NC0086975_Draft Permit_20231205

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ROY COOPER 4 '--
Governor :
ELIZABETH S.BISER . u'_e ;
Secretary tr` wo
RICHARD E.ROGERS,JR. NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
December 5, 2023
Tommy Burns,County Manager
Carteret County
302 Courthouse Sq.
Beaufort,NC 28516
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC0086975
Laurel Road WTP
Grade I Physical Chemical WPCS
Carteret County
Dear Mr.Burns:
Attached with this letter is a copy of the Draft NPDES permit renewal for your facility. Please review
this draft carefully to ensure thorough understanding of the requirements and conditions it contains. We
understand from your renewal application that there have been no treatment system changes. There are
a few changes in the draft attached here from the existing permit. These changes are summarized below.
• Regulatory Citations-Language has been added where necessary in the permit to provide regulatory
citations for permit requirements.
• Electronic Reporting-Permit language has been modified to be consistent with the finalization of
federal requirements for electronic reporting.
• Metals Limits(Lead,Copper and Zinc)-Your previous permit had set up a compliance schedule for
implementation of limits for these parameters effective November 1,2022. Since these limits are
now effective that compliance schedule section of the permit has been removed.
• Flow Reporting-Duration of Flow(eDMR code 81381) should now be reported in the eDMR
system. This parameter has been added in the Effluent table and should be reported along with flow
in the monthly eDMR.
• Total Manganese-This parameter was removed in your last permit renewal in 2017. Your facility
utilizes greensand filters for removal of various pollutants, including manganese. Based on the
Division's approach in permitting these types of systems,monitoring for manganese is usually
required. The Division recognizes that for your facility the greensand backwash wastewater is
generally handled without discharge through your onsite spray irrigation system. However,this
permit is still set up to allow discharge of this wastewater if necessary. The permit has been modified
to require monitoring for total manganese,but only if wastewater from the greensand backwash
process is discharged.
• Whole Effluent Toxicity(WET)-Your facility has failed three of the last five WET tests. This issue
should be one that you continue to work with to determine what may be causing these results. In the
draft permit the Division has added Section A.(3.)to highlight that additional actions may be taken to
address ongoing WET issues.
• Map Update-The permit map and descriptive information on the permit map have been updated.
D -1). NorthNorth Carolina DepartmentSalisburyStreet o1617f EnMailvironmentalServiceCenter Raleigh,Quality I Division of WaterNorthCarolina ResouZ7rces
512 699 1617

Tommy Burns
Laurel Road WTP Draft Renewal
Page 2
Please note that the receiving stream,Feltons Creek, is listed as impaired in the 2022 NC 303(d)Impaired
Waters Integrated Report. Impairment is for Shellfish Harvesting. Addressing impaired waters is a high
priority for the Division,and instream data will continue to be evaluated. If there is noncompliance with
permitted effluent limits and instream impairment can be attributed to your facility,then mitigative
measures may be required.
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 of the standard conditions is available at https://bit.ly/3k5NFaL and can be viewed online or
downloaded as a PDF file.
Concurrent with this notification the Division is publishing a notice in a newspaper having general
circulation in the Carteret County area soliciting public comments on this draft permit.
Please provide any written comments you may have to me no later than 30 days after receipt of 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 this draft permit,
please contact me by email at [e-mail]. At this time,contact by email is the most
effective method. If we need to set up a call to discuss any issues,we can set that up through email.
Sincerely,
Bradley Bennett
Compliance and Expedited Permitting Unit
cc: NPDES Files-electronic
Wilmington Regional Office/Water Quality—electronic
Operator Certification Program/Jeffrey Talbott—electronic
Aquatic Toxicology/Cindy Moore and Molly Nicholson-Electronic
Shellfish Sanitation/Andrew Haines—electronic
NC Wildlife Resources Commission/Maria Dunn—electronic
US Fish and Wildlife/Sara Ward—electronic

Draft Permit NC0086975
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
In compliance with the provision 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
County of Carteret
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Laurel Road WTP
534 Laurel Road, Beaufort
Carteret County
to receiving waters designated as Feltons Creek within the White Oak 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 on
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on July 31,2027.
If the permittee intends to continue discharging at the facility beyond the term of this permit,a renewal
application must be submitted no later than February 1,2027(180 days before the expiration of this permit)
Signed this day
Richard E. Rogers,Jr.
Director, Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 9

