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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0083321_Draft Permit_20231205ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director Onslow Water and Sewer Authority Attn: David M. Hohr, Chief Operations Office 228 Georgetown Rd Jacksonville, NC 28540 Dear Permittee: NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality December 5, 2023 Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NCO083321 Hubert WTP Grade I Physical Chemical WPCS Onslow County The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the draft permit for your facility. Please review this draft carefully to ensure your thorough understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements it contains. The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit: ➢ The address for the facility has been updated to 372 Hubert Blvd as listed in the application. ➢ The requirement for Duration of Flow has been moved from the footnotes to the effluent table in Section A. (1) and should now be reported through the eDMR system (eDMR code 81381) along with flow. ➢ An effective date of July 1, 2025 has been added for the Total Copper, Total Lead, and Total Zinc limits in the effluent table in Section A. (1). ➢ Section A. (3) — Permit Re -Opener for Whole Effluent Toxicity has been added in place of the Discharge Alternatives Evaluation due to the extended history of WET testing failures at this facility. ➢ Section A. (4) — Schedule of Compliance has been updated to require the submission of a Corrective Action Plan for compliance with future metals limits by July 1, 2024, as the facility previously failed to provide it during the last permit cycle. ➢ Section A. (5) has been updated to reflect current federal requirements for Electronic Reporting of Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs). Please note that the practical quantitation limit (PQL) for Total Copper is 2 µg/L, the PQL for Total Lead is 2 µg/L, and the PQL for Total Zinc is 10 µg/L (per the Inorganic Chemistry Branch of the Division of Water Resources Water Sciences Section), and monitoring data should be reportable down to these levels. Limits for water treatment plants are determined by evaluating DMR data submitted to the Division, along with a dilution factor (if applicable) and the maximum monthly average flow reported in the previous 3 years at the time the review is completed. 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 1). The conditions are the same as in your current permit except that agency and division names have been updated. The latest version is available at https://bit.ly/3k5NFaL 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 Onslow County area, per EPA requirements. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources D E QV 12 North Salisbury Street 1 1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,NorthCarolina27699-1617 �919.707.9000 Page 2 of 2 Onslow Water and Sewer Authority DRAFT Permit Renewal — NCO083321 Please provide your comments, if any, to me at the address below 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 at 919-707-3712, or via e-mail at sydney.deutermanadeq.nc.gov. Sincerely, Sydney Deuterman Environmental Specialist II NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting cc: NPDES File [Laserfiche] Wilmington Regional Office [Laserfiche] Operator Certification Program Aquatic Toxicology Unit DMF/Shellfish Sanitation US Fish and Wildlife Service NC Wildlife Resources Commission NPDES Permit NCO083321 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 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 Onslow Water and Sewer Authority is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the Hubert Water Treatment Plant (WTP) 372 Hubert Boulevard Hubert Onslow County to receiving waters designated as Queen Creek in 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 This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on July 31, 2027. Signed this day Richard E. Rogers, Jr. Director, Division of Water Resources By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission Page 1 of 9 NPDES Permit NCO083321 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. Onslow Water and Sewer Authority is hereby authorized to: 1. Continue to operate a water treatment plant with a discharge of backwash wastewater from greensand and carbon filtration and reject wastewater from ion exchange units. This water treatment plant currently has a design potable flow rate of 6 MGD and a maximum, monthly average discharge of approximately 0.5108 MGD. This facility is located at the Hubert WTP at 372 Hubert Boulevard in Hubert in Onslow County. Water and wastewater treatment includes the following components: • Three (3) aerators and detention tanks • Three (3) trains of four (4) greensand filters each • Three (3) trains with eight (8) ion exchange softeners • Four (4) 0.75 MG lined sedimentation lagoons • Effluent pumps • Chemical usage consists of: o Potassium permanganate o Fluoride o Orthophosphate o Sodium hypochlorite o Household cleaners 2. Discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001 at the location specified on the attached map into Queen Creek, currently classified SA; HQW waters [Stream Index: 19-41-16] located within sub -basin 03-05-01 [HUC: 0302030103011 of the White Oak River Basin. Page 2 of 9 NPDES Permit NCO083321 PART I 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 backwash from Outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored' by the Permittee as specified below: EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS eDMR Code EFFLUENT LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS Monthly Average Daily Maximum Measurement Frequency Sample Type Sample Location Flow (MGD) 50050 Monitor & Report 2/Month Instantaneous Effluent Duration of Discharge (hours) 81381 Monitor & Report 2/Month Instantaneous Effluent Total Suspended Solids (mg/L) C0530 10.0 mg/L 15.0 mg/L 2/Month Composite Effluent Total Residual Chlorine 3 (Ng/L) 50060 13 pg/L 2/Month Grab Effluent pH (su) 00400 Not < 6.8 nor > 8.5 standard units 2/Month Grab Effluent pH (su) 00400 Monitor & Report Monthly Grab U, D Salinity (ppth) 00480 Monitor & Report Monthly Composite Effluent Salinity (ppth) 00480 Monitor & Report Monthly Grab U,D