NC0061123_Permit Issuance_20071001

NPDES DOCUHENT SCANNING COVER SHEET
NPDES Permit:
NC0061123
The Mountain Retreat WWTP
' ---- 3
Document Type: f
.
Permit Issuance
Wasteload Allocation
Authorization to Construct (AtC)
Permit Modification
Complete File - Historical
Engineering Alternatives (EAA)
Correspondence
Owner Name Change
Technical Correction
Instream Assessment (67b)
Speculative Limits
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Document Date:
October 1, 2007
Miss document is printed on reusse paper - igzmore any
content on time relineriae raid€

Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
October 1, 2007
Mr. Ian R. Denham
The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers, Inc.
PO Box 1299
Highlands, North Carolina 27699-1616
Subject: Issuance of NPDES
Permit NC0061123
The Mountain Retreat WWTP
Macon County
Dear Mr. Denham:
Coleen H. Sullins, Director
Division of Water Quality
Division personnel have reviewed and approved your application for renewal of the subject
permit. Accordingly, we are forwarding the attached NPDES discharge permit. This permit is
issued pursuant to the requirements of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1 and the
Memorandum of Agreement between North Carolina and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency dated May 9, 1994 (or as subsequently amended).
This permit includes no major changes from the draft permit sent to you on August 1, 2007.
If any parts, measurement frequencies or sampling requirements contained in this permit are
unacceptable to you, you have the right to an adjudicatory hearing upon written request within thirty
(30) days following receipt of this letter. This request must be in the form of a written petition,
conforming to Chapter 150B of the North Carolina General Statutes, and filed with the Office of
Administrative Hearings (6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-6714). Unless
such demand is made, this decision shall be final and binding.
Please note that this permit is not transferable except after notice to the Division. The Division may
require modification or revocation and reissuance of the permit. This permit does not affect the legal
requirements to obtain other permits which may be required by the Division of Water Quality or
permits required by the Division of Land Resources, the Coastal Area Management Act or any other
Federal or Local governmental permit that may be required. If you have any questions concerning this
permit, please contact Bob Guerra at telephone number [phone], extension 539.
Coleen H. Sullins
cc: Central Files
Asheville Regional Office / Surface Water Protection
NPDES Unit
Aquatic Toxicology Unit
A
Carolina
aiura//y
North Carolina Division of Water Quality 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Phone [phone] Customer Service
Internet: www.ncwaterquality.org Location: 512 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, NC 27604 Fax [phone]
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer —50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper

Permit NC0061123
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
In compliance- with the provision of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other
lawful standards and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina
Environmental Management Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act, as amended, the
The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers, Inc.
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers WWTP
3872 Dillard Road
Macon County
to receiving waters designated as Abes Creek in. the Savannah Broad River Basin
in accordance with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other
conditions set forth in Parts I, II, III and IV hereof.
This permit shall become effective November 1, 2007.
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on August 31,
2012.
Signed this day October 1, 2007.
Coleen H. Sullins, Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission

Permit NC0061123
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or
discharge are hereby revoked. As of this permit issuance, any previously issued
permit bearing this number is no longer effective. Therefore, the exclusive authority
to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the permit conditions,
requirements, terms, and provisions included herein.
The Mountain Retreat WWTP is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate an existing 0.006 MGD wastewater treatment facility with
the following components:
• Multiple septic tanks and
• Surface sand filters
This facility is located at 3872 Dillard Road at The Mountain Retreat. & Learning
Center, Inc SW of Highlands in Macon County.
2. Discharge from said treatment works, through Outfall 001, into Abes Creek,
classified C-Trout - ORW waters in the Savannah River Basin, at the location
specified on the attached map.