Draft Permit NC0086975
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.
County of Carteret
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate a wastewater treatment system in support of potable-water production,
discharging Ion-Exchange (IE) regeneration/rinse wastewater, and with potential to discharge
Greensand Filter backwash. The system currently has a design capacity to produce 0.60 MGD of
potable water, with a maximum monthly average wastewater discharge of 0.0248 MGD, and
utilizing treatment components including;
• two (2) 10 ft-diameter greensand filters with potassium permanganate
[KMnO4] feed system
• two(2) 20 ft x 20 ft settling basins with decant pumps, recycle pumps (for
greensand filter backwash—greensand backwash generally goes to onsite spray
irrigation system for non-discharge disposal)
• two (2) 8 ft-diameter IE water softeners (with brine regeneration system)
• settling basin(9,000-gallon for softener-backwash wastewater)
• backwash pumps and controls for sandfilter and softener operation
• chemical-feed systems for poly ortho-polyphosphate inhibitor and
chloramines disinfection (aqueous ammonia, chlorine)
• collection basin with effluent transfer pumps
• liquid chemical feed system for dechlorination (calcium and thiosulfate)
• sample port and appurtenant piping to outfall
The facility is located at the Laurel Road WTP, 534 Laurel Road, Beaufort, Carteret County, and
2. Discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001, to a location specified on the attached map,
into Feltons Creek [stream segment 21-35-1-1], a waterbody currently classified SA; HQW; PNA
within subbasin 03-05-04 [HUC: 030203010502] of the White Oak River Basin.
Page 2 of 9

Draft Permit NC0086975
A. (1.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B.0400 et seq.,02B.0500 et seq.]
Grade I Physical/Chemical WPCS [15A NCAC 08G .0306]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration,the
Permittee is authorized to discharge filter backwash/regeneration/rinse wastewater from Outfall 001.
Such discharges shall be limited, monitored and reported 1 by the Permittee, as specified below:
LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS Sample
(Parameter Code) Monthly Daily Measurement Sample Type Location
Average Maximum Frequency 2
Flow,MGD 3 50050 Monitor&Report Weekly Estimate 3 E
Duration of Flow(Hours) 81381 Monitor&Report 2/Month Instantaneous Effluent
Total Suspended Solids 00530 15.0 mg/L 30.0 mg/L 2/Month Grab E
pH 00400 Not>6.8 or< 8.5 s. u. 2/Month Grab E
pH 00400 Monitor&Report 2/Month Grab S 1
Total Residual Chlorine 4 50060 13 µg/L 4 2/Month Grab E
Total Lead 01051 4.25 µg/L 110 µg/L Monthly , Grab E
Total Copper 01042 1.85 µg/L 2.9 µg/L Monthly Grab E
Total Zinc 01092 42.8 µg/L 47.2 µg/L Monthly Grab E
Manganese, µg/L 5 01055 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab E
Dissolved Oxygen,mg/L 00300 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab E
Dissolved Oxygen,mg/L 00300 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab S1
Salinity,ppt 00480 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab E
Salinity,ppt 00480 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab S 1
Conductivity,µmohs/cm 00094 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab E
Total Dissolved Solids,mg/L 70295 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab E
Ammonia [NH3 as N] mg/L 00610 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab E
Turbidity,NTU 00070 Monitor&Report Monthly Grab E
WET Acute Toxicity 6 TGE3E Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab E
Footnotes:
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports(DMRs)electronically using the Division's
eDMR system[see A.(4.)].
2. E=Effluent(Outfall 001 at west side of bridge.); Si =Instream center of Feltons Creek,east side of
bridge;
3. Discharge Estimate shall be based on both flow rate and duration,both to be recorded in log book.
4. The Division shall consider compliant all effluent TRC values reported below 50 µg/L.However,the
Permittee shall continue to record and submit all values reported by North Carolina-certified test methods
(including field certified),even if these values fall below 50 µg/L.
5. Manganese monitoring is required Only if discharge occurs from the greensand filter backwash.
6. Whole Effluent Toxicity(WET)testing;Acute 24-hour Pass/Fail Monitoring:(January,April,July, &
October).Permittee shall use mysid shrimp or other approved test organism[See A.(2)].
Conditions:
- All samples shall accurately represent the physical and chemical character of the discharge
event.
- The Permittee shall discharge no floating solids or foam visible in other than trace amounts.
Page 3 of 9

