NC0070394_WWTP Improvements_20230713

From:David Huskins
To:Armeni, Lauren E; Armeni, Lauren E
Subject:[External] Fwd: WWTP Upfits - DEQ Violation
Date:Thursday, July 13, 2023 2:37:07 PM
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Hi, Ms. Armeni.
Please review the below email thread, which I believe fairly summarizes the up-fit
plan discussed from the recent on-site visit of the WWTP (Willowbrook) with a
representative officer of the P.O.A. (V.P.) and a representative of certified operator
Environmental, Inc., and myself (former P.O.A. President and bookkeeper).
As a 35-year resident of the property, I realize from historical evidence and long-term
institutional knowledge of the situation that many of the issues discussed in the recent
violation are of an on-going nature, perhaps 10 years or more, as I have gleaned from
records I retrieved from former plant owner Richard Jones and from P.O.A. records.
It is unfortunate that the P.O.A. and former plant owner failed over the years to
address the basic maintenance issues and recommendations cited in prior years'
inspections. That failure now has reached epic proportion and, hopefully, the attention
of the P.O.A. has been finally garnered.
From my recent engagement with this matter, I believe the course of action identified
in concert with the plant operator and the contractor to address the most recent NOV
is well underway:
1. metal fabrication for safety railing and walkway grates is almost shop-complete
and will be delivered and installed by the contractor, who has extensive
experience in operating and maintaining package plants, including pipe-fitting
2. a separate contractor has been approached about repair/replacement of the
chlorine tanks, whichever is deemed efficacious (repairs would include concrete
re-forming and/or replacement where warranted, tank scouring/cleaning, repair
at specification any concrete spalling, and application of durable long-term
strength epoxy coating(s) for preventative measures and to help defray sudden
leaks;
3. cover the chlorine tanks with a shed roof to help prevent infiltration of airborne
debris falling into the tanks;
4. remove overgrown trees, invasive vegetation and collected debris from the site,
generally, and apply wash-stone gravel for erosion control and foot and soil
stabilization, including some grading to divert rain flow away from the plant; we
are investigating requirements for the use of herbicides to assist with this
(primarily away from the creekside);
5. install gate, steps and handrail down the creek bank for stable and safe access
to the effluent pipe;
6. install handrail along driveway to the plant for safer access and more stable
walking down the elevated driveway as you exit your vehicle;
7. remove/replace where needed clarifier tank piping to address weak piping,
joints, and eliminate unnecessary pipe elbows for more efficient flow, etc.;
8. stage contact chamber and clarifier tank sanding, metal repair where needed,
and painting with durable high strength epoxy paint
As a property owner, bookkeeper and serving a short stint as P.O.A. President, there
has been due diligence on my part for a number of years to encourage P.O.A. to
address the above issues. In 2021 I was successful in convincing the P.O.A. to
purchase the plant form Indian Bend Properties (Dick Jones) and presented them,
once again, with a list of pressing needs with the WWTP - immediate-needs, short-
term, mid-term and long-term - in order to sustain an operating permit. They elected
to approve funding to make the purchase, but to only fund the immediate need of
replacing the second Blower, which had been out of service for many years.
I continue to educate and encourage current P.O.A. leadership on the critical nature
of this matter and to address the above issues in a substantive manner as soon as
possible.
Regards.
From: "David Huskins" <[e-mail]>
To: "Max Hopper" <[e-mail]>, "Matt Dees" <[e-mail]>,
"Patty Cook" <[e-mail]>, "Kelli Brizek" <[e-mail]>,
"Kaki Neal" <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:02:37 PM
Subject: WWTP Upfits - DEQ Violation
RE: P.O.A. Board of Directors
I met Monday morning for over two hours at the WWTP site with P.O.A. V.P. Matt
Dees, a representative of Environmental, Inc., our WWTP operator, and a contractor
recommended by Matt Dees to quote on doing the much-needed up-fits to the plant,
which have been discussed with P.O.A. prolifically for the past five years. My only
reason for being involved in this is because P.O.A. V.P. Matt Dees asked me to meet,
and because I have the institutional knowledge of the plant history and negotiated the
purchase, have worked with the operator and the state and former owners on issues
related to the plant.
The details of the meeting are as follows:
discussed the recent violation and orders
performed a "walk-through" of the WWTP and surrounding area
the proposed contractor has decades of experience in operating municipal and
small package WWTP plants and providing maintenance to same in Georgia
he has his own metal fabrication shop and comes with extensive
experience in metal-working, welding, pipe-fitting, and general contracting
we discussed the history of the plant with Environmental, Inc. representative
I found, and provided, the "as built" drawings of the plant, which was
permitted and constructed in 1988 and revised in 1993
the proposed contractor found a number of issues over and above those
cited in the recent violation that he and Environmental, Inc. agreed should
be addressed
further issues included eradicating over-grown vegetation from around the
site, cutting down a couple of trees that are both a hazard and
encroaching on the tanks, rebuilding the de-chlorination chambers with
some equipment replacement, re-routing pipes to take elbows out,
stabilizing the effluent pipe and other pipes, replacing all safety handrails
and providing missing walking grates, rebuilding/replacing security
fencing, adding two gates with safety rails, establishing a walkway with
safety rail from the the top of the driveway to the plant, provide necessary
grading and gravel for eliminating erosion, sanding and painting the tanks,
and covering the de-chlorination tanks with a shed roof structure
OBSERVATIONS (as a former county manager, HOA administrator and business
owner)
the contractor, John Davis (?), definitely knows what he is doing; he has the
experience of how WWTPs operate, and his own metal fabrication shop to
make the needed upfits
I like the fact that he wants to go "the extra mile" to take care of potential future
issues now and to get the plant up to grade; he thinks it has a multi-decades life
with the proposed upfits
Environmental, Inc. likes him
Environmental, Inc., would prefer that the P.O.A. handle this work; they don't
have time to job it out
Environmental, Inc., will work with the contractor and make sure we are meeting
N.C. regulations
Matt Dees has agreed to help the contractor, which is a positive
Measurements and other information were taken back for review; Matt Dees is
coordinating with the contractor. We should have some figures by the end of the
month.
Please keep in mind, one of the challenges with the plant, as I have discussed over
the years with P.O.A., is that it is a 25,000 gallons per day WWTP; we are providing it
with less that 1,000 gallons per day. The BUGs stay hungry all the time!
Regards....and thanks to Matt Dees for bringing the contractor to our attention!
--
David P. Huskins, CEO
Ridgetop Management, Inc. d/b/a Ridgetop Associates
Post Office Box 182
Linville Falls, North Carolina 28647-0182
Mobile: [phone]
"Instead of letting things happen to us, let's make things happen for us!"
Boyd Morris (deceased), President Emeritus, N.C. Restaurant Association
--
David P. Huskins, CEO
Ridgetop Management, Inc. d/b/a Ridgetop Associates
Post Office Box 182
Linville Falls, North Carolina 28647-0182
Mobile: [phone]
"Instead of letting things happen to us, let's make things happen for us!"
Boyd Morris (deceased), President Emeritus, N.C. Restaurant Association