NC0032115_Draft Permit_20230424

ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S. BISERr,z.� a2
Secretary
RICHAM E. ROGERS, JR. NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
March xx, 2023
Paul Isenhour
President — Water Quality Lab and Operations, Inc.
PO Box 1167
Banner Elk, NC 28604-1167
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NCO032115
Banner Elk WWTP
Grade III Biological WPCS
[15A NCAC 08G .0302]
Avery County
Dear Mr. Isenhour:
Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the draft permit for your facility. Please review the draft
very carefully to ensure thorough understanding of the conditions and requirements it contains.
Your permit is among several in the Watauga River Basin that the Division has targeted for
expedited renewal.
This draft contains the following changes from the existing permit:
The facility's classification has been added above the effluent table.
2. Total Mercury must be monitored once during the permit cycle. Mercury monitoring is
included to provide a database for future mercury management and TMDL evaluation.
See Special Condition A. (2). The permittee did not comply with this monitoring
requirement during the last permit cycle, so the condition will remain.
3. Monitoring has been added for turbidity in accordance with 15A NCAC 02B.0211 (21).
4. Monitoring has been added for dissolved oxygen in accordance with 15A NCAC
02B.0211 (6).
5. In -stream monitoring has been added for temperature in accordance with 15A NCAC
02B.0211 (18).
6. Section A. (3.) Electronic reporting of Discharge Monitoring Data has been updated to be
consistent with current federal requirements.
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. The latest version is available at https://bit.ly/2BZ4xxx 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 Avery County area, per EPA requirements.
D E Q ,fJ North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 1 1611 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611
NORTH CAROLINA (J1(�.'�O'�.(�OQO
Department of Emlmnmenfal Duali�

Please provide your comments, if any, to me no later than 30 days after receiving this draft
permit.
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 via email at [[e-mail]].
Sincerely,
Emily Richards
Environmental Specialist II
NPDES Program
ec: NPDES files
Asheville Regional Office
D E Q�� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 1 1611 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611
NORTH CAROLINA 919.707.9000
Depanmem of Envlmnmenml Dual

NPDES Permit NCO032115
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
NPDFR
In compliance with the provisions 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
Town of Banner Elk
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Banner Elk WWTP
Mill Pond Road, Banner Elk 28604
Avery County
to receiving waters designated as the Elk River (Mill Pond) in the Watauga 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 September 30, 2027.
Signed this day
Richard E. Rogers, Jr., Director
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 6

NPDES Permit NCO032115
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby revoked. As
of this permit 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.
Town of Banner Elk
is hereby authorized to:
1. continue to operate an existing 0.600 MGD wastewater treatment system with the following
components:
• influent bar screen
• comminutor
• grit chamber
• flow equalization
• two (2) aeration basins
• clarifier with return sludge
• aerobic digester
• UV disinfection
• flow measuring
• totalizing equipment
• stand-by power
• 0.8 meter Belt filter press
located at the Town of Banner Elk WWTP, Mill Pond Road, Banner Elk, Watauga County; and
2. discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001, at the location specified on the attached map,
into the Elk River (Mill Pond) [Stream index 8-22-(3)], currently classified C; Trout waters within
Subbasin 04-02-01 [HUC: 060101030201 ] of the Watauga River Basin.
Page 2 of 6

NPDES Permit NCO032115
PART I
A. (1.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade III Biological Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the
Permittee is authorized to discharge from Outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited, monitored and
reported' by the Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT
LIMITS
MONITORING REQUIREMENTS'
CHARACTERISTIC
Monthly
Weekly
Daily
Measurement
Sample
Sample
[eDMR Codes]
Average
Average
Maximum
Frequency
Type
Location
Flow (MGD)
50050
0.600 MGD
Continuous
Recording
Influent or
Effluent
Temperature (°C)
00010
Monitor & Report
Daily
Grab
Effluent
Temperature (°C)
00010
Weekly
Grab
Upstream &
Downstream
BOD, 5-day (20°C) 3
C0310
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
3/Week
Composite
Influent &
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen
00300
Monitor & Report
3/Week
Grab
Effluent
Turbidity
00070
Monitor & Report
3/Week
Grab
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids 3
Influent &
TSS (mg/L)
C0530
30.0 mg/L
g
45.0 mg/L
g/L
3/Week
Composite
Effluent
NH3 as N (mg/L)
(April 1 — October 31
C0610
4.5 mg/L
13.5 mg/L
3/Week
Composite
Effluent
NH3 as N (mg/L)
C0610
12.7 mg/L
35.0 mg/L
3/Week
Composite
Effluent
ovemberl—March31
Fecal Coliform (#/I00ml)4
Effluent
31616
200/100 ml
400/100 ml
3/Wcck
Grab
(geometric mean
Total Residual Chlorines
50060
17.0 µg/L
3/Week
Grab
Effluent
TRC /L
Total Nitrogen (mg/L)
C0600
Monitor & Report
Semi -Annually
Composite
Effluent
Oz+NO3+TKN
Total Phosphorus (mg/L)
C0665
Monitor & Report
Semi -Annually
Composite
Effluent
pH (su)
00400
Not < 6.0 nor > 9.0 Standard Units
3/Week
Grab
Effluent
Total Mercury (ng/L)6
COMER
Monitor & Report
See Footnote 6
Composite
Effluent
Footnotes:
The Permittee shall begin submitting Discharge Monitoring Reports electronically using NC DWR's eDMR application
system. See Condition A. (3.).
The monthly average BOD5 and Total Suspended Solids concentrations shall not exceed 15% of the respective influent
values (85% removal).
Fecal Coliform shall be calculated using the geometric mean, according to the procedure detailed in Part II. Section A.
Total Residual Chlorine limit and monitoring is required only if chlorine is utilized in the treatment process. The Division
shall consider all effluent TRC values reported below 50 ug/L to be in compliance with the permit. However, the
Page 3 of 6

NPDES Permit NCO032115
Permittee shall continue to record and submit all values reported by a North Carolina certified laboratory (including field
certified), even if these values fall below 50 ug/L.
5. Mercury must be monitored once during the permit cycle. See Special Condition A. (2).
Conditions:
• There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.
A. (2.) EFFLUENT MERCURY ANALYSIS
[G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
The permittee shall provide in the next permit renewal application, at least one effluent mercury analysis
using EPA Method 1631E. This mercury sample must be taken within 12 months prior to the application
date. Any additional effluent mercury samples taken from the effective date of the permit until the
application date shall also be submitted with the renewal application. The mercury analysis must be
provided with the application, or the application may be returned as incomplete and the permittee
considered non -compliant.
A. (3.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF MONITORING REPORTS
[G.S. 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)]
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:Hdeq.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:
Page 4 of 6

NPDES Permit NC0032115
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.
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.fedcralre ig ster.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
Page 5 of 6

NPDES Permit NC0032115
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.ne. aov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.)
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II,
Section B. (I 1.)(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II, Section
B. (I 1.)(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:
hltp:Hdeq.ne.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.)]
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

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Town of Banner Elk - Banner Elk WWTP
NPDES Permit NCO032115
Mill Pond Road, Banner Elk 28604
Receiving Stream: Elk River (Mill Pond) Stream Class: C;Tr
Stream Segment: 8-22-(3) Sub -Basin #: 04-02-01
River Basin: Watauga HUC: 060101030201
County: Avery
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