Draft Permit NC0086975
A. (2.) ACUTE TOXICITY PASS/FAIL MONITORING (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B.0500 et seq.]
The permittee shall conduct acute toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in the
North Carolina Procedure Document entitled "Pass/Fail Methodology for Determining Acute
Toxicity In A Single Effluent Concentration"(Revised-December 2010, or subsequent versions). The
monitoring shall be performed as a Mysid Shrimp (Mysidopsis bahia) 24-hour static test. The effluent
concentration at which there may be at no time significant acute mortality is 90% (defined as
treatment two in the procedure document). The tests will be performed during the months of January,
April, July and October. These months signify the first month of each three-month toxicity testing
quarter assigned to the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained during
representative effluent discharge and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent
discharge below all treatment processes.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered electronically using
the Division's eDMR system for the month in which it was performed, using the parameter code
TGE3E. Additionally, DWR Form AT-2 (original) is to be sent to the following address:
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,NC 27699-1621
Or, results can be sent to the email, ATForms.ATB(a�deq.nc.gov.
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than
30 days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be complete, accurate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all
concentration/response data, and be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved
designate signature.
Total residual chlorine of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if chlorine is
employed for disinfection of the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is
required,the permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity(AT)
test form indicating the facility name, permit number,pipe number, county, and the month/year of the
report with the notation of"No Flow" in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted
to the Water Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, then
monthly monitoring will begin immediately. Upon submission of a valid test, this monthly test
requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above.
Should any test data from either these monitoring requirements or tests performed by the North
Carolina Division of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit
may be re-opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
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Draft Permit NC0086975
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum
control organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid test and
will require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than the last day of the month
following the month of the initial monitoring.
USE OF A DIFFERENT TEST ORGANISM
The permittee may request the use of a different test organism upon documentation that the alternate
test organism would provide an equal or greater level of protection and is appropriate based on the
characteristics of the discharge and receiving stream. Such documentation would consist of one of the
following:
1. For saltwater classified streams, a fathead minnow may be assigned as the acute testing
species if the salinity of the receiving stream at the point of discharge is < 5 ppt
throughout the tidally influenced cycle. This determination may be based on the best
professional judgment of DWR staff or data collection provided by the pennittee and
approved by DWR staff. This evaluation should include vertical profiles of
salinity/conductivity measurements at both high tide and low tide over several 24-hr
cycles.
2. Three consecutive"side-by-side"tests with results indicating that the alternate test
organism is as or more sensitive to the facility's effluent. Each test series would
consist of two separate toxicity tests conducted on the same sample of effluent with
the length of exposure specified by the permit, the only difference between the tests
being the organism used.
3. An alternate plan developed by the permittee and approved by the Aquatic Toxicology
Unit that demonstrates an equal level of protection is offered by the test organism.
For items 2 and 3, it must also be demonstrated that viable and standardized culture techniques are
available for that organism and standardized testing methodologies have been developed and
validated. This demonstration should meet guidance provided by EPA in Section 6 of EPA-821-R-
02-012,"Short Term Methods for Estimating the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters
to Freshwater Organisms, Fifth Edition 2002". Requests to use a different test organism and
supporting documentation should be sent to North Carolina Division of Water Resources,
Environmental Sciences Section at the address listed above.
A. (3.) PERMIT REOPENER: WHOLE EFFLUENT TOXICITY
[G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
Whole Effluent Toxicity monitoring results indicating aquatic toxicity may result in the Division of
Water Resources re-opening this permit or requesting by letter that further action be taken. Additional
metals testing, a toxicity identification evaluation, a toxicity reduction evaluation, and/or an
assessment of discharge treatment alternatives may be requested.
Page 5 of 9

Draft Permit NC0086975
A. (4.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF DISCHARGE 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)1
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://deq.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:
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.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month
and reported via the eDMR system no later than the last calendar day of the month following the
completed reporting period. 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:
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Draft Permit NC0086975
• 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(l)(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.federalregister.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 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.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
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Draft Permit NC0086975
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.)
fall
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part
II, Section B. (11.)(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(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:
http://deq.nc.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.)1
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 8 of 9

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Carteret County
Laurel Road WTP Facility
Location
Receiving Stream: Feltons Creek Stream Class: SA;HOW(PNA) (not to scale)
River Basin: White Oak Sub-Basin: 03-05-04
Outfall Latitude: 34°49'12" Outfall Longitude: 76°38'13"
Stream Segment 21-35-1-1 HUC#: 030203010502 NORTH NPDES Permit NC0086975
Grid/Quad: H32SW/Core Creek County: Carteret
Page 9 of 9