WQCS00010_NOI_NOV2022DV0284_Response_20221018

Public Services Department
Water & Sewer Mains Division
October 18, 2022
Lon T. Snider
NCDENR
Winston-Salem Regional Office
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
RE: Notice of Violation & Intent to Issue Civil Penalty
Tracking No.: NOV-2022-DV-0284
Incident Numbers 202201235, 202201256
8/2/2022, 8/7/2022
Mr. Snider,
NORTH CAROLiNNs INTERNATIONAL CITY'"
OCT 2 1 2022
Winston-Sz!cm
Regional C lice
This letter is in response to the Notice of Violation, Tracking No.: NOV-2022-DV-0284, concerning
Incident Numbers 202201235 and 202201256.
Incident Number 202201235 was an SSO that occurred on August 2, 2022, at 2355 Hickswood Rd
High Point, North Carolina.
Once the call came in, crews mobilized and were on site within minutes. They were able to clear the
blockage. Once the liquid level dropped in the manhole, crews began cleaning the solids and other
debris. Crews flushed the main and used degreaser to assist with the breaking apart the grease
buildup. The crews excavated the surrounding area and replaced the contaminated soil with clean dirt.
They also spread lime in the soiled area and flushed the creek. They were able to gather a majority of
the spillage from the creek tributary as well.
The primary cause of Incident Number 202201235 was grease accumulation in the sewer main. Crews
were able to trace the grease to a private apartment complex close to the manhole that overflowed.
After cleaning up was complete, crews gave out F.O.G. door hangers to the apartment complex
management office. This location has since been placed on a preventive maintenance schedule.
Incident Number 20221256 occurred on August 7, 200, at 3300 Hillside Dr. High Point, North Carolina.
Crews arrived on site quickly. The wastewater spill was determined to be caused by a bubbler system
malfunction at the Shadybrook Lift Station that caused incorrect wet well levels to be reported to the
SCADA system. This was compounded by a failure in the backup level float system that caused it to fail
to alarm as the wet well reached critical levels. The combined failure of both primary and backup
systems caused the SCADA system to display acceptable wet well levels and no alarms even as
wastewater backed up in the gravity sewer main.
City of High Point, P.O. 230, 211 South Hamilton Street, High Point, NC 27261 USA
Office: 336-883-3691 Fax: [phone] TDD 336.883.8517

After the City was notified of the spill, all pumps in the station were manually turned on to begin to
pump down the wet well and prevent any additional overflow. Plant Maintenance crews were called in
to repair both the primary bubbler system and backup float system. Once repaired, the SCADA system
again displayed correct information.
To prevent any future similar issues, an alarm was added to the SCADA system to alarm when the
pumps at a lift station have not run for a preset amount of time, regardless of the reported wet well
levels. Additionally, the float system was re -wired to always be energized. Any future failures in any
components in the float system will immediately break the circuit and trigger an alarm.
Crews removed solids and residual debris from the contaminated area. They removed the soiled dirt
from the area and replaced it with clean stone. A Public Notice was issued immediately to area
newspapers as well.
If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to call me at [phone].
Sincerely,
S4aa4 sed 4?2cAvf
Sarah Beth McAvoy
ORC WWCS
cc: Robby Stone- Public Services Director, Derrick Boone- Assistant Public Services Director,
Joseph Holden - W/S Mains Superintendent, Carrie Hyler-Pretreatment Supervisor, File
City of High Point, P.O. 230, 211 South Hamilton Street, High Point, NC 27261 'USA
Office: 336-883-3691 Fax: [phone] TDD 336.883.8517