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Home My WebLink AboutNCG551411_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20221108ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. NORTH CAROLINA Director Environmental Quality November 8, 2022 Jo Robinson 1124 South Lowell Road Bahama, NC 27503 Subject: Compliance Evaluation Inspection Single Family Wastewater Treatment System NPDES General Permit NCG550000 Certificate of Coverage NCG551411 Facility Name: 1124 South Lowell Road Durham County Dear Mr. Robinson: 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. Your grandson's assistance with this inspection was greatly appreciated. Our records indicate the treatment system consists of a septic tank, sub -surface sand filter, 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) NCG551411 authorize the discharge of domestic wastewater from your treatment system to receiving waters designated as Mountain Creek (classified WS-II; HQW, NSW 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 maintained at all times 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 1l3 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 a follow up phone call on November 8, 2022, you stated the septic tank was last pumped out 6 years ago. The General NPDES Permit requires the permittee to retain records associated with sewage disposal activities for a period of at least 5 years. D_E North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Raleigh Regional Office I 3800 Barrett Drive 1 Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 919.791.4200 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, including...disinfection units...at all times and in good operating order. The inspector [observed chlorine tablets in the chlorinator. Please continue to ensure the correct type of tablets are used and maintained in the chlorinator as required by the Genera! 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. Please continue to 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. During the follow-up phone call on November 8, 2022, you informed the inspector that the effluent has not been monitored within the last 12 months. 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 NCG550000. 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 continue to ensure the outlet is always visible/maintained and cleared of vegetation, soil and leaves. The wastewater treatment system should be periodically inspected. Please continue to periodically inspect the wastewater treatment system 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. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality 1 Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1 1611 Mail Service Center 1 Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 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 2 and 5 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, tAi-e-AA-1 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 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality j Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street l 1611 Mail Service Center 1 Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 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 (Le., PCS) Transaction Code NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection 1 1LI I 2 IF I 31 NCG551411 111 12 22/11/07 17 Type 181 c I 1 l l l 1 Inspector 19 Fac Type Ls] I 20u 21llil l l l l l 111 l l l l l 1 l l l l l l l 1 l l l lit d i l l r6 l Inspection Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA 671 1 70 I3 I 7111 j 72 L N j r I� Reserved 731 I 174 75� LLB 1 I l l l I l 180 1 Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include POTW name and NPDES permit Number) 11124 South Lowell Road 11124 S Lowell Rd Bahama NC 27503 Entry Time/Date 11:03AM 22/11/07 Permit Effective Date 07/11/08 Exit Time/Date 11:13AM 22/11/07 Permit Expiration Date p 12/07/31 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(stles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) /// Joseph C Robinson1/919-818-1600/ Other Facility Data Name, Address of Responsible OfficialRtle/Phone and Fax Number Contacted Joseph C Robinson,106 Kilt Way Durham NC 277121/919-818-1600/ Yes Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) IN Permit Records/Reports • Self -Monitoring Progran 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/ MV64,be 0 g, 2-a,),?- Si ,. S44i-aFi-A ignature of Management Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date 7;,,,..e.4.4_,F. 7//o,— 11, Zo22 EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. Page# 1 1 NPDES yr/ma/day NCG551411 111 11 22/11/07 117 Inspection Type 18bj� 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) Chlorine and dechlorine tablets were in their respective units. There was no discharge. Records are not being maintained. Page# 2 Pennit: NCG551411 Owner -Facility: 11124 South Lowell 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' No special conditions. 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' Records are not being maintained. Effluent Sampling Is composite sampling flow proportional? Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑ • ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ 11 ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ▪ ❑ ❑ ❑ Yes No NA NE ❑ ■ ❑ ❑ O 11100 O 1100 ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ 0 0 0 ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑■❑ Page# 3 Permit: NCG551411 Owner - Facility: 11124 South Lowell Road Inspection Date: 11/07/2022 Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Effluent Sampling Is sample collected below all treatment units? Is proper volume collected? Is the tubing clean? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at Tess than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type representative)? Comment: Yes No NA NE ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ U ❑ ❑ ❑ M ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ Page# 4