WQCSD0407_NOV-2022-DV-0262 Response_20220928

An 04 Essential Utilities Company
September 28, 2022
Mr. Andrew H. Pitner, P.G.
Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Mooresville Regional Office
DWR / NCDEQ
610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 28115
Re: Notice of Violation & Intent to Issue Civil Penalty
NOV-2022-DV-0262
Windemere Collection System, Iredell County
Collection System Permit No. WQCSD0407
Dear Mr. Pitner:
RECEIVED/NCDEQ/DWR
SEP 2 92L2.
WQROS
MOORESVILLE REGIONAL OFFICE
aserfiche
Aqua North Carolina, Inc. (Aqua) offers the following response to the above -referenced Notice of Violation
& Intent to Issue Civil Penalty, which was issued for the sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) that occurred
August 7, 2022, Incident Number 202201259:
Aqua' s Response:
Upon notification of a possible sewer release, an Aqua technician arrived on site within two hours.
Aqua identified a broken force main and immediately stopped the discharge. The sewer release
was a result of a broken force main and was repaired within three hours. Upon discovery of the
release, Aqua contracted Highland Environmental Solutions, Inc. (HES) who responded to the site
within 24 hours to assess and develop a remediation plan. HES constructed a containment dam at
the midpoint of the wet weather ditch and installed silt fencing at the confluence between the wet
weather ditch and the cove in Lake Norman. Clean water was used to flush solids that had
accumulated in the wet weather ditch and liquid and solids were removed using two vacuum trucks.
Flushing continued until all residual sewage solids had been removed. In the cove, solids that
accumulated on the bottom of the lake were recovered using a vacuum hose. Personnel waded into
the lake and kept the vacuum hose near the lake bottom to remove the solids. The areas impacted
by the release were properly abated within 30 hours of the pipe repair.
Aqua initially estimated 6,000 gallons possibly hit surface water. After full evaluation and
remediation, HES estimates 2,000 gallons reached surface water. The spill resulted in no harm to
natural resources, private property or aquatic life. There was no negative impact on surface water
detected. DEQ personnel notified the Health Department of the release. Aqua is not aware of any
notice to the public being issued by the Health Department regarding the release. Aqua takes the
responsibility for operating and maintaining our systems in a manner to avoid any release seriously
and spends millions of dollars annually to maintain and improve our infrastructure. There is no
cost savings to Aqua for the rupture of the force main, nor was the broken main caused in a willing

or intentional manner. The cost Aqua was charged for the remediation service was in excess of
$18,700.
The Windemere Collection System has not had any prior violations for compliance or failure to
comply with programs over which the Environmental Management Commission has regulated
authority.
Sincerely,
Laurie T. Ison
Area Manager
cc: Joseph Pearce
Amanda Berger
Shannon Becker
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