WQCS00186_NOVNOI2023DV0079, Press Release, Fecal Results_20230214

Certified Mail # 7022 0410 0002 1249 2819
Return Receipt Requested

February 14, 2023

Lamar Nix, Director of Public Works
Town of Highlands
PO Box 460
Highlands, NC 28741-2063

SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ISSUE CIVIL PENALTY
Tracking No.: NOV-2023-DV-0079
Sanitary Sewer Overflows - February 2023
Collection System Permit No. WQCS00186
Highlands Collection System
Macon County

Dear Permittee:

A review has been conducted of the self-reported Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO’s) 5-Day Report submitted by the
Town of Highlands. The Division’s Asheville Regional Office concludes that the Town of Highlands violated Permit
Condition I (2) of Permit No. WQCS00186 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 Asheville Regional Office is providing the Town of Highlands an opportunity to provide evidence and
justification as to why the Town of Highlands should not be assessed a civil penalty for the violation(s) that are
summarized below:
Total Vol
Total Surface
Incident Start Duration Vol Water
Number Date (Mins) Location Cause (Gals) (Gals) DWR Action
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
202300252 2/8/2023 960 Force main near Pipe Failure (Break) 10,000 10,000 Notice of Violation
intersection of Cullasaja
Drive & US 64 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DocuSign Envelope ID: A2DA86C4-B457-4B6A-8652-F880D1ADD958

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 Lauren Armeni with the Water Quality Section in
the Asheville Regional Office at 828-296-4667 or via email at [e-mail].

Sincerely,

Daniel Boss, Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Asheville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ

Ec: Laserfiche
DocuSign Envelope ID: A2DA86C4-B457-4B6A-8652-F880D1ADD958

PO Box 460 Highlands, North Carolina 28741 [phone] [phone] Fax [phone]

NOTICE OF DISCHARGE OF UNTREATED SEWAGE

The Town of Highlands had a discharge of untreated wastewater from our wastewater
collection system from a main line along Franklin Road, near the Cullasaja Drive
Intersection of approximately 10,000 gallons. The discharge occurred on February 8th &
9th, 2023 for approximately 5 hours. The untreated wastewater entered into Mirror
Lake within the Cullasaja River Basin. The line was repaired to prevent further
discharge. This notice was required by North Carolina General Statutes Article 21,
Chapter 143.215C. For more information contact, Josh Ward, Town Manager at (828)
526-2118.

ENVIRONMENTAL
—IncW'~& a &LA"Am
P.O. Box 954 Cullowhee, NC 28723
50 West Sylva Shopping Center Sylva, NC 28779
Phone [phone] [phone]
FAX [phone]
E-mail [e-mail]
Certificate of Rualpois;
Client Name: Town of Highlands Collection Date: 2/9/2023
Address: 1184 Arnold Rd. Date Received: 2,19/2023
Highlands, NC 28741
RESULTS
Sample Identification- 'Town id 14; tTh1!Anr4c W A I'D- kA;1­11 I .I,- I T_­i'_'..._ 1­__L�
Date
Foot
pumfte0p,
"111
notes
Fecal Colifon-n
160
4
CFU/IOOmL
,,.Method
2/9/2023
SM 9222 D-1997
—
Sample Identification- 'Tnix/ri III A "I"D ?.A:--- Y _L-
Date
Foot-
PUM ro
..4"uIt
MDL
Units
Anal
Method
notes
Fecal Coliform
620
4
CFU/100mL
'yzed'
2/9/2023
SM 9222 D- 1997
Adfhony, Trtbna, Laboratory Supervisor
Report prepared: 2/13/2023
3:54 PM
it 3 1 J3
Date
page 1 of 1

