NC0055786_Approval_20030527

NPDES DOCUMENT 5CANNIN` COVER SHEET
NPDES Permit:
NC0055786
Lexington Regional WWTP
Document Type:
Permit Issuance
Wasteload Allocation
Authorization to Construct (AtC)
Permit Modification
Complete File - Historical
Engineering Alternatives (EAA)
Correspondence
Owner Name Change
(4 rPraVC / )
Instream Assessment (67b)
Speculative Limits
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Document Date:
May 27, 2003
This document is printed on reuse paper - ignore any
content on the resrerse side

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May 27, 2003
Mr. Gerald Pottern
Robert J. Goldstein and Associates, Inc.
8480 Garvey Drive
Raleigh, NC 27616
Michael F. Easley, Govemor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Alan W. Klimek, P.E. Director
Division of Water Quality
Subject: City of Lexington Proposed Expansion of Existing Wastewater Treatment Plan on Abbotts
Creek from 5.5mgd to 6.5mgd.
Dear Mr. Pottern:
The NC Environmental Policy Act review for the subject project is complete. No adverse comments were
received during the course of the State Clearinghouse review (see attached letter from the
Clearinghouse).
The City may now proceed with permit applications covering activities associated with this project. The
applications should be consistent with the Finding of No Significant Impact issued by the Division of
Water Quality on April 9, 2003 (attached).
If there is anything else I can assist you with, please give me a call at 919.733.5083 ext. 555.
Attachments
cc: Dave Goodrich
Alex Marks, AICP
Environmental Specialist
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SOURi:E
NCDENR
N. C. Division of Water Quality 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 [phone] Customer Service
1 800 623-7748

North Carolina
Department of Administration
Michael F. Easley, Govemor Gwynn T. Swinson, Secretary
May 21, 2003
Mr. Alex Marks
DENR, Div of Water Quality
1617 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27616-3175
Re: SCH File # 03-E-4300-0292; Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact; City
of Lexington - Proposed Expansion of Existing Wastewater Treatment Plant on Abbotts Creek
from 5.5 MGD to 6.5 MGD
Dear Mr. Marks:
The above referenced environmental impact information has been reviewed through the State
Clearinghouse under the provisions of the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act.
No comments were made by any state/local agencies in the course of this review. Therefore, no further
environmental review action on your part is required for the compliance with the Act.
Best regards.
Ms. CBaggett
Environmental Policy Act Coordinator
cc: Region G
Mailing Address: Telephone: [phone] Location Address:
1302 Mail Service Center Fax [phone] West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27699-1302 State Courier #51-01-00 Raleigh, North Carolina
e-mail Chrys.Baggett®ncmail.net
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

DI) WATER QUALITY Fax:[phone]
Mar 19 '04 12 : 55 P. 03
North Carolina
Department of Administration
Michael F. Easley, Governor Gwynn T. Swinson, Secretary
April 10, 2003
Mr. Alex Marks
DE: , Div of Water Quality
1617 MSC
Raleigh NC 27616-3175
Dear Mr. Marks:
Subject: Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact - City of Lexington -
Proposcd Expansion of Existing Wastewater Treatment Plant on Abbotts Creek from 5.5
MGD to 6.5 MGD
The N. C. State Clearinghouse has received the above project for intergovernmental review. This
project has been assigned State Application Number 03-E-4300-0292. Please use this number with
all inquiries or correspondence with this office.
Review of this project should be completed on or before 05/19/2003 . Should you have any
questions, please call [phone].
Sincerely,
Ms. Chrys Baggett
Environmental Policy Act Coordinator
Mailing Address: Telephone: [phone]$ Location Address:
1302 Mail Service Center Fax [phone] West Jones Street
Raleigh. NC 27699-1302 State Courier #51-01-00 Raleigh, North Carolina
e-mail: Chrys.5aggett©ncmail.net
An fguol Opporruniry/Afrmarive Action Employer

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
(FONSI)
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSEMENT FOR THE ABBOTTS CREEK WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION
April 9, 2003
Project Applicant: City of Lexington
Project Number: DWQ # 13073
Responsible Agency: NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality, Water Quality Section (Division)
Pursuant to the requirements of the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act (N.C.G.S. § 113A-
1, et seq.), an environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared for the expansion and upgrade
of the existing Abbotts Creek wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The construction will
expand the plant's existing permitted capacity of 5.5 million gallons per day (MGD) to 6.5
MGD.
The plant, owned and operated by the City of Lexington, has a service area of 17.27 square miles
within the city's limits. Additionally, the city has agreed to allocate one (1) MGD of treatment
capacity to Davidson County to serve approximately five square miles of new service area
containing existing development relying primarily on septic systems. The WWTP site is located
four miles south of downtown Lexington, at the east end of Glendale Road, on the west bank of
Abbotts Creek.
The improvements are primarily a treatment process upgrade in response to new NPDES permit
limits for phosphorous. The proposed capacity expansion will accommodate increased flows as
result of Lexington's 1999 annexation and the WWTP's flow allocation to Davidson County.
The plant is the second largest point source discharge in the Abbotts Creek arm of the High Rock
Lake watershed.
Several alternatives to the proposed project were analyzed for the EA. The selected project was
chosen because State regulations require that the city expand the existing plant once its
maximum monthly average flows reach 80 percent of permitted capacity and to meet the new
total phosphorous limits. Wastewater reuse was examined as an alternative but was not pursued
due to the necessary infrastructure not being in place. The preferred alternative optimizes
Lexington's current treatment infrastructure. Project engineers have proposed all improvements
for previously disturbed areas.
The WWTP site and its service area are located entirely in the Abbotts Creek and Swearing
Creek watersheds, which comprise Yadkin/Pee-Dee sub -basin 03-07-07. Surface waters in the
area are classified as either C or WS-V&B. The service area is predominantly urban land or in
transition from rural to urban land.

