HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQ0001990_CEI_20220815
SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY: NO HARD COPY WILL BE MAILED
August 15, 2022
Seth Eckard
Emailed to: seckard@ci.valdese.nc.us
SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report
Town of Valdese DCAR
Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0001990
Burke County
Dear Permittee:
The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Town of Valdese DCAR
on 8/11/2022. This inspection was conducted to verify that the compost facility is operating in compliance with
the conditions and limitations specified in Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0001990. The findings and
comments noted during this inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report
entitled "Compliance Inspection Report".
There were no significant issues or findings noted during the inspection and therefore, a response to this
inspection report is not required.
If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Melanie Kemp with the Water
Quality Regional Operations Section in the Asheville Regional Office at 828-296-4500 or via email at
melanie.kemp@ncdenr.gov.
Sincerely,
Melanie Kemp, Environmental Specialist
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Asheville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report
E.c.: LF
DocuSign Envelope ID: D405376B-2744-474D-B2EA-D95ECE39BFAF
Compliance Inspection Report
Permit:WQ0001990 Effective:08/01/19 Expiration:06/30/24 Owner :Town of Valdese
SOC:
Contact Person:
Region:
County:
Directions to Facility:
Burke
Asheville
Seth Eckard
Effective:Expiration:Facility:Town of Valdese DCAR
2100 Lake Rhodhiss
Valdese NC 28690
Title:Phone:828-396-7903Town Manager
From downtown Valdese, take 70E to left on Laurel Street, right on Lovelady Road, left on Lake Rhodiss Dirve, WWTP is located at
the end of the road.
Secondary ORC(s):
828-757-2198Phone:1007226Certification:Candace D CoxPrimary ORC:
System Classifications:
On-Site Representative(s):
Related Permits:
NC0041696 Town of Valdese - Lake Rhodhiss WWTP
Secondary Inspector(s):
Primary Inspector:
Inspection Date:Exit Time:Entry Time:
Phone:
08/11/2022 01:30PM 02:30PM
Melanie Kemp
Mikal Willmer
Facility Status:
Permit Inspection Type:
Reason for Inspection:Inspection Type:
Not CompliantCompliant
Routine
Distribution of Residual Solids (503)
Compliance Evaluation
Question Areas:
Miscellaneous Questions Record Keeping Treatment
Sampling Pathogen and Vector Attraction
(See attachment summary)
Page 1 of 4
DocuSign Envelope ID: D405376B-2744-474D-B2EA-D95ECE39BFAF
Inspection Date:
Permit:
Inspection Type :
Owner - Facility:
Reason for Visit:
WQ0001990
08/11/2022 Compliance Evaluation
Town of Valdese
Routine
Inspection Summary:
Melanie Kemp and Mikal Willmer, with the Asheville Regional Office, conducted a Compliance Evaluation Inspection of the
Town of Valdese compost facility on August 11, 2022. This inspection was conducted to determine whether the facility is
being operated and maintained in compliance with Permit No. WQ0001990. Candace Cox and Chris Bortnick (Town of
Valdese) were present and assisted with the inspection.
Overall, the facility appeared to be in compliance. A summary of observations, recommendations and comments noted at
the time of the inspection are below.
Initial Solids Processing: Biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant are centrifuged and combined with a thickener prior
to composting. Percent solids are, on average, 20% prior to loading into a tractor and being hauled to the concreted pad
composting area.
The Town utilizes one front end loader to move and process all compost. The compost is mixed with 2-10 scoops of mulch
prior to being laid in piles approximately 8-10 feet tall. Mulch is a combination of brush mulched on site after being delivered
by the Town of Valdese and mulch delivered from a supplier based in Old Fort.
Piles are aerated and the temperature is monitored daily for at least 14 days, with the blowers manually turned on and off
throughout that time. Temperature is collected from approximately 3 feet within the piles. Corrugated pipes are used for
aeration under the piles. Leachate from the composting area is drained within the concrete pad via drop inlets and returned
to the headworks of the wastewater treatment plant. The Town reports that minimal woodchips are making their way into this
process due to regular cleaning and maintenance of the inlets.
Compliance samples are collected by digging a hole with the front-end loader and then scooping the sample out with a
spade. Some analyses are performed in-house and the remainder are outsourced to Meritech Labs. The staff reported no
issues with pile contamination since 2019. Contaminated product is delivered to a permitted Burke County Landfill. It is
recommended that sample depth be added to the monitoring sheets.
