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Home My WebLink AboutNC0071447_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20221121ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director Scott Gilfillan, Director The Diocese of Charlotte 1551 Trinity Lane Hickory, NC 28206 SUBJECT: Notice of Deficiency Compliance Evaluation Inspection Catholic Conference Center WWTP NPDES Permit No. NC0071447 Catawba County Tracking #: NOD-2022-PC-0189 Dear Mr. Gilfillan: NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality November 21, 2022 Enclosed is a copy of the Compliance Evaluation Inspection (CEI) Report for the inspection conducted at the subject facility on November 17, 2022, by Mr. Wes Bell of this Office. Please advise the facility's Operator -in -Responsible Charge (ORC) of our findings by forwarding the enclosed report. This report is being issued as a Notice of Deficiency (NOD) due to the failure to have a designated operator perform the required visitations at the wastewater treatment plant (for approximately one month) which is a violation of the subject NPDES Permit and North Carolina General Statute (G.S.) 143-215.1. Please note that G.S. 143-215.6A provides for a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00), or twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) per day when the violation is of a continuing nature, 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. Penalties may also be assessed for any damage to surface waters of the State that may result from the violation. D_E 11,arliworkt el G. ritmloalal Oat' North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Mooresville Regional Office 1610 East Center Avenue. Suite 301 1 Mooresville. North Carolina 28115 704.663.1699 It is requested that a written response be submitted to this Office by December 12, 2022, detailing the actions taken to address the violation as discussed in more detail in the attached report. In responding, please address your comments to the attention of Mr. Wes Bell. Should you have any questions concerning this Notice, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Bell at (704) 235-2192 or at wes.bell@ncdenr.gov. Enclosure: Inspection Report Cc: NPDES Program Files - Laserfiche DNORTH CAPOLI. _E 111.•rhworkt G. rOrmloalal Oat,' Sincerely, �DocuSigned by: F161FB69A2D84A3... Andrew H. Pitner, P.G. Assistant Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Mooresville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Mooresville Regional Office 1610 East Center Avenue. Suite 301 1 Mooresville. North Carolina 28115 704.663.1699 United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA 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 yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type 1 IN I 2 IL I 3 I NC0071447 111 121 22/11/17 117 1810I 191 S I 2011 21 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I I I I I I 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 I 1 P6 Inspection Work Days Facility Self -Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA Reserved 67I2.0 I 70I4 I 71IN I 72 I N I 73I 1 74 751 I I 1 I I I I I I 180 l Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date POTW name and NPDES permit Number) 09:30AM 22/11/17 20/09/01 Catholic Conference Center WWTP 1551 Trinity Ln NCSR 1120 Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date Hickory NC 28602 10:52AM 22/11/17 25/07/31 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) Other Facility Data /// Dennis W Murdock/// Frank Corsi/Associate Lead// Todd Robinson/Area Manager/252-235-8809 / Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Contacted Scott Gilfillan,1551 Trinity Ln Hickory NC 28602/Director/828-327-7441/ No Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Permit Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenar Records/Reports Self -Monitoring Progran Sludge Handling Dispo: Facility Site Review Effluent/Receiving Wate Laboratory 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 Wes Bell -Docusiyned by: DWR/MRO WQ/704-663-1699 Ext.2192/ 11/21/2022 '-A61696D9OCC3437... Signature of Ma vwts04"AdfRviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date Andrew Pitn r 1"" {'''u" H P44"J/R/MRO WQ/704-663-1699 Ext.2180/ 11/21/2022 F161FB69A2D84A3... EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. Page# 1 sI NPDES yr/mo/day NC0071447 111 121 22/11/17 I17 Inspection Type 18 [j (Cont.) 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) RECORD KEEPING SECTION cont'd: The facility was not being operated/visited by one of the designated backup ORCs following the resignation of the previous ORC in September 2022. The non -designated operator has been visiting the wastewater facility for approximately one month. Please be advised that the subject permit requires that either the designated ORC or backup ORC(s) must visit the facility five days per week excluding holidays [Permit Condition Reference: Part II, Section C(1) Certified Operator]. The Permittee must ensure one of the designated backup ORCs operate/visit the facility until a new ORC is designated (within 120 days). Page# 2 Permit: NC0071447 Inspection Date: 11/17/2022 Owner - Facility: Catholic Conference Center WWTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Permit Yes No NA NE (If the present permit expires in 6 months or less). Has the permittee submitted a new El El • ❑ application? Is the facility as described in the permit? • El El El # Are there any special conditions for the permit? El El • El Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection? • El El El Comment: The last compliance evaluation inspection at this facility was performed by DWR staff on 7/23/2020. 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? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • • ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ • ❑ • ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ Page# 3 Permit: NC0071447 Inspection Date: 11/17/2022 Owner - Facility: Catholic Conference Center WWTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Comment: The records reviewed during the inspection were organized and well maintained. Discharge Monitoring Reports (eDMRs) were reviewed from October 2021 through September 2022. Daily maximum effluent BOD (June 2022) and fecal coliform (August 2022) violations were reported. The Division has previously addressed these limit violations through the issuances of either Notice of Violations (NOVs) or NOV/civil penalty assessments. See "Summary" Section for additonal comments. Laboratory Are field parameters performed by certified personnel or laboratory? Are all other parameters(excluding field parameters) performed by a certified lab? # Is the facility using a contract lab? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Incubator (Fecal Coliform) set to 44.5 degrees Celsius+/- 0.2 degrees? Incubator (BOD) set to 20.0 degrees Celsius +/- 1.0 degrees? