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Home My WebLink AboutNCG551164_Inspection_20220527DocuSign Envelope ID: ODEFC72B-A825-4D57-BC5E-1DC8ADB894CA ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality May 27, 2022 Charles Michael Poole 226 Hocutt Road Durham, NC 27703 Certified Mail # 7020 3160 0000 4115 3586 Return Receipt Requested Subject: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ASSESS CIVIL PENALTY Tracking Number: NOV-2022-PC-0281 Compliance Evaluation Inspection General NPDES Permit NCG550000 Certificate of Coverage NCG551164 Facility: 226 Hocutt Road // Durham County Dear Mr. Poole: This letter serves as a Notice of Violation (NOV) of General NPDES Permit No. NCG550000, Certificate of Coverage No. NCG551305, and North Carolina GS § 143-215.1(a). The following deficiencies have been previously noted in prior inspection reports and were again noted during this inspection: Failure to provide proof of septic pumping records (noted in 2017); failure to provide effluent sampling results (noted in 2008, 2014, and 2017); no chlorine tablets were observed in the chlorinator and/or the permittee did not have the proper chlorine tablets (noted in 2008, 2014, and 2017). 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 these issues and the issues noted on the following pages. On April 28, 2022, Alys Hannum from the Raleigh Regional Office visited your single-family residence wastewater treatment system to evaluate compliance with the subject General National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (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, discharge pipe and a rip -rap apron for post aeration. General NPDES Permit NCG550000 and Certificate of Coverage (COC) NCG551164 authorize the discharge of domestic wastewater from your treatment system to receiving waters designated as an unnamed tributary to Little Lick Creek in the Neuse River Basin, in accordance with the effluent limits and monitoring requirements established within the General Permit. The following conditions were noted at your facility: NORTH CAROLINA Department of Environmental Quality North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office 13800 Barrett Drive I Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 DocuSign Envelope ID: ODEFC72B-A825-4D57-BC5E-1DC8ADB894CA Charles M. Poole, NCG551164 May 23, 2022 Page 2 of 3 • 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. The General NPDES Permit requires the permittee to retain records associated with sewage disposal activities for a period of at least 5 years. 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. • 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 in good operating order. The inspector did not observe any chlorine tablets in the chlorinator, and your bucket of chlorine tablets was expired. Please ensure the correct type of tablets are used and maintained in the chlorinator as required by the General NPDES Permit. • 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 inform this office if you have monitored your effluent discharge within the last 12 months and provide 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 within 90 days. 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. GD_E NORTH CAROLINA Department of Environmental Quality North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office 13800 Barrett Drive I Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 DocuSign Envelope ID: ODEFC72B-A825-4D57-BC5E-1DC8ADB894CA Charles M. Poole, NCG551164 May 23, 2022 Page 3 of 3 • 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. 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. Division records indicate the required annual fee ($60 per year) due December 2, 2021, for the period ending November 30, 2022, has been paid. There are no overdue fees for the subject COC. 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 above. If you have questions or comments about this inspection or the requirements to take corrective action, please contact Alys Hannum at alys.hannum@ncdenr.gov, or by phone at 919-791-4255. Sincerely, Docu Signed by: [yatiu-ssa, f. 41444A,uc,(, B2916E6AB32144F... 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 dD_E NORTH CAROLINA Department of Environmental Quality North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office 13800 Barrett Drive I Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 DocuSign Envelope ID: ODEFC72B-A825-4D57-BC5E-1DC8ADB894CA United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA 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 1 IN 21IIIIII Code I 2 IL NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection I 3 I NCG551164 111 121 22/04/28 117 Type 1810I IIIIIIIIIII Inspector Fac Type 19I S I 2011 IIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII I IIIIII P6 Inspection Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA Reserved 671 I 70I2 I 711 1 72 I N I 73I 1 74 71 I I I I I I I I 180 Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include POTW name and NPDES oermit Number) 226 Hocutt Road 226 Hocutt Rd Durham NC 27703 Entry Time/Date 02:OOPM 22/04/28 Permit Effective Date 21/12/28 Exit Time/Date 02:30PM 22/04/28 Permit Expiration Date 25/10/31 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) /// Other Facility Data Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Contacted Charles Michael Poole,226 Hocutt Rd Durham NC 27703//919-598-0234/ No Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Operations & Maintenar Self -Monitoring Progran Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) (See attachment summary) Name(s) and Signature(s) Alys K Hannum of Inspector(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date c- DocuSigned by: DWR/RRO WQ/919-791-4255/ 5/23/2022 "-4C22170C5AA04F3... Signature of Management Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date IDocuSigned by: ou,SSa f. hautd,l, 5/24/2022 m35vEPA Form t e9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. Page# 1 DocuSign Envelope ID: ODEFC72B-A825-4D57-BC5E-1DC8ADB894CA NPDES yr/mo/day 31 NCG551164 111 121 22/04/28 I17 Inspection Type 18LI 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) Page# 2 DocuSign Envelope ID: ODEFC72B-A825-4D57-BC5E-1DC8ADB894CA Permit: NCG551164 Inspection Date: 04/28/2022 Owner -Facility: 226 Hocutt Road Inspection Type: 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: Septic Tank (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? Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑ • ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ Comment: Resident has not provided proof of recent pumping. This issue was also noted on the inspection report in 2017. Sand Filters (Low rate) (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: Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑ • ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ Disinfection -Tablet Yes No NA NE Are tablet chlorinators operational? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Are the tablets the proper size and type? ❑ • ❑ ❑ Number of tubes in use? 2 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: Chlorine tablets were expired. The resident did not have chlorine tablets in the chlorinator during the inspections in 2008, 2014, and 2017. Effluent Sampling Is composite sampling flow proportional? • Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑ ❑ Page# 3 DocuSign Envelope ID: ODEFC72B-A825-4D57-BC5E-1DC8ADB894CA Permit: NCG551164 Inspection Date: 04/28/2022 Owner -Facility: 226 Hocutt Road Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Effluent Sampling Yes No NA NE Is sample collected below all treatment units? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is proper volume collected? El • El El Is the tubing clean? ❑ El • El # 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: Resident has not provided lab results. This issue was also noted on the inspection reports in 2008, 2014, and 2017. No sampling results exist in our file. Page# 4