WQCS00039_NOVNOI2023DV0171_RESP_20230424

16 South Main Street · P.O. Box 100 · Waynesville, NC 28786 Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
Web Address: www.waynesvillenc.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider
Gary Caldwell, Mayor Robert W. Hites, Jr. Town Manager
Julia Freeman, Mayor Pro Tem Martha Bradley, Town Attorney
Clarence “Chuck” Dickson, Alderman
Jon Feichter, Alderman
Anthony Sutton, Alderman
April 24, 2023
Mr. Daniel Boss, Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Asheville Regional Office
Subject: NOTICE OF VIOLATION
EMC-SOC-WQ-S19-005
Tracking Number:
NOV-2023 DV-0171
Permit No: WQCS00039
Waynesville Sanitary Sewer
Haywood County
Mr. Boss,
On April 10, 2023, a site inspection of the Town of Waynesville bar screen was conducted by
you and your staff. Upon arrival you and your staff found evidence of an apparent SSO, at which
time the Town of Waynesville was notified and acted appropriately. Also, the findings would
note the apparent SSO was not ongoing. With the SSO not flowing and not being aware of a start
time, it is and would be virtually impossible to calculate a flow of the SSO. By using the SSO
flow estimation guide (see attached), a series of events must take place to determine the actual
flow. It would be difficult to estimate a flow in this scenario and others like this when there is no
knowledge of duration times. In this scenario, without a soil sampling of the area of the SSO, it
would be impossible to estimate a flow of >10,000 gallons. Additionally, the SSO estimated
volume and duration totals on the initial submission form was provided by the regional office
(see attached). I do agree there was some sort of SSO event that reached surface waters (which
would make it a reportable incident) but to determine the gallons would again be virtually
impossible. Clean up/mitigation efforts followed in the days after the visit to include area clean
up and sealing of the manhole as well as silt fencing. In this case the Town of Waynesville has
followed proper protocol in reporting said SSO and should not have to absorb a fine from this
incident based on the facts of having no knowledge of said SSO or being able to calculate the
volume.
Sincerely,
Jeff Stines
Director of Public Services
Town of Waynesville