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Home My WebLink AboutNCG551401_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20221108ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director Jesse Smith PO Box 391 Bahama, NC 27503 NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality November 8, 2022 Subject: Compliance Evaluation Inspection Single Family Wastewater Treatment System NPDES General Permit NCG550000 Certificate of Coverage NCG551401 Facility Name: 1316 Bahama Road Durham County Dear Mr. Smith: On November 7, 2022, Mitch Hayes from the Raleigh Regional Office visited your single-family residence (SFR) wastewater treatment system to evaluate compliance with the subject General NPDES Permit. Ms. Smith's assistance during the inspection was greatly appreciated Our records indicate the treatment system consists of a septic tank, sub -surface primary sand filter, secondary sandfilter, tablet chlorinator with chlorine contact chamber, tablet dechlorinator, discharge pipe and a rip -rap apron for post aeration. General NPDES Permit NCG550000 and Certificate of Coverage (COC) NCG551401 authorize the discharge of domestic wastewater from your treatment system to receiving waters designated as unnamed tributary to the Little River (classified WS-II; HQW, NSW, CA) in the Neuse River Basin. The authorized discharge is in accordance with the effluent limits and monitoring requirements established within the General Permit. The items below show what conditions were noted at your facility: Findings during the inspection were as follows: 1. Treatment system operation: The wastewater treatment system shall be always maintained to prevent seepage of sewage to the surface of the ground. 2. Pumping the septic tank: You are required to inspect the septic tank at least yearly to determine if solids must be removed or if other maintenance is necessary. Septic tanks should be pumped out every five years or when the solids level is found to be more than 1 /3 of the liquid depth in the septic tank compartment, whichever is greater. A pumping company can check the status periodically and determine when pumping is required. During the inspection, Ms. Smith stated that the septic tank was last pumped out in 2020. Q1) North Carolina Department cf Environmental Quality 1 Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office I 3800 Barrett Drive I Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 The General NPDES Permit requires the permittee to retain records associated with sewage disposal activities for a period of at least 5 years. 3. Chlorine tablets in the chlorinator: You are reminded that it is required that chlorine tablets be maintained in the chlorinator to ensure proper disinfection of the discharged wastewater. Chlorine tablets provide effective disinfection and prevent/limit harmful bacteria from discharging to the environment. The product label for these tablets must indicate the tablets are approved for wastewater use and not for swimming pools. Part 1, Section D (1) of General NPDES Permit NCG550000 requires the permittee to inspect the tablet chlorinator weekly to ensure there is an adequate supply of tablets for continuous and proper operation. Section D (4) requires the permittee to maintain all system components, always including ...disinfection units... and in good operating order. The inspector did not observe chlorine tablets in the chlorinator. Please ensure the correct type of tablets are used and maintained in the chlorinator as required by the General NPDES Permit 4. Dechlorination tablets: You are responsible for always having dechlorination tablets (if a required part of your system) in place. They must be the kind for wastewater treatment and not for swimming pools. The inspector observed dechlorination tablets in the treatment unit however they were stuck in the tube. Please use a stick to poke them down into the dechlorinator to provide contact with the water. Please ensure the correct type of tablets are used and maintained in the dechlorinator as required by the General NPDES Permit. 5. Analyzing the effluent: Part 1. C., Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements, within General Permit NCG550000 requires a permittee to sample and analyze the effluent leaving his/her treatment system prior to discharge annually. Parameters to be sampled and analyzed include Flow, BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), Total Suspended Solids, Fecal Coliform and Total Residual Chlorine. In the last inspection letter dated July 5, 2018, you were requested to sample your effluent and to submit the analytical results to this office. The Raleigh Regional Office has not received the requested results. If you have not monitored your effluent, then please collect a representative sample of the effluent, have it analyzed by a certified commercial laboratory and submit the results to this office no later than January 20, 2023. If, during this time, you are unable to collect a representative sample of the effluent discharge due to insufficient flow from the discharge pipe, then update this office with that information and continue to monitor the discharge and if conditions for sampling become favorable, then arrange to collect a sample. Failure to monitor the effluent discharge as required is a violation of NPDES General Permit NCGSS0000. 