F=
P.O. Box 954 Cullowhee, NC 28723
50 West Sylva Shopping Center Sylva, NC 28779
Phone [phone] [phone]
FAX [phone]
E-mail [e-mail]
Certificate of Rnalpoi!y
Client Name: Town of Highlands Collection Date: 2/10/2023
Address: It 84 Arnold Rd. Date Received: 2/10/2023
Highlands, NC 28741
RESULTS
SaMDIC Identification: Town ofliohInntic IVATP- X4­­1 1­
F_7'
,F`arameters
!Fecal Cofifonn
Result MDL
_1_964CFU/100mL
- — _-__--- - - -
Date Foot- I
Units
—_Analyzed Method notes
12/10/2023 S M 9222 5- 19-9 7
SarnDle Identification NA.' 1 11 - ___­­­____ I I
Date
ooi-
Parameters
Fecal Colifonn
Result
382
MDL
4
Units
CFU/100inL
_A!!�Zed_
2/10/2023
Method
SM 9222 D-1997
notes
*64k
A ony , ona, Laboratory Supervisor
Report prepared: 2/13/2023 3:57 PM
2113113
Date
page 1 of 1

P.O. Box 954 Cullowhee, NC 28723
50 West Sylva Shopping Center Sylva, NC 28779
Phone [phone] [phone]
ENVIRONMENTAL FAX [phone]
—Inc. ~~~r - E-mail [e-mail]
Certificate of Rnalps;io
Client Name: Town of Highlands Collection Date: 2/11/2023
Address: 1184 Arnold Rd. Date Received: 2/11/2023
Highlands, NC 28741
RESULTS
Sample Identification: Town of Highlands WATP- Mirror Lake Linstream (grab)
Foot-
r
CJAI�1
EItSi red
Method
notes
Fecal Coliform
25
4
CFU/100mL
2/11/2023
SM 9222 D-1997
Sample Identification: Town off ighlands WATP — Mirror Vnke. f)nwnstraam tornh)
Past o "
'utt _
MDi:
knits
Date
Arm e+
T_.:>�...._..� ...............
Method
Foot -
notes
Fecal liform
23
4
CFU/100mL
2/11/2023
SM 9222 D-1997
Anthony T Laboratory Supervisor
z1t31Z3
Date
Report prepared: 2/13/2023 3:58 PM page l of 1

MtEI
ENVIRONMENTAL
—Inc.
P.O. Box 954 Cullowhee, NC 28723
50 West Sylva Shopping Center Sylva, NC 28779
Phone [phone] [phone]
FAX [phone]
E-mail [e-mail]
(Certificate of 3nalpe4o
Client Name: Town of Highlands Collection Date: 2/12/2023
Address: 1184 Arnold Rd. Date Received: 2/12/2023
Highlands, NC 28741
RESULTS
Samvic Identification: TOW1 (if FP- MlrrCir I A,� I in f­kl
T.. . ........... . ........
Date
Foot -
Parameters Result
MDL
Units
Anal red
Method
notes
Fecal Coliforin '1 29
4
CFU/IOOmL
'2/12/2023
SM 9222 b- 199-7
Sample Identification: Town of Hiilhlandq WATP — Mirnir I Ar� F)nvvnctra o", t—M
Date
Foot-�,,
Parameters result M_DL Units AQal zed Method
§M_�212 D- 199 7 1 notes �i
Fecal Coliform 40 4 CFU/IOOmL 2/12/2023
Anthony-TiroAa, Laboratory Supervisor
Report prepared: 2/13/2023 4:00 PM
.? "3 110
Date
page 1 of 1

at,E
ENVIRONMENTAL
I�/� ■ Nf[er ■ Wsatewa[er SerYi<ef
P.O. Box 954 Cullowhee, NC 28723
50 West Sylva Shopping Center Sylva, NC 28779
Phone [phone] [phone]
FAX [phone]
E-mail [e-mail]
Certificate of Z1na1p!5i!5
Client Name: Town of Highlands Collection Date: 2/13/2023
Address: 1184 Arnold Rd. Date Received: 2/13/2023
Highlands, NC 28741
RESULTS
Sample Identification: Town of Highlands WATP- Mirror Lake 1lnstream (grab)
Parameters
Result
MDL
Units
Date
Analyzed
Method
Foot -
notes
Fecal Coliform
<4
4
CFU/100mL
2/13/2023
SM 9222 D-1997
Sample Identification: Town of Hiahlands WATP — Mirror Lake Downstream (grab)
Parameters
Result
MDL
Units > _, _,
Date
Analyzed
Method
Foot -
notes
Fecal Coliform
20
4
CFU/100mL
2/13/2023
SM 9222 D-1997
Anthony Tirona, Laboratory Supervisor
Date
Report prepared: 2/20/2023 1:00 PM page 1 of 1