Chapter 13 Programs WW and SW

Chapter 13
Wastewater and Stormwater Programs

13.1 NPDES Wastewater Discharge Permit Summary

Discharges that enter surface waters through a pipe,
ditch or other well-defined point of discharge are
broadly referred to as 'point sources'. Wastewater point
source discharges include municipal (city and county)
and industrial wastewater treatment plants and small
domestic wastewater treatment systems serving schools,
commercial offices, residential subdivisions and
individual homes. Stormwater point source discharges
include stormwater collection systems for
municipalities that serve populations greater than 100,000 and stormwater discharges associated
with certain industrial activities. Point source dischargers in North Carolina must apply for and
obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Discharge permits
are issued under the NPDES program, which is delegated to DWQ by the Environmental
Protection Agency.
The primary pollutants associated
with point source discharges are:

* oxygen-consuming wastes,
* nutrients,
* color, and
* toxic substances including chlorine,
ammonia and metals.

Currently, there are 137 permitted
wastewater discharges in the French Broad
River basin. Table 21 provides summary
information (by type and subbasin) about
the discharges. Various types of
dischargers listed in the table are described
in the inset box. Facilities are mapped in
each subbasin chapter. For a complete
listing of permitted facilities in the basin,
refer to Appendix VI.
Types of Wastewater Discharges

Major Facilities: Wastewater Treatment Plants with
flows ≥1 MGD (million gallons per day); and some
industrial facilities (depending on flow and potential
impacts to public health and water quality).
Minor Facilities: Facilities not defined as Major.
100% Domestic Waste: Facilities that only treat
domestic-type waste (from toilets, sinks, washers).
Municipal Facilities: Public facilities that serve a
municipality. Can treat waste from homes and
industries.
Nonmunicipal Facilities: Non-public facilities that
provide treatment for domestic, industrial or
commercial wastewater. This category includes
wastewater from industrial processes such as
textiles, mining, seafood processing, glass-making
and power generation, and other facilities such as
schools, subdivisions, nursing homes, groundwater
remediation projects, water treatment plants and
non-process industrial wastewater.

The majority of NPDES permitted
wastewater flow into the waters of the
French Broad River basin are from major
municipal wastewater treatment plants
(WWTP). Nonmunicipal discharges also
contribute substantial wastewater flow into
the French Broad River basin. Facilities,
large or small, where recent data show
problems with a discharge are discussed in
each subbasin chapter.

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Table 21 Summary of NPDES Dischargers and Permitted Flows for the French Broad
River Basin (September 2003)

French Broad River Subbasin
Facility Categories 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 Total
Total Facilities 15 67 8 11 16 19 1 137
Total Permitted Flow (MGD) 32.976 55.423 0.245 0.984 37.132 14.493 0.80 142.05
Major Discharges 3 30034 013
Total Permitted Flow (MGD) 32.4 49.6 0.0 0.0 36.9 10.99 0.0 129.89
Minor Discharges 12 64 8 11 13 15 1 124
Total Permitted Flow (MGD) 0.576 5.823 0.245 0.984 0.232 3.503 0.80 12.16
100% Domestic Waste 8 54 7 5 11 6 0 91
Total Permitted Flow (MGD) 0.441 1.339 0.065 0.066 0.232 0.056 0.0 2.20
Municipal Facilities 2 20423 114
Total Permitted Flow (MGD) 2.59 44.8 0.0 0.915 7.0 2.395 0.80 58.50
Nonmunicipal Facilities 13 65 8 7 14 16 0 123
Total Permitted Flow (MGD) 30.386 10.623 0.245 0.069 30.132 12.098 0.0 83.55

13.2 DWQ Stormwater Programs

There are many different stormwater programs administered by DWQ. One or more of these
programs affects many communities in the French Broad River basin. The goal of the DWQ
stormwater discharge permitting regulations and programs is to prevent pollution from entering
the waters of the state via stormwater runoff. These programs try to accomplish this goal by
controlling the source(s) of pollutants. These programs include NPDES Phase I and II,
HQW/ORW stormwater requirements, and requirements associated with the Water Supply
Watershed Program. Local governments that are or may be affected by these programs are
presented in Table 22.

13.2.1 NPDES Phase I

Phase I of the EPA stormwater program started with Amendments to the Clean Water Act
(CWA) in 1990. Phase I required NPDES permit coverage to address stormwater runoff from
medium and large stormwater sewer systems serving populations of 100,000 or more. There are
no NPDES Phase I stormwater permits issued to communities in the basin.

Phase I also had requirements for ten categories of industrial sources to be covered under
stormwater permits. Industrial activities which require permitting are defined in categories
ranging from sawmills and landfills to manufacturing plants and hazardous waste treatment,
storage or disposal facilities. Construction sites disturbing greater than five acres are also
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required to obtain an NPDES stormwater permit under Phase I of the EPA stormwater program.
Excluding construction stormwater general permits, there are 139 general stormwater permits
and 6 individual stormwater permits. Refer to the subbasin chapters for more information on
stormwater programs and permits and a complete listing of individual permits in Appendix VI.

