permit:NC0028975 Inspection Date:03/10/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Saluda WWTP Compliance Evaluation Bar Screens Yes No NA NE Is disposal of screening in compliance? Is the unit in good condition? See summary for details.Comment: Secondary Clarifier Yes No NA NE Is the clarifier free of black and odorous wastewater? Is the site free of excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier? Are weirs level? Is the site free of weir blockage? Is the site free of evidence of short-circuiting? Is scum removal adequate? Is the site free of excessive floating sludge? Is the drive unit operational? Is the return rate acceptable (low turbulence)? Is the overflow clear of excessive solids/pin floc? Is the sludge blanket level acceptable? (Approximately ¼ of the sidewall depth) 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? 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) ORC maintains DO less than three mg/L.Comment: Standby Power Yes No NA NE Is automatically activated standby power available? Is the generator tested by interrupting primary power source? Page#5 DocuSign Envelope ID: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE Permit:NC0028975 Inspection Date:03/10/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Saluda WWTP Compliance Evaluation Standby Power Yes No NA NE 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? Tests weekly underload.Comment: De-chlorination Yes No NA NE Type of system ?Liquid 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? Comment: Are the tablets the proper size and type? Are tablet de-chlorinators operational? Number of tubes in use? Liquid dechlor stored in HDPE container in chemical feed room.Comment: Disinfection-Liquid Yes No NA NE Is there adequate reserve supply of disinfectant? (Sodium Hypochlorite) Is pump feed system operational? Is bulk storage tank containment area adequate? (free of leaks/open drains) 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? Comment: Influent Sampling Yes No NA NE # Is composite sampling flow proportional? Is sample collected above side streams? Is proper volume collected? Is the tubing clean? Page#6 DocuSign Envelope ID: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE Permit:NC0028975 Inspection Date:03/10/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: Saluda WWTP Compliance Evaluation Influent Sampling Yes No NA NE # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Is sampling performed according to the permit? Influent sampler is set to time composite.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: Upstream / Downstream Sampling Yes No NA NE Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type, and sampling location)? See summary for details.Comment: Page#7 DocuSign Envelope ID: 86EE571E-2FDE-4595-9928-19D3BBC088BE