The Mountain Retreat & Learning
Center The Mountain Retreat WWTP
Latitude: 35° 01' 54" N State Grid: Scaly Mountain
Longitude: 83° 15' 44" W Permitted Flow: 0.006 MGD
Receiving Stream: Abes Creek Drainage Basin: Savannah River Basin
Stream Class: C — Trout-ORW Sub -Basin: 03-13-02
NPDES Permit No. NC0061123
Macon County

Permit NC0061123
A. (1.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the Permittee is
authorized to discharge from outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored by the Permittee as
specified below:
EFFLUENT , „ , ',
CHARACTERISTICS f
LIM
x
'1<S
rt
MONITORING REQUIREMENTS z
_ ..� s
♦fi
Month Average
�t F+y YES.
,�'�' 'x&'�, r .
"Dail` Maximum
M r . u
.. �.'�'�"'' .
Measurements
✓ a' iliii2n?t'ji
Frequency � ,
SarmpleType `'
';T 1 0.�.
r �5 �` AR.�
SampleLocation1 '
',:a:? p YeY"+.yY: tl ]i f N
r �.. � ����a s!M`
Flow2
0.006 MGD
Weekly
Instantaneous
Influent or
Effluent
BOD, 5-day (20°C)
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
2/Month
Grab
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
2/Month
Grab
Effluent
NH3 as N
Monitor & Report
2/Month
Grab
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen3
Monitor & Report
Weekly
Grab
Effluent,
Upstream &
Downstream
Fecal Coliform (geometric
mean)
200/100 mL
400/100 mL
2/Month
Grab
Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine4
17 ug/L
2/Week
Grab
Effluent
Temperature °C
Monitor & Report
Daily
Grab
Effluent
Temperature °C
Monitor & Report
Weekly
Grab
Upstream &
Downstream
MBAS
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
Effluent
Chronic Toxicity5
Monitor & Report
Quarterly
Grab
Effluent
Hg
p•
Monitor & Report
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
Footnotes:
1. Sampling Locations: Upstream (50 feet from discharge point); Downstream (100 feet from discharge
point).
2. See special condition A. (2.).
3. The daily average dissolved oxygen concentration shall not be less than 6.0 mg/L.
4. See special condition A. (3.).
5. See special condition A. (4.). Chronic Toxicity (Ceriodaphnia) P/F at 90%: February, May, August and
November.
6. The pH shall not be less than 6.0 standard units nor greater than 9.0 standard units.
There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.
A. (2.) EXPANSION / MODIFICATION CONDITION
In the event that additional facilities at this site discharge to the Little Tennessee River Basin are
constructed, the 0.006 MGD discharge into the Savannah River shall either be eliminated or
redirected to the Little Tennessee River Basin.
A. (3.) DECHLORINATION CONDITION
If chlorine disinfection is used, the permit holder shall employ dechlorination facilities.

Permit NC0061123
A. (4.) CHRONIC TOXICITY PERMIT LIMIT (QRTRLY)
The effluent discharge shall at no time exhibit observable inhibition of reproduction or significant mortality to
Ceriodaphnia dubia at an effluent concentration of 90%.
The permit holder shall perform at a minimum, quarterly monitoring using test procedures outlined in the
"North Carolina Ceriodaphnia Chronic Effluent Bioassay Procedure," Revised February 1998, or subsequent
versions or `North Carolina Phase II Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Procedure" (Revised February
1998) or subsequent versions. The tests will be performed during the months of February, May, August and
November. Effluent sampling for this testing shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent
discharge below all treatment processes.
If the test procedure performed as the first test of any single quarter results in a failure or ChV below
the permit limit, then multiple -concentration testing shall be performed at a minimum, in each of the two
following months as described in "North Carolina Phase II Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Test
Procedure" (Revised -February 1998) or subsequent versions.
The chronic value for multiple concentration tests will be determined using the geometric mean of the highest
concentration having no detectable impairment of reproduction or survival and the lowest concentration that
does have a detectable impairment of reproduction or survival. The definition of "detectable impairment,"
collection methods, exposure regimes, and further statistical methods are specified in the `North Carolina Phase
II Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Procedure" (Revised -February 1998) or subsequent versions.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent Discharge
Monitoring Form (MR-1) for the months in which tests were performed, using the parameter code TGP3B for
the pass/fail results and THP3B for the Chronic Value. Additionally, DWQ Form AT-3 (original) is to be sent
to the following address:
Attention: North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Environmental Sciences Section
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Environmental Sciences Section no later than 30
days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be complete, accurate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all
concentration/response data, and be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved designate
signature. Total residual chlorine of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if chlorine is
employed for disinfection of the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required,
the permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity (AT) test form indicating
the facility name, permit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report with the notation of
"No Flow" in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted to the Environmental Sciences
Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, monitoring will be
required during the following month.
Should any test data from this monitoring requirement or tests performed by the North Carolina
Division of Water Quality indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re-
opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival, minimum control organism reproduction, and appropriate environmental controls,
shall constitute an invalid test and will require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later
than the last day of the month following the month of the initial monitoring.

PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMEAGEMENT
COMMISSION/NPDES UNIT
1617 MAIL SERVICE CENTER
RALEIGH, NC 27699-1617
NOTIFICATION OF INTENT
TO ISSUE A
NPDES WASTEWATER PERMIT
On the basis of thorough staff review
and application of NC General Statute
14321, Public law 92-500 and other law-
ful standards and regulations, the North
Carolina Environmental Management
Commission proposes to issue a Na-
tional Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) wastewater discharge
permit to the person(s) listed below 'ef-
fective 45 days from the publish date of
this notice.
Written comments regarding the pro-
posed permit will be accepted until 30
days after the publish date of this notice.
All comments received prior to that date
are considered in the final determina-
tions regarding the proposed permit. The
Director of the NC Division of Water
Quality may decide to hold a public
meeting for the proposed permit should
the Division receive a significant degree
of public interest
Copies of the draft permit and other sup-
porting information on file used to de-
termine conditions present in the draft
permit are available upon request and
payment of the costs of reproduction.
Mail comments and/or requests for in-
formation to the NC Division of Water
Quality at the above address or call Ms.
Frances Candelaria [phone], ex-
tension 520 at the Point Source Branch.
Please include the NPDES permit num-
ber (attached) in any communication.
Interested persons may also visit the Di-
vision of Water Quality at 512 N. Salis-
bury Street, Raleigh, NC 27804-1148
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00
p.m. to review information on file.
The Mountain Retreat and Learning
Center, permit number NC0061123, has
applied for renewal of its permit dis-
charging to Abes Creek in the Savan-
nah River Basin.
The Franklin Press
Post Office Box 350
Franklin, NC 28744
ATION Personally appeared before the undersigned,
Dorothy Halpin , who
on oath that she is the administrative assistant of The Franklin Press, and the
Rnent was published in The Franklin Press newspaper, and entered
as second
Franklin in said county and state; and that he is authorized to make this affidavit
that the notice or other legal advertisement, a true copy of which is attached
)ublished in
The Franklin Press newspaper on the following dates:
e a NPDES Wastewater Permit
wspaper in which such notice, paper, document or legal advertisement was
• each and every such publication, a newspaper meeting all the requirements
1-597 of the General Statues of North Carolina and was a qualified
ig of the Section 1-597 of the General Statues of North Carolina.
affidavit
ire me this 7"' day of August, 2007
an ,/-.6
cal c,(/,'xe-r'
Notary Public
My Commission Expires:
.5: (2qOC)
1

The Mountain
Retreat & Learning Centers, Inc.
P. O. Box 1299
Highlands, NC 28741
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.mountaincenters.org
1-:.;---,i.,,
1,
April 16 2007, APR 2 3 '1? cat k U.) i ,::::1 41 f ', ' li , rr-'. -
1�--'
Carolyn Bryant .,;';--�-_
NC Department of Environment Et Natural Resour�c sojRcE A4cH
Division of Water Quality / NPDS Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
Subject: NPDES Permit Application
The Mountain Retreat WWTP
NPDES Permit NC0061123
Macon County
Dear Ms. Bryant:
Please find enclosed our response to your request for information on our
Solids handling and disposal.
The waste water stream from our facility is considered residential waste
and so the solids (sludge) from our plant are removed from the septic tanks by
commercial septic tank pump truck and are disposed of through their normal
sites.
The frequency of removal is dependent upon the volume of sludge
accumulated in the septic tanks.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel
free to contact me at 828-526-5838 ext 229, or by e-mail
[e-mail] Thank -you.
Ian R. Denham, Facilities Director
tpvt �rtirrtt fame -erAt ivps-.r Cirt++.e

