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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQCS00179_NOV-2022-DV-0291_20221010ROY COOPER Governor EUZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director Certified Mail # 7020 3160 0000 4109 0454 Return Receipt Requested Christopher Doherty, Director Public Utilities Franklin County Public Utilities 1630 U S Hwy 1 Youngsville, NC 27596-9661 NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality October 10, 2022 SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ISSUE CIVIL PENALTY Tracking No.: NOV-2022-DV-0291 Sanitary Sewer Overflows - September 2022 Collection System Permit No. WQCS00179 Franklin County Collection System Franklin County Dear Mr. Doherty: A review has been conducted of the self -reported Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO's) 5-Day Report/s submitted by Franklin County Public Utilities. The Division's Raleigh Regional Office concludes that the Franklin County Public Utilities violated Permit Condition I (2) of Permit No. WQCS00179 by failing to effectively manage, maintain, and operate their collection system so that there is no SSO (Sanitary Sewer Overflow) to the land or surface waters and the SSO constituted making an outlet to waters of the State for purposes of G.S. 143-215.1(a)(1), for which a permit is required by G.S. 143-215.1. The Raleigh Regional Office is providing the Franklin County Public Utilities an opportunity to provide evidence and justification as to why the Franklin County Public Utilities should not be assessed a civil penalty for the violation(s) that are summarized below: Incident Start Duration Number Date (Mins) Location Cause Total Vol Total Surface Vol Water (Gals) (Gals) DWR Action 202201496 9/30/2022 140 391 SW Railroad St, Inflow and 14,200 10,000 Notice of Violation - Youngsville, NC, 27596 Infiltration, Severe Notice of Intent Natural Cond`tion North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Rmaroes Raktph Regional Office • 3800 Barren Drive I Raleigh North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 This Notice of Violation / Notice of Intent to Enforce (NOV/NOI) is being issued for the noted violation. Pursuant to G.S. 143-215.6A, a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) may be assessed against any person who violates or fails to act in accordance with the terms, conditions, or requirements of any permit issued pursuant to G.S. 143-215.1. This office requests that you respond to this Notice, in writing, within 10 business days of its receipt. In your response, you should address the causes of non-compliance, remedial actions, and all other actions taken to prevent the recurrence of similar situations. The response to this correspondence will be considered in this process. Enforcement decisions will also be based on volume spilled, volume reaching surface waters, duration and gravity, impacts to public health, fish kills or recreational area closures. Other factors considered in determining the amount of the civil penalty are the violator's history of non-compliance, the cost of rectifying the damage, whether the spill was intentional and whether money was saved by non-compliance. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mitchell Hayes with the Water Quality Section in the Raleigh Regional Office at 919-791-4200 or via email at mitch.hayes@ncdenr.gov. Sincerely, Scott Vinson, Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Raleigh Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ Cc: Raleigh Regional Office - WQS File Laserfiche North Carolina Department of Environmental ()ugly I Dlvhlon of Water Resources Raleigh Regions' Office i 3800 Barrett Drive I RANO% North Carolna 27609 919.791.4200