6. Discharge outlet location. The permittee is required to conduct a visual review of the outfall location at least twice each year (one at the time of sampling) to ensure that no visible solids or other obvious evidence of system malfunctioning is observed. Any visible signs of a malfunctioning system shall be documented, and steps taken to correct the problem. The discharge pipe was visible and accessible the day of the inspection. Please ensure the outlet is always visible/maintained and cleared of vegetation, soil and leaves. To comply with the general permit monitoring requirements, you need to be able to sample and analyze the effluent from your SFR system through the discharge pipe. You need to keep the area around the discharge pipe cleared of vegetation, soil and leaves. Please take the necessary steps to ensure the discharge outlet is visible and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1 1611 Mail Service Center J Raleigh, North Carolma 27699-1611 919.707.9000 accessible. Maintaining the area will allow you to monitor the discharge and to collect effluent samples as required by the subject permit. The wastewater treatment system should be periodically inspected to ensure the treatment components are always maintained and in good operating order. You are also reminded to maintain all monitoring data and associated maintenance records onsite for a minimum of three years and available for inspection. Within 30-days receipt of this letter, please submit a written response to this office indicating the actions you will take or have taken to comply with or resolve the issues noted in items 3, 4, and S above. If you have questions or comments about this inspection or the requirements to take corrective action (if applicable), then please contact Mitch Hayes at 919-791-4261. Sincerely, frf Vanessa E. Manuel, Assistant Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Raleigh Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ Attachment(s): EPA Water Compliance Inspection Report Laserfiche „ EQ North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality 1 Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1 1611 Mail Service Center I Raleigh. North Carolina 27699-161 919.707 9000 I I ■ ■ n- 1 ■ x; r • • ■ ■ ■ United States Environmental Protection Agency E PA Washington, D.C. 20460 Water Compliance Inspection Report Form Approved. OMB No. 2040-0057 Approval expires 8-31-98 Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS) Transaction Code NPDES yrlmolday Inspection 1 1N 1 2 Is l 3 I NCG551401 111 12 22/11/07 17 Type 181 c l 1 1 1 1 1 Inspector 19 I Fac Type s I 201 211 11 1 1, 1 I I 1 ll I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 l l l l l l 1 I I I I I I I r6 Inspection Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA 671 I 70ILLJ L l 71l I 72 l NJ l L Reserved 73�74 71 1l11 1 1 1 1 180 Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include POTW name and NPDES permit Number) 1316 Bahama Road 1316 Bahama Rd Bahama NC 27503 Entry TimelDate 11:23AM 22/11/07 Permit Effective Date 21/08/09 Exit Time/Date 11:34AM 22/11/07 Permit Expiration Date 25/10/31 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)litles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) 1/1 Jesse R Smith/Owner/919-630-0840 / Other Facility Data Name, Address of Responsible Officialmtle/Phone and Fax Number Contacted Jesse R Smith,PO Box 391 Bahama NC 275031/919-630-0840/ No Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) 111 Permit Ill Records/Reports Facility Site Review Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) (See attachment summary) Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date Mitchell S Hayes DWR/RRO WQ/919-791-4200/ /'2.-,1 A/oren t as c2OJ Signature of Management Q A Reviewer .9ency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date ` vt011.602, 11, Z)22 T-- ,C - r EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. Page# 1 1 NPDES NCG551401 yr/mo/day 22/11/07 117 Inspection Type 18b.1 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) There were no chlorinator in the chlorinator. Dechlor tablets were stuck in the top of the tube and not contacting the water. Effluent analyses is not being done. No records available. Page# 2 Permit: NCG551401 Owner - Facility: 1316 Bahama Road Inspection Date: 11/07/2022 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Permit (If the present permit expires in 6 months or less). Has the permittee submitted a new application? Is the facility as described in the permit? # Are there any special conditions for the permit? Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public? Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection? Comment: Record Keeping Are records kept and maintained as required by the permit? Is all required information readily available, complete and current? Are all records maintained for 3 years (lab. reg. required 5 years)? Are analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs? Is the chain -of -custody complete? Dates, times and location of sampling Name of individual performing the sampling Results of analysis and calibration Dates of analysis Name of person performing analyses Transported COCs Are DMRs complete: do they include all permit parameters? Has the facility submitted its annual compliance report to users and DWQ? (If the facility is = or > 5 MGD permitted flow) Do they operate 24/7 with a certified operator on each shift? Is the ORC visitation log available and current? Is the ORC certified at grade equal to or higher than the facility classification? Is the backup operator certified at one grade less or greater than the facility classification? Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site? Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review? Comment Analyses of effluent is not being done. No records available. Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑ • ❑ ▪ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ Yes No NA NE ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ O 0 O CI 0 0 ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ • ❑ Page# 3