The proposed construction area comprises 0.83 acres, entirely within previously disturbed
portions of the WWTP property. The majority of land disturbance will be on uplands beyond the
100-year flood elevation with the exception of the influent screening structure. The project will
not directly affect floodplain hydrology or flood storage capacity.
The proposed improvements are entirely in uplands, with no new construction in streams or
wetlands. Vegetation removal and soil disturbance during construction may temporarily increase
sediment, turbidity, and nutrients associated with soil erosion. To minimize impacts,
construction will be conducted in accordance with a state approved erosion and sedimentation
control plan. The construction will not require adjustments to existing vegetated buffers.
No known state or federal threatened or endangered species were identified at the project site or
in lower Abbotts Creek. Unknown populations of protected species may occur in unsurveyed
portions of the service area and may be affected by future urban development. There are no
aquatic protected species likely to occur in Abbotts Creek or High Rock Lake downstream of the
WTTP's discharge. Mitigation of adverse direct impacts by avoidance and minimization will be
achieved through project design, construction, and'operation methods.
The WWTP improvements are intended primarily to reduce effluent nutrient concentrations.
Reductions in both phosphorus and nitrogen effluent concentrations will result in positive
impacts to water quality from the project. However, secondary and cumulative impacts to the
environment associated with new development could also result from the increase in capacity.
Most of the Lexington service area already contains established residential, commercial, and
industrial development. The new service area in Davidson County contains mostly existing
development relying on septic systems. All new development supported by the project will
occur in accordance with local land use plans and zoning and development regulations described
within the EA.
The Division of Water Quality has concluded that the proposed project will not result in
significant impacts to the environment. This decision is based upon information provided in the
EA and review by governmental agencies. This EA and Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) are prerequisites for the issuance of a NPDES Discharge Permit by the Division of
Water Quality. An environmental impact statement will not be prepared for this project. This
FONSI completes the environmental review record, which is available for inspection at the State
Clearinghouse.
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
April 7, 2003

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THE CITY OF
NORTH
28 WEST CENTER STREET
LEXINGTON, NC 27292
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LEXINGTON /f / 444- f
CAROLINA
"SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1828"
Ms. Coleen Sullins, Section Chief
DWQ, Water Quality Section
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
December 14, 2000
Re: City of Lexington, NC
Davidson County
Lexington Regional Wastewater
•
,147 4:Set-455, WA4S042/'
COY 1
TELEPHONE [phone]
RIC°.
Df
847-/Q06:0),
Treatment Plant (WWTP) — NC00557786
Subject: Expanding the Hydraulic Limit of the Discharge from our Regional WWTP
Dear Ms. Sullins:
The City of Lexington is in the early stages of planning for its long-range wastewater treatment
needs. The present hydraulic limit for the discharge from its Regional Wastewater Treatment
Plant is 5.5 mgd. We are seeking to start a dialogue with the DWQ Water Quality Section on
amending our NPDES permit to address future expansion.
We are familiar with the implications of this expansion related to the adopted "Yadkin -Pee Dee
Basinwide Water Quality Management Plan" and wish to do this in an environmentally
responsible manner. Both the environmental and economic future of Davidson County will be
better served by well -planned growth. If possible, we would like to meet with the appropriate
people in DWQ sometime in the first two months of 2001 to initiate discussions on what will be
involved in this matter.
Please refer questions and arrangements on this mattor to Mr. Roger Sp-C., Water Aar i.,..Ces
Superintendent, at 336-243-2489.
Sincerely,
R. Duke Whisenant
City Manager
Lexington, NC
RDW/rs/ts1
cc: Rick Austin, Public Works Director
Roger Spach, Water Resources Superintendent

Robert J. Goldstein & Associates
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS
8480 Garvey Drive Raleigh NC 27616-3175
Tel [phone] Fax [phone]
http://www.rjgaCarolina.com
23 April 2002
Mrs. Chrys Baggett
N.C. State Clearinghouse
1302 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1302
Re: SCOPING for SEPA EA: City of Lexington VV TP Expansion from 5.5 to 6.5 MGD,
Davidson County NC.
Dear Mrs. Baggett:
The City of Lexington proposes to expand its existing wastewater treatment plant on
Abbotts Creek (NPDES #.N00055786) from 5.5 MGD to 6.5 MGD (Figure 1). The new
treatment facilities will be constructed on the existing WWTP property. No expansion of the
wastewater collection system is included in this project.
Robert J. Goldstein & Associates, Inc. will be preparing the SEPA Environmental
Assessment for this project. Mr. Stephen Young of J. N. Pease Associates is the project
engineer.
Sincerely,
41-010/4--
Gerald B. Pottern
Senior Biologist
cc: Stephen Young, J.N. Pease Associates
Steve Zoufaly, NC-DWQ Water Quality Planning

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