HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0020214_Draft Permit_20221207ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S. BISER
Secretary
RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR.
Director
Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority
Attn: Stan Bryson
1246 W Main St
Sylva, NC 28779
Dear Permittee:
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
December 6, 2022
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC0020214
TWSA Plant #2
Grade II Biological WPCS
Jackson County
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the draft
permit for your facility. Please review this draft carefully to ensure your thorough understanding of the
information, conditions, and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
1. Language has been updated in Section A. (1) and Section A. (3) to require electronic submission of
effluent data. Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs).
2. The facility grade has been added in Section A. (1).
3. Effluent limits for ammonia nitrogen and footnote regarding compliance schedule have been added in
Section A. (1). According to the 2016 ammonia permitting guidance, all renewals should use the
Wasteload Allocation worksheet to determine the appropriate Monthly Average ammonia limits for
protection of aquatic life. For non -municipal facilities, the Daily Maximum limits should be 5 times
greater than the Monthly Average limits, and the ammonia limits are capped at 35 mg/L.
4. Measurement frequency for ammonia nitrogen has been updated in Section A. (1) per 15A NCAC
02B.0508.
5. Effluent monitoring for turbidity has been added in Section A. (1) per 15A NCAC 02B.0211 (21).
6. Instream monitoring for temperature has been added in Section A. (1) per 15A NCAC 02B.0211 (18).
7. Footnote clarifying instream sampling locations has been added in Section A. (1).
8. An updated outfall map has been included.
Please note that Scott Creek is listed as an impaired waterbody on the North Carolina 303(d) Impaired Waters
List. Addressing impaired waters is a high priority with the Division, and instream data will continue to be
evaluated. If there is noncompliance with permitted effluent limits and stream impairment can be attributed to
your facility, then mitigative measures may be required.
The NPDES standard conditions (Parts II, III, and IV) that are a part of the permit are not included in this draft
document (cover, map, and Part I). The conditions are the same as in your current permit except that agency and
division names have been updated. The latest version is available at https://bit.ly/3k5NFaL and can be viewed
online or downloaded as a PDF file.
With this notification, the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a notice in
newspapers having circulation in the general Jackson County area, per EPA requirements. Please provide your
comments, if any, to me at the address below no later than 30 days after receiving this draft permit.
1:tE
NORTH CAROLINA
Department of Environmental Wanly
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 11617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
919.707.9000
Following the 30-day public comment period, the Division will review all pertinent comments and take
appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit. If you have questions concerning the draft, please contact me at
919-707-3619, or via e-mail at siying.chen@ncdenr.gov.
cc: NPDES File [Laserfiche]
NC DEQ Asheville Regional Office [email]
Operator Certification Program [email]
£ D_E
NORTH CAROLINA
Department of Environmental Dual;\ sip00.6"
Sincerely,
Siying Chen
Environmental Specialist
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting Unit
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 11617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
919.707.9000
Permit NC0020214
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
In compliance with the provision of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the
Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at
TWSA Plant #2
114 East Hometown Place Road
Sylva
Jackson County
to receiving waters designated as Scott Creek in subbasin 04-04-02 of the Little Tennessee River Basin in
accordance with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I, II,
III, and IV hereof.
This permit shall become effective
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on October 31, 2027.
If the permittee intends to continue to discharge at the facility beyond the term of this permit, a renewal
application must be submitted no later than May 4, 2027 (180 days before the expiration of this permit).
Signed this day
Richard E. Rogers, Jr.
Director, Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 6
Permit NC0020214
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked, and as of this issuance, any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer effective.
Therefore, the exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the permit
conditions, requirements, terms, and provisions included herein.
The Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate an existing 0.5 MGD activated sludge wastewater treatment system that includes
the following components:
• Two aeration zones (191,300 gallons and 127,900 gallons)
• Stilling zone (70,000 gallons)
• Aerobic digester (112,200 gallons)
• Chlorine contact zone (10,400 gallons)
• 80 kW backup generator
• Bar screen
• Pump station
• Valve box
• Aerated grit chamber
This facility is located in Sylva at the TWSA Plant #2 off East Hometown Place Road in Jackson
County.
2. Discharge from said treatment works at the location specified on the attached map into Scott Creek
[stream index 2-79-39], currently classified C-Trout waters in subbasin 04-04-02 [HUC
0601020303] of the Little Tennessee Basin.
