The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutNCG551535_NOV-2022-PC-0235 CE_20220426 April 26, 2022 CERTIFIED MAIL # 7020 3160 0000 4115 4729 RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Charles Cash 6917 Kemp Rd. Raleigh, NC 27613 Subject: NOTICE OF VIOLATION Tracking Number: NOV-2022-PC-0235 Compliance Evaluation Inspection Single Family Wastewater Treatment System NPDES General Permit NCG550000 Certificate of Coverage NCG551535 Facility Name: 6917 Kemp Rd Durham County Charles Cash, On April 1, 2022, Chris Smith from the Raleigh Regional Office visited your single-family residence (SFR) wastewater treatment system to evaluate compliance with the subject General NPDES Permit. Your assistance during the inspection was greatly appreciated. Our records indicate the treatment system consists of a septic tank, sub-surface sand filter, tablet chlorinator with chlorine contact chamber, tablet dechlorinator, discharge pipe and associated appurtenances. General NPDES Permit NCG550000 and Certificate of Coverage (COC) NCG551535 authorize the discharge of domestic wastewater from your treatment system to receiving waters designated as an unnamed tributary to Rocky Branch [segment 27-11-2-(1)] (classified WS-IV, NSW) within subbasin 03-04-01 of the Neuse River Basin. The authorized discharge is in accordance with the effluent limits and monitoring requirements established within the General Permit. The items below show what conditions were noted at your facility: 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. During the inspection what appeared to be untreated wastewater was discharging 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 DocuSign Envelope ID: 09798114-4DC9-480A-9527-5F40244D61FE Charles Cash NCG551535 April 26, 2022 Page 2 of 4 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 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 locate the chlorinator and therefore did not observe 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 locate the dechlorinator and therefore did not observe 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 and Total Residual Chlorine. In the last inspection letter dated March 29, 2017, you were requested to sample your effluent and to submit the analytical results to this office. The Raleigh Regional Office has not received the requested results. 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 July 25, 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. DocuSign Envelope ID: 09798114-4DC9-480A-9527-5F40244D61FE Charles Cash NCG551535 April 26, 2022 Page 3 of 4 6. Locations of treatment units are unknown: Within 30-days of receiving this letter, provide this office with a sketch or map of the location of the treatment units (septic tank, sub-surface sand filter, tablet chlorinator with chlorine contact chamber, tablet dechlorinator, discharge pipe and associated appurtenances) in relation to the permitted residence. 7. 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 end of discharge pipe was not visible nor accessible the day of the inspection. To comply with the general permit monitoring requirements, you need to be able to sample and analyze the effluent from your SFR system through the discharge pipe. You need to keep the area around the discharge pipe cleared of vegetation, soil and leaves. Please take the necessary steps to ensure the discharge outlet is visible and accessible. Maintaining the area will allow you to monitor the discharge and to collect effluent samples as required by the subject permit. 8. 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 March 1, 2015 through February 28, 2023 have not been paid and are overdue. Payment in the amount of $60 per year (totaling $480) must be remitted to the Division as indicated on the attached Annual Permit Fee Invoices. 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. This inspection report is being issued as a Notice of Violation because permit renewal fees have not been paid for several years and because of failure to monitor the effluent as required by the General Permit. Within 30-days receipt of this letter, please submit a written response to this office indicating the actions you will take or have taken to comply with or resolve the issues noted in items 1-9 above. DocuSign Envelope ID: 09798114-4DC9-480A-9527-5F40244D61FE Charles Cash NCG551535 April 26, 2022 Page 4 of 4 If you have questions or comments about this inspection or the requirements to take corrective action (if applicable), then please contact Chris Smith at 919-791-4257. 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 Invoices (8) NCDEQ Technical Bulletin General Permit NCG550000 Effluent Sampling Guidance Document Cc: Laserfiche DocuSign Envelope ID: 09798114-4DC9-480A-9527-5F40244D61FE