Final product is not screened. Consumers pick up material and hauling records are completed and kept on site. The Town
reports that approximately 3 piles are created per quarter in colder months, and 4 piles per quarter in warmer months.
Please ensure that total distribution is reported in dry weight (converted from scoops).
Operation and Maintenance: Per permit condition III.2, please include the following information in the O&M Plan:
-Contact information for plant personnel, emergency responders, and regulatory agencies
-Detailed sampling procedures (how you collect fecal, nutrients, pollutants of concern etc.)
-Description of anticipated maintenance, i.e. thermometer calibration, aeration system, etc…
-Spill Control Provisions
-Detailed inspection procedures
-Temperature collection depths from static aeration piles
Page 2 of 4
DocuSign Envelope ID: D405376B-2744-474D-B2EA-D95ECE39BFAF
Inspection Date:
Permit:
Inspection Type :
Owner - Facility:
Reason for Visit:
WQ0001990
08/11/2022 Compliance Evaluation
Town of Valdese
Routine
Type Yes No NA NE
Land Application
Distribution and Marketing
Record Keeping Yes No NA NE
Is GW monitoring being conducted, if required?
Are GW samples from all MWs sampled for all required parameters?
Are there any GW quality violations?
Is GW-59A certification form completed for facility?
Is a copy of current permit on-site?
Are current metals and nutrient analysis available?
Are nutrient and metal loading calculating most limiting parameters?
a. TCLP analysis?
b. SSFA (Standard Soil Fertility Analysis)?
Are PAN balances being maintained?
Are PAN balances within permit limits?
Has land application equipment been calibrated?
Are there pH records for alkaline stabilization?
Are there pH records for the land application site?
Are nutrient/crop removal practices in place?
Do lab sheets support data reported on Residual Analysis Summary?
Are hauling records available?
Are hauling records maintained and up-to-date?
# Has permittee been free of public complaints in last 12 months?
Has application occurred during Seasonal Restriction window?
Scheduled to perform TCLP analysis on sludge before 6/30/2023. Currently keeping utilization
agreements with product users. Be sure to update O&M Plan (titled "SOP for Static Aerated
Pile Costruction") with current processes. See summary for additional details.
Comment:
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Yes No NA NE
a. Fecal coliform SM 9221 E (Class A or B)
Class A, all test must be <1000 MPN/dry gram
Geometric mean of 7 samples per monitoring period for class B<2.0*10E6 CFU/dry gram
Fecal coliform SM 9222 D (Class B only)
Geometric mean of 7 samples per monitoring period for class B<2.0*10E6 CFU/dry gram
b. pH records for alkaline stabilization (Class A)
c. pH records for alkaline stabilization (Class B)
Page 3 of 4
DocuSign Envelope ID: D405376B-2744-474D-B2EA-D95ECE39BFAF
Inspection Date:
Permit:
Inspection Type :
Owner - Facility:
Reason for Visit:
WQ0001990
08/11/2022 Compliance Evaluation
Town of Valdese
Routine
Temperature corrected
d. Salmonella (Class A, all test must be < 3MPN/4 gram day)
e. Time/Temp on:
Digester (MCRT)
Compost
Class A lime stabilization
f. Volatile Solids Calculations
g. Bench-top Aerobic/Anaerobic digestion results
Fecal coliform records reviewed for recent samples collected were within permit limits.
Temperature logs up-to-date and compliant.
Comment:
Treatment Yes No NA NE
Check all that apply
Aerobic Digestion
Anaerobic Digestion
Alkaline Pasteurization (Class A)
Alkaline Stabilization (Class B)
Compost
Drying Beds
Other
Two thickeners and two centrifuges present.Comment:
Sampling Yes No NA NE
Describe sampling:
Grab samples are collected from finished piles of compost. A front end loader digs 3 loader depths from two
areas within the pile and samples are collected from the hole using a spade. The samples are composited
for analysis and sent to lab for analysis.
Is sampling adequate?
Is sampling representative?
Include temperature collection depths on monitoring sheets and in O&M Plan.Comment:
Page 4 of 4
DocuSign Envelope ID: D405376B-2744-474D-B2EA-D95ECE39BFAF