13.2.2 NPDES Phase II

The Phase II stormwater program is an extension of the Phase I program that will include permit
coverage for smaller municipalities and cover construction activities down to one acre. The local
governments permitted under Phase II will be required to develop and implement a
comprehensive stormwater management program that includes six minimum measures.

(1) Public education and outreach on stormwater impacts.
(2) Public involvement/participation.
(3) Illicit discharge detection and elimination.
(4) Construction site stormwater runoff control.
(5) Post-construction stormwater management for new development and
redevelopment.
(6) Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations.

Construction sites greater than one acre will also be required to obtain an NPDES stormwater
permit under Phase II of the EPA stormwater program in addition to erosion and sedimentation
control approvals.

Twelve municipalities and one county (Table 22) in the basin are automatically required (based
on 1990 US Census Designated Urban Areas and results of the 2000 US Census) to obtain a
NPDES stormwater permit under the Phase II rules. These local governments were required to
submit applications for NPDES stormwater permits by March 2003. DWQ is currently
developing criteria that will be used to determine whether other municipalities should be
required to obtain a NPDES permit and how the program will be implemented. DWQ is also
working to finalize state rules to implement the Phase II stormwater rules as required by the
EPA.

2004 Recommendations
DWQ recommends that the local governments that will be permitted under Phase II proceed with
permit applications and develop programs that can go beyond the six minimum measures.
Implementation of Phase II, as well as the other stormwater programs, should help to reduce
future impacts to streams in the basin. Local governments, to the extent possible, should identify
sites for preservation or restoration. DWQ and other NCDENR agencies will continue to
provide information on funding sources and technical assistance to support local government
stormwater programs.

13.2.3 State Stormwater Program

The State Stormwater Management Program was established in the late 1980s under the
authority of the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) and North
Carolina General Statute 143-214.7. This program, codified in 15A NCAC 2H .1000, affects
development activities that require either an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (for disturbances
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of one or more acres) or a CAMA major permit within one of the 20 coastal counties and/or
development draining to Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) or High Quality Waters (HQW).
The State Stormwater Management Program requires developments to protect these sensitive
waters by maintaining a low density of impervious surfaces, maintaining vegetative setbacks,
and transporting runoff through vegetative conveyances. Low density development thresholds
vary from 12-30 percent built-upon area (impervious surface) depending on the classification of
the receiving stream. If low density design criteria cannot be met, then high density
development requires the installation of structural best management practices (BMPs) to collect
and treat stormwater runoff from the project. High density BMPs must control the runoff from
the 1 or 1.5-inch storm event (depending on the receiving stream classification) and remove 85
percent of the total suspended solids.

Table 22 shows the seven counties in the French Broad River basin where permits may be
required under the state stormwater management program. All development requiring an
Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (for disturbances of one or more acres) must obtain a
stormwater permit.

2005 Recommendations
DWQ will continue implementing the state stormwater program with the other NCDENR
agencies and local governments. Local governments should develop local land use plans that
minimize impervious surfaces in sensitive areas. Communities should integrate state stormwater
program requirements, to the extent possible, with other stormwater programs in order to be
more efficient and gain the most water quality benefits for protection of public health and aquatic
life.

13.3 Water Supply Watershed Stormwater Rules

Current Status
The purpose of the Water Supply Watershed Protection Program is to provide a proactive
drinking water supply protection program for communities. Local governments administer the
program based on state minimum requirements. There are restrictions on wastewater discharges,
development, landfills and residual application sites to control the impacts of point and nonpoint
sources of pollution. The program attempts to minimize the impacts of stormwater runoff by
utilizing low density development or stormwater treatment in high density areas.

All communities in the French Broad River basin in water supply watersheds have EMC
approved water supply watershed protection ordinances (Table 22).

2005 Recommendations
DWQ recommends continued implementation of local water supply protection ordinances to
ensure safe and economical treatment of drinking water. Communities should also integrate
water supply protection ordinances with other stormwater programs, to the extent possible, in
order to be more efficient and gain the most water quality benefits for both drinking water and
aquatic life.