The Mountain
Retreat & Learning Centers, Inc.
P.O. Box 1299
Highlands, NC 28741
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.mountaincenters.org
March 23, 2007,
NC Department of Environment Et Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality / NPDS Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
Subject: NPDES Permit Application
The Mountain Retreat WWTP
NPDES Permit NC0061123
Macon County
To Whom It May Concern:
Please find enclosed our application for renewal of our NPDES permit.
We were un-aware of the deadline for the application until Wednesday of this
week when we contacted Mr. Roger Edwards of the Asheville Regional office to
find out when the renewal might be due. It would seem we may not have
received the renewal package your unit would have sent out.
In the data we are returning to, there are a few things we should explain.
We have entered what we feel is a realistic number for the maximum daily flow.
Since the filters are not covered, our discharge is affected by heavy rain. We
have good water usage numbers which give a more accurate number on those
days.
We were not quite sure what effluent data you were requesting so we
entered ranges of results over 3 years. Summer temperatures we used June thru
September, and winter temperatures December thru February.
We did not list any permits or applications but are in the process of
applying for a Special Order of Consent while we change over to a sub -surface
discharge for our plant.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel
free to contact me at 828-526-5838 ext 229, or by e-mail
ian.denham®mountaincenters.org Thank -you.
Ian R. Denham, Facilities Director
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e fvv3vTs-f 6,- Cv144-t

FACT SHEET FOR EXPEDITED PERMIT RENEWALS
Basic Information to determine potential for expedited peXmit renewal
Reviewer/Date -
Bd, 5 . 3 f aalo'?
Permit Number
•J Co0 b i 12.3
Facility Name
`11c. dtjciAL,, c('revt } Co.'Icrcv►tc Cc,,r�.
Basin Name/Sub-basin number
.S Cwi4. I 0 3 j 3 02
Receiving Stream
IA h e, C. r eels
Stream Classification in Permit
C -7r _ p R'
Does permit need NH3 limits?
W o
Does permit need TRC limits?
0 d
Does permit have toxicity testing?
Ye s
Does permit have Special Conditions?
Is
Does permit have instream monitoring?
r
Is the stream impaired (on 303(d) list)?
We
Any obvious compliance concerns?
WI - jvx ; c:A l
Any permit mods since last permit?
N a
Existing expiration date
V/3! I 67
New expiration date
31 20; 2-
New permit effective date
Miscellaneous Comments
lAwi Wes. o id sre4 it V/ A ru (9 ail l9 WEI"Cciill I me n►.c9 Sir 4c.11
YES
This is a SIMPLE EXPEDITED permit renewal (administrative
renewal with no changes, or only minor changes such as TRC, NH3,
name/ownership changes). Include conventional WTPs in this group.
YES This is a MORE COMPLEX EXPEDITED permit renewal (includes
Special Conditions (such as EAA, Wastewater Management Plan), 303(d)
listed, toxicity testing, instream monitoring, compliance concerns, phased
limits). Basin Coordinator to make case -by -case decision.
YES_ This permit CANNOT BE EXPEDITED for one of the following reasons:
• Major Facility (municipal/industrial)
• Minor Municipals with pretreatment program
• Minor Industrials subject to Fed Effluent Guidelines (lb/day limits for BOD, TSS,
etc)
• Limits based on reasonable potential analysis (metals, GW remediation organics)
• Permitted flow > 0.5 MGD (requires full Fact Sheet)
• Permits determined by Basin Coordinator to be outside expedited process
TB Version 8/18/2006 (NPDES Server/Current Versions/Expedited Fact Sheet)
YES
This is a SIMPLE EXPEDITED permit renewal (administrative
renewal with no changes, or only minor changes such as TRC, NH3,
name/ownership changes). Include conventional WTPs in this group.
YES This is a MORE COMPLEX EXPEDITED permit renewal (includes
Special Conditions (such as EAA, Wastewater Management Plan), 303(d)
listed, toxicity testing, instream monitoring, compliance concerns, phased
limits). Basin Coordinator to make case -by -case decision.
YES_ This permit CANNOT BE EXPEDITED for one of the following reasons:
• Major Facility (municipal/industrial)
• Minor Municipals with pretreatment program
• Minor Industrials subject to Fed Effluent Guidelines (lb/day limits for BOD, TSS,
etc)
• Limits based on reasonable potential analysis (metals, GW remediation organics)
• Permitted flow > 0.5 MGD (requires full Fact Sheet)
• Permits determined by Basin Coordinator to be outside expedited process
TB Version 8/18/2006 (NPDES Server/Current Versions/Expedited Fact Sheet)