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: On -site field analyses (pH, temperature and total residual chlorine) are performed under Environlink's field laboratory certification #5212. Statesville Analytical has also been contracted to perform analyses of all permit -required parameters except field. The facility staff must ensure that post calibration checks are performed (on all applicable meters) at the end of the day if these meters are used to perform effluent analyses at multiple facilities (Reference: NC Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification - Approved Procedure for the analyses of dissolved oxygen, pH and total residual chlorine). Effluent Sampling Yes No NA NE Is composite sampling flow proportional? ❑ ❑ • ❑ Is sample collected below all treatment units? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is proper volume collected? ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ Is the tubing clean? ❑ ❑ ■ ❑ # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 ❑ ❑ • ❑ degrees Celsius)? Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type • ❑ ❑ ❑ representative)? Comment: The subject permit requires effluent grab samples. Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable II ❑ ❑ ❑ Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable? Page# 4 Permit: NC0071447 Inspection Date: 11/17/2022 Owner - Facility: Catholic Conference Center WWTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Comment: The wastewater treatment facility appeared to be adequately treating the wastewater at the time of the inspection. Process control measurements are being performed and documented. The wastewater treatment plant structure (chlorination area) was exhibiting evidence of severe rust and corrosion. The permittee should initiate a structural evaluation on the entire wastewater facility to identify all areas in need of repair. All identified areas should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent worsening conditions that could lead to structural failure. Please be advised that the subject permit requires the permittee to properly operate and maintain the facility at all times. Bar Screens Type of bar screen a.Manual b.Mechanical Are the bars adequately screening debris? Is the screen free of excessive debris? Is disposal of screening in compliance? Is the unit in good condition? Comment: The facility is equipped with a coarse bar screen. Yes No NA NE • • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ Aeration Basins Yes No NA NE Mode of operation Ext. Air Type of aeration system Diffused Is the basin free of dead spots? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Are surface aerators and mixers operational? ❑ ❑ • ❑ Are the diffusers operational? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the foam the proper color for the treatment process? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Does the foam cover less than 25% of the basin's surface? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the DO level acceptable? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the DO level acceptable?(1.0 to 3.0 mg/I) ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: Both blower/motor units were operational and both check valves operated properly_ during the on -site test. Secondary Clarifier Is the clarifier free of black and odorous wastewater? Is the site free of excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier? Are weirs level? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ • ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ Page# 5 Permit: NC0071447 Inspection Date: 11/17/2022 Owner - Facility: Catholic Conference Center WWTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Secondary Clarifier Yes No NA NE Is the site free of weir blockage? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the site free of evidence of short-circuiting? ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ Is scum removal adequate? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the site free of excessive floating sludge? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the drive unit operational? ❑ El • El Is the return rate acceptable (low turbulence)? ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the overflow clear of excessive solids/pin floc? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the sludge blanket level acceptable? (Approximately'/4 of the sidewall depth) • ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: This Office recommends the installation of a netting for the clarifier to minimize the potential impacts of leaves, debris, etc. from the surrounding tree canopy. Note: The clarifier's return activation sludge line had to be unclogged during the inspection. Disinfection -Tablet Yes No NA NE Are tablet chlorinators operational? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Are the tablets the proper size and type? ■ ❑ ❑ ❑ Number of tubes in use? 4 Is the level of chlorine residual acceptable? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the contact chamber free of growth, or sludge buildup? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is there chlorine residual prior to de -chlorination? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: Calcium hypochlorite tablets are used for disinfection. De -chlorination Yes No NA NE Type of system ? Tablet Is the feed ratio proportional to chlorine amount (1 to 1)? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is storage appropriate for cylinders? ❑ ❑ • ❑ # Is de -chlorination substance stored away from chlorine containers? • El ❑ ❑ Comment: Are the tablets the proper size and type? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Are tablet de -chlorinators operational? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Number of tubes in use? 3 Comment: Sodium Sulfite tablets are used for dechlorination. Flow Measurement - Effluent Yes No NA NE Page# 6 Permit: NC0071447 Inspection Date: 11/17/2022 Owner - Facility: Catholic Conference Center WWTP Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Flow Measurement - Effluent # Is flow meter used for reporting? Is flow meter calibrated annually? Is the flow meter operational? (If units are separated) Does the chart recorder match the flow meter? Yes No NA NE • ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ Comment: Instantaneous flow measurements are performed by the bucket and stop watch method. Effluent Pipe Is right of way to the outfall properly maintained? Are the receiving water free of foam other than trace amounts and other debris? If effluent (diffuser pipes are required) are they operating properly? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: The facility was not discharging at the time of the inspection. The receiving stream did not appear to be negatively impacted. Aerobic Digester Is the capacity adequate? Is the mixing adequate? Is the site free of excessive foaming in the tank? # Is the odor acceptable? # Is tankage available for properly waste sludge? Yes No NA NE • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ • ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: The facility is equipped with an aerated sludge holding tank. Lake Norman Sewer & Septic has been contracted to remove and dispose of the sludge in the holding tank. Page# 7