Page 2 of 6
Permit NC0020214
Part I
A. (1) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 15A NCAC 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade WW-2 Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G.0302]
Beginning with the effective date of the permit and lasting until expiration, the Permittee is authorized to
discharge treated wastewater from Outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored' by the
Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS
Parameter Code
LIMITS
MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
Monthly
Average
Weekly
Average
Measurement
Frequency
Sample
Type
Sample
Location
Flow 50050
0.5 MGD
Continuous
Recording
Influent or
Effluent
BOD52 C0310
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
Weekly
Composite
Influent and
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids2 C0530
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
Weekly
Composite
Influent and
Effluent
NH3 as N 5 C0610
[Apr 1 to Oct 31]
29.6 mg/L
35.0 mg/L
Weekly
Composite
Effluent
NH3 as N C0610
[Nov 1 to Mar 31]
Weekly
Composite
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen 50050
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
Fecal Coliform 31616
(geometric mean)
200/100 ml
400/100 ml
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
pH 00400
> 6.0 and < 9.0 standard units
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine (TRC)3 50060
28 pg/L Daily Maximum
2/Week
Grab
Effluent
Temperature °C 00010
Weekly
Grab
Effluent,
U&D4
Total Nitrogen
(NO2 + NOs+ TKN) C0600
Semi-annually
Composite
Effluent
Total Phosphorus C0665
Semi-annually
Composite
Effluent
Turbidity 00070
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
Footnotes:
1.
The Permittee shall submit discharge Monitoring Reports electronically using the Division's eDMR submittal
system [see A. (3)].
2. The monthly average BOD5 and total suspended solids concentrations shall not exceed 15% of their respective
influent values (85% removal).
3. The Permittee shall report all effluent TRC values reported by a NC -certified laboratory [including field -
certified]. Effluent values < 50 µg/L will be treated as zero for compliance purposes.
4. U = Upstream — 50 feet above the discharge; D = Downstream —100 feet below the discharge.
5. Ammonia limits will take effect on August 1, 2027. Until then, the permittee shall monitor effluent ammonia
with no effluent limits.
THERE SHALL BE NO DISCHARGE OF FLOATING SOLIDS OR VISIBLE FOAM VISIBLE IN
OTHER THAN TRACE AMOUNTS.
Page 3 of 6
Permit NC0020214
A. (2) SEWER LINE CONNECTIONS
[NCGS 143-215.1 (b)]
Sewer lines serving more than one building, crossing property under separate ownership or crossing
rights of way shall not be connected to the collection system of the TWSA Plant #2 WWTP unless a
permit for the construction and operation of such lines has been issued by the Division.
A. (3) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF MONITORING REPORTS
[NCGS 143-215.1 (b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and program
reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December
21, 2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this
permit (Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B. (11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D. (2.) Reporting
• Section D. (6.) Records Retention
• Section E. (5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)1
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic
Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
submitted electronically using eDMR. The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter
monitoring data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. The eDMR system may be
accessed at: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr.
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the facility
being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have broadband
access, then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted
and discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms (MR 1, 1.1, 2, 3) or
alternative forms approved by the Director. Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to the
following address:
NC DEQ / Division of Water Resources / Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
See "How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Page 4 of 6
Permit NC0020214
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
reported via the eDMR system no later than the last calendar day of the month following the
completed reporting period. Regardless of the submission method, the first DMR is due on the last
day of the month following the issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last day
of the month following the commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21, 2025, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports, when applicable:
• Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
• Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and
• Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 316(b) Annual Reports.
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division (see "How to Request a
Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below).
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9), the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time
of each electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify the
initial recipient for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the entity
(EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program) that is the designated entity
for receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for
each type of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the
appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES
Electronic Reporting Rule is found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-
24954/national-pollutant-discharge-elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the "Reporting Requirements" section above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an
electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to
the Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to
the Division for written approval at least sixty (60) days prior to the date the facility would be
required under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a
temporary waiver shall not exceed 5 years and shall thereupon expire. At such time, monitoring data
and reports shall be submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re -applies for and is
granted a new temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic reporting
waivers are not transferrable. Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request may
submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved
reporting waiver request is effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on
the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Page 5 of 6
Permit NC0020214
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d)1
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(b). A person, and not a position, must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR
reporting purposes.
For eDMR submissions, the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user
account and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North
Carolina's eDMR system, registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit
the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification. Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall make
the following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION
WILL BE ACCEPTED:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my
direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or
persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information,
the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete. I
am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the
possibility of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations."
5. Records Retention [Supplements Section D. (6.)1
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR submissions. These
records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the date of the report. This period
may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR 122.41].
Page 6 of 6
Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority
TWSA Plant #2
NPDES Permit NC0020214
114 East Hometown Place Road, Sylva
Receiving Stream: Scott Creek
Stream Segment: 2-79-39
River Basin: Little Tennessee
County: Jackson
Stream Class: C-Trout
Sub -Basin #: 04-04-02
HUC: 0601020303
N
Scale
1:24,000
Facility Location
Jackson County
Outfall 001: 35° 22' 25" N, 83° 14' 29" W
USGS Quad: Sylva South