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Table 22 Communities in the French Broad River Subject to Stormwater Requirements

NPDES
State
Stormwater
Program
Water Supply
Watershed Stormwater
Requirements
Local Government Phase I Phase II
Municipalities
Newland X
Sugar Mountain X
Asheville X X
Biltmore Forest X
Black Mountain X
Montreat X X
Weaverville X
Woodfin X
Canton X X
Clyde X
Hazelwood
Maggie Valley X
Waynesville X X
Flat Rock
Fletcher X
Hendersonville X
Laurel Park X X
Hot Springs X
Mars Hill X
Marshall
Bakersville
Brevard X
Spruce Pine
Burnsville
Rosman
Mills River X
Counties
Avery X
Buncombe X X
Haywood X X X
Henderson X X
Madison X X
Mitchell X X
Transylvania X X
Yancey X X

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13.4 Septic Systems and Straight Piping

In the French Broad River basin, wastewater from many households is not treated at wastewater
treatment plants associated with NPDES discharge permits, but is treated on the property through
the use of permitted septic systems. Wastewater from some of these homes illegally discharges
directly to streams through what is known as a "straight pipe". In other cases, wastewater from
failing septic systems makes its way to streams or contaminates groundwater. Straight piping
and failing septic systems are illegal discharges of wastewater into waters of the state.

With on-site septic systems, the septic tank unit treats some wastes, and the drainfield associated
with the septic tank provides further treatment and filtration of the pollutants and pathogens
found in wastewater. A septic system that is operating properly does not discharge untreated
wastewater to streams and lakes or to the ground’s surface where it can run into nearby surface
waters. Septic systems are a safe and effective long-term method for treating wastewater if they
are sited, sized and maintained properly. If the tank or drainfield are improperly located or
constructed, or the systems are not maintained, nearby wells and surface waters may become
contaminated, causing potential risks to human health. Septic tanks must be properly installed
and maintained to ensure they function properly over the life of the system. Information about
the proper installation and maintenance of septic tanks can be obtained by calling the
environmental health sections of the local county health departments (Appendix VIII contains
contact information).

The discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage can be extremely harmful to humans and
the aquatic environment. Pollutants from illegally discharged household wastewater contain
chemical nutrients, disease pathogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals. Although DWQ
ambient monitoring of the waters in the French Broad River basin show a relatively small
percentage of fecal coliform bacteria samples exceeding state standards for primary recreation,
smaller streams may contain a higher concentration of bacteria and other pollutants. The
economies of the counties in this basin are highly dependent upon river recreation, especially for
tourists and seasonal residents. Concerns were expressed at public workshops for the French
Broad River basin about the possibility of failing septic systems and straight pipes, as well as the
number of septic systems that are currently being permitted each year.

In order to protect human health and maintain water quality, straight pipes must be eliminated
and failing septic systems must be repaired. The Wastewater Discharge Elimination (WaDE)
Program is actively helping to identify and remove straight pipes (and failing septic systems) in
the western portion of North Carolina. This program uses door-to-door surveys to locate straight
pipes and failing septic systems, and offers deferred loans or grants to homeowners who have to
eliminate the straight pipes by installing a septic system. The program also offers deferred loans
and grants to repair malfunctioning septic systems. Buncombe County, Henderson County,
Madison County, Transylvania County and the Toe River Health Departments have obtained
grant money to conduct similar surveys. The results of the recent surveys are presented in Table
23.

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Table 23 Results of Recent WaDE Surveys in the French Broad River Basin

Lead
Agency
WaDE/
Buncombe County
Health Department
Madison County
Health Department
Toe River
Health District
WaDE/
CWMTF/EPA
Initiative
Project Dates 01/00-03/02 03/98-05/03 04/99-12/03 06/02-04/04
Terms of Funding 1 year 2 years 3 years 3 years
Homes Visited 2,027 ~10,000 ~1,100 3,351
Inspections
Completed 1,844 5,360 707 2,098
Violations Found 265 996 213 268
Corrections with
Assistance 12 143 127 15
Total Corrections 151 446 194 96

2005 Recommendations
Efforts to create a permanent statewide septic maintenance and repair program similar to the
straight pipe and failing septic system initiative currently active in western NC should be
pursued. The WaDE Program in collaboration with the Local Health Departments should
request additional funding from the CWMTF (Section 16.3.2) and Section 319 Program (Section
16.2.1) to continue the straight pipe elimination program for the French Broad River basin.
Additional monitoring of fecal coliform throughout tributary watersheds where straight pipes and
failing septic systems are a potential problem should be conducted in order to narrow the focus
of the surveys. For more information on the WaDE Program, contact the DENR On-Site
Wastewater Section, NC Division of Environmental Health, toll free at 1-866-223-5718 or visit
their website at http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/oww/Wade/wade.htm.

Additionally, precautions should be taken by local septic system permitting authorities to ensure
that new systems are sited and constructed properly and that an adequate repair area is also
available. Educational information should also be provided to new septic system owners
regarding the maintenance of these systems over time. DWQ has developed a booklet that
discusses actions individuals can take to reduce stormwater runoff and improve stormwater
quality entitled Improving Water Quality In Your Own Backyard. The publication includes a
discussion about septic system maintenance and offers other sources of information. To obtain a
free copy, call [phone], ext. 558.

The following website also offers good information in three easy to follow steps:
http://www.wsg.washington.edu/outreach/mas/water_quality/septicsense/septicmain.html.

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