WQ0015487_DWR email_20160405

r
Price, Bev
From:
Goodrich, David
Sent:
Tuesday, April 05, 2016 9:00 AM
To:
Price, Bev
Cc:
Thornburg, Nathaniel
Subject:
Powell Industries Closed Loop Recycle System Permit WQ0015487
Hello Bev,
Thank you for the staff report. Based on your report and our recent telephone communications, I would like to
summarize my understanding of the situation as follows:
The recirculation pond covered by the subject permit and the stormwater pond covered by their stormwater permit are
hydraulically connected. There is also a minor wastewater stream consisting of "cooling" water that is used to wet the
logs and cool the saw blade as sawing is performed which flows into the recirculation pond. At the present time, wet
decking through Permit WQ0015487 is not being performed, and the owner has expressed an interest in rescinding the
permit.
First, the "cooling" water stream that is used to wet the logs and cool the saw blade as the sawing operation takes place
needs to be dealt with as a wastewater stream. This water probably contains oil or other mechanical lubricants and
needs to be collected and hauled away for treatment on a continuous basis, or treated on -site in a separate system that
does not include or interact with either the recirculation pond or the stormwater pond. Neither the stormwater permit
nor the recirculation permit include accommodation for this wastewater stream.
The recycle permit could be rescinded and the Stormwater Section could expand the facility's existing stormwater
permit to include both the recirculation pond and the stormwater pond (wet decking would be discontinued), provided
the recirculation pond is "closed" from the perspective of the WQ0015487 permit. Closure would involve composite,
representative sampling of the water and the bottom sludge/sediment of the recirculation pond for contaminant
substances specified by the Stormwater Section. If contaminant substances were detected by the sampling, all of the
water and sediment would have to be removed and treated or landfilled, as appropriate.
Alternatively, the recycle system could continue to be used, provided it was separated from the stormwater system, and
the recirculation pond hydraulically separated from the stormwater pond with no interaction possible between the
ponds. The recycle system and the stormwater system must be separate from each other if both systems are to remain
at the facility. The recycle system does not have to be active.
Please let me know if this is all correct, and if there is another alternative course of action.
Thank youl
David
David Goodrich
Hydrogeologist II
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
919 807 6352 office
david. good richCa)ncden r.00v