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Home My WebLink AboutNCG550405_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20220506 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office 3800 Barrett Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 May 6, 2022 Charles Webster 557 Ralph Sipe Road Bear Creek, NC 27207 Subject: Compliance Evaluation Inspection Single Family Wastewater Treatment System General NPDES Permit NCG550000 Certificate of Coverage NCG550405 Facility: 557 Ralph Sipe Road Chatham County Dear Mr. Webster: On May 2, 2022, Stephanie Goss from the Raleigh Regional Office visited your single-family residence (SFR) wastewater treatment system to evaluate compliance with the subject General NPDES Permit. Your cooperation via telephone on May 6, 2022 was appreciated. Our records indicate the treatment system consists of a septic tank, subsurface sand filter, tablet chlorinator with chlorine contact chamber and discharge pipe. General NPDES Permit NCG550000 and Certificate of Coverage (COC) NCG550405 authorize the discharge of domestic wastewater from your treatment system to receiving waters designated as an unnamed tributary to Bear Creek classified as Class C waters in the Cape Fear River Basin. The authorized discharge is in accordance with the effluent limits and monitoring requirements established within the General Permit. 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. 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 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. DocuSign Envelope ID: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office 3800 Barrett Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 Page | 2 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 unable to locate the chlorinator. However, you stated that chlorine tablets are maintained in the chlorinator and it is located 15 feet above the outfall Please ensure the correct type of tablets are used and maintained in the chlorinator as required by the General NPDES Permit. 4. 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. 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 August 31, 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. 5. 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 discharge pipe was visible and accessible the day of the inspection. Please continue to ensure the outlet is always visible/maintained and cleared of vegetation, soil and leaves. Division records indicate the required annual fee ($60 per year) for the period ending November 30, 2022 and due December 2, 2021 has been paid. There are no overdue fees for the subject COC. 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. DocuSign Envelope ID: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office 3800 Barrett Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 Page | 3 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 items 2 and 4 above. If you have questions or comments about this inspection or the requirements to take corrective action (if applicable), then please contact via email at stephanie.goss@ncdenr.gov or 919-791- 4256. 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 Cc: RRO/SWP Files Laserfiche DocuSign Envelope ID: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8 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 NCG550405 22/05/02 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) 557 Ralph Sipe Road 557 Ralph Sipe Rd Bear Creek NC 27207 Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date 02:15PM 22/05/02 21/08/09 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) /// Other Facility Data 02:30PM 22/05/02 25/10/31 Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Charles Webster,557 Ralph Sipe Rd Bear Creek NC 27207//919-898-4375/Contacted No Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Permit Operations & Maintenance Records/Reports 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 Stephanie Goss DWR/RRO WQ/919-791-4200/ 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 5/6/2022 DocuSign Envelope ID: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8 NPDES yr/mo/day 22/05/02 Inspection Type C3111218 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) NCG550405 17 Page#2 DocuSign Envelope ID: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8 Permit:NCG550405 Inspection Date:05/02/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: 557 Ralph Sipe Road 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? 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? 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: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8 Permit:NCG550405 Inspection Date:05/02/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: 557 Ralph Sipe Road 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? The permittee stated the septic tank has not been pumped out in the last 5 years.Comment: Effluent Pipe Yes No NA NE Is right of way to the outfall properly maintained? Are the receiving water free of foam other than trace amounts and other debris? If effluent (diffuser pipes are required) are they operating properly? Comment: Septic Tank Yes No NA NE (If pumps are used) Is an audible and visual alarm operational? Is septic tank pumped on a schedule? Are pumps or syphons operating properly? Are high and low water alarms operating properly? The permittee stated the septic tank has not been pumped out in the last 5 years.Comment: Sand Filters (Low rate)Yes No NA NE (If pumps are used) Is an audible and visible alarm Present and operational? Is the distribution box level and watertight? Is sand filter free of ponding? Is the sand filter effluent re-circulated at a valid ratio? # Is the sand filter surface free of algae or excessive vegetation? # Is the sand filter effluent re-circulated at a valid ratio? (Approximately 3 to 1) Comment: Disinfection-Tablet Yes No NA NE Are tablet chlorinators operational? Are the tablets the proper size and type? Number of tubes in use? 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? Page#4 DocuSign Envelope ID: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8 Permit:NCG550405 Inspection Date:05/02/2022 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: 557 Ralph Sipe Road Compliance Evaluation Disinfection-Tablet Yes No NA NE Comment: Page#5 DocuSign Envelope ID: B84EA7FB-5F1E-4676-B662-E6115FCBBDB8