Conductivity (pmhos/cm) 00094 Monitor & Report Monthly Composite Effluent Conductivity (pmhos/cm) 00094 Monitor & Report Monthly Grab U,D Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 00300 Monitor & Report Monthly Grab Effluent Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L) 70295 Monitor & Report Monthly Composite Effluent Turbidity (NTU) 00070 Monitor & Report Monthly Grab Effluent Total Chloride (mg/L) 00940 Monitor & Report Monthly Composite Effluent Total Copper 4, 5 (ug/L) 01042 1.85 pg/L 2.90 Ng/L Monthly Composite Effluent Total Lead 4, 5 (pg/L) 01051 4.25 pg/L 110.40 pg/L Monthly Composite Effluent Total Zinc 4, 5 (pg/L) 01092 42.8 pg/L 47.6 Ng/L Monthly Composite Effluent Total Nitrogen 6 (mg/L) C0600 Monitor & Report Quarterly Composite Effluent Total Phosphorous (mg/L) C0665 Monitor & Report Quarterly Composite Effluent Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing 7 TGE3E See Footnote 7 Quarterly Composite Effluent Footnotes: 1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the Division's eDMR system [see Section A. (5)]. 2. U = Upstream at the crossing of road 1744, D = Downstream at the far side of highway 24. 3. The limit and monitoring requirements only apply if the facility adds chlorine or chlorine derivatives to waters that are eventually discharged. The Division shall consider all effluent TRC values reported below 50 Page 3 of 9 NPDES Permit NCO083321 µg/L to be in compliance with the permit. However, the 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 µg/L. 4. All practical quantitation limits (PQL) must be sufficiently sensitive considering the respective water quality standard for each parameter [see Part II. Section D. (4.)]. 5. Limits for Total Copper, Total Lead, and Total Zinc will become effective on July 1, 2025. See Section A. (4) for details of the compliance schedule. 6. Total Nitrogen = TKN + (NOs-N + NO2-N) where TKN is Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, NOs-N and NOz-N are Nitrate and Nitrite Nitrogen, respectively. 7. Acute Toxicity (Mysidopsis bahia) 24-hour Pass/Fail Limit at 90% during the months of March, June, September, and December [see Section A. (2)]. All samples collected should be from a representative discharge event. THERE SHALL BE NO DISCHARGE OF FLOATING SOLIDS OR VISIBLE FOAM IN OTHER THAN TRACE AMOUNTS. A. (2) ACUTE TOXICITY PASS/FAIL LIMIT (QUARTERLY) [15A NCAC 02B .0200] [15A NCAC 02B .05001 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 March, June, September, and December. 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. Should any single quarterly monitoring indicate a failure to meet specified limits, then monthly monitoring will begin immediately until such time that a single test is passed. Upon passing, this monthly test requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above. 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.ATBAdeq.nc.Pov Page 4 of 9 NPDES Permit NCO083321 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 until such time that a single test is passed. Upon passing, this monthly test requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above. Assessment of toxicity compliance is based on the toxicity testing quarter, which is the three-month time interval that begins on the first day of the month in which toxicity testing is required by this permit and continues until the final day of the third month. 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. 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. A. (3) PERMIT RE -OPENER: 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 NPDES Permit NCO083321 A. (4) SCHEDULE OF COMPLIANCE (OUTFALL 001) [G.S. 143-215.1(b)] 1. By July 1, 2024, the Permittee shall submit to the Division of Water Resources a Corrective Action Plan summarizing the actions or strategy to be taken to achieve compliance with the Total Copper, Total Lead, and Total Zinc limits at Outfall 001. Specific dates for completion or implementation of each action shall be included. 2. By July 1, 2025, the Permittee shall achieve compliance with the Total Copper, Total Lead, and Total Zinc limits specified in Section A. (1). Upon approval of the Corrective Action Plan by the Division, the report and actions become an enforceable part of this permit. Any modifications to the schedule shall be requested to the Division at least ninety (90) days before the deadline. Modifications to the schedule in excess of four months will be subject to public notice. The Corrective Action Plan and reports shall include the owner's name, NPDES permit number and Permittee contact person, and shall be submitted to: (1) NCDEQ / Division of Water Resources (2) NCDEQ / Division of Water Resources NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting Wilmington Regional Office 1617 Mail Service Center 127 Cardinal Drive Ext. Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Wilmington, NC 28405 A. (5) 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.) • Section D. (2.) • Section D. (6.) • Section E. (5.) Signatory Requirements Reporting Records Retention 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 Page 6 of 9 NPDES Permit NCO083321 monitoring data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. The eDMR system may be accessed at: hgps://deg.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: 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 Page 7 of 9 NPDES Permit NCO083321 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 Reportine 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://deg.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr 4. Signatory Requirements ISupplements 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: http://deg.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: 7 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 Page 8 of 9 NPDES Permit NCO083321 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* Director at any time [40 CFR 122.41]. Page 9 of 9 P f O n a . u ' a j r a ramp t 1 �,��. r 'RIF WI -MR, IN P _ Onslow Water and Sewer Authority Hubert WTP NPDES Permit NCO083321 Receiving Stream: Queen Creek Stream Class: SA; HQW Stream Segment: 19-41-16 Sub -Basin M 03-05-01 River Basin: White Oak HUC: 030203010301 County: Onslow N A SCALE 1:24,000 Facili Location scale not shown USGS •Hubert•'