NC0085553_Draft Permit_20231206

ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH BISER
Secretary
RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR
Director
Chris McCall, Village Manager
Village of Bald Head Island
P. O. Box 3009
Bald Head Island, North Carolina 28461
c/o Tony Boahn, PE, Vice President
McKim &Creed, Inc
243 North Front Street
Wilmington, North Carolina 28203
Mr. McCall:
NORTH CAROUNA
Envifonmerttat Qadlffy
December 6, 2023
Subject: Review of Permit - Renewal Draft
NPDES NCO088553 for
Bald Head Island Reverse Osmosis WTP
Brunswick County
The Division of Water Resources (DWR or the Division) has reviewed your application to renew
the discharge permit for the subject site, signed, by your consultant Tony Boahn, PE on
November 28, 2022. We hereby transmit a permit DRAFT for your review and comment.
Please review the attached draft carefully to ensure your understanding of its limits and
monitoring conditions, and to correct errors, if any. Concurrent with this notification, the
Division will solicit public comment on this draft by publishing a notice in newspapers having
circulation in the general Brunswick County area, as required by the NPDES Program. Please
submit your written comments (if any), to the undersigned, NCDEQ / DWR / NPDES no later
than December 9, 2023 (approximately 30 days after receiving this document). We welcome
your written comments, but they are not mandatory.
SUMMARY OF RENEWAL
In keeping with Division strategies, we have incorporated the following renewal:
• Renewal updated the text for Acute Toxicity, instream sample location narratives, and
the site Facility Map.
For your convenience, resorted Effluent parameters table [A. (L)] by Measurement
frequency.
• Total Arsenic Limits Remain Unchanged —Current reasonable potential analysis (RPA)
recommends Total Arsenic limits at 10 µg/L Monthly Average (MA) and 36 µg/L Daily
Max (DM) in contrast to previous limits of 10 µg/L for both MA and DM. However,
DE� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
7/1�512 North Salisbury Street 11617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 -- 919.707.3616

Chris McCall, Village Manager
Village of Bald Head Island
Renewal Draft
Dec2023
Pg 2
because of EPA's policy of anti -backsliding, DWR will retain the pervious DM limit of
10 µg/L consistent with permitting guidance statewide [see section A. (L)].
Similarly, based on the recent database, the RPAs for Effluent Total Copper and Total
Zinc monitoring remain Quarterly, no limits [see attached RPA] .
Effluent Acute WET test species remain mysid shrimp, unchanged from the previous
permit.
The NPDES standard conditions (Parts II, III, and IV), are part of this permit but are not included
in this draft document (cover, map, and Part I). The latest version of Parts II, III, and IV are
available at https://bit.ly/2BZ4xxx and can be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF file.
Following the mandatory 45-day Public Comment period, the Division will review all pertinent
comments, if any, and take appropriate action prior to issuing an NPDES permit final.
If you have questions, please email the undersigned at [joe.corporon(&,ncdenr.gov]. Because NC
state government may function remotely, correspondence via email is preferred.
Respectfully,
Jo 'R. Corpo on, P.
D Q / DW / NPDES Permitting
Enclosure: NPDES Permit NC0088838 (permit renewal draft)
ec: DWR/NPDES Program Files Laserfiche
DWR/OCU, Jeffery Talbott [e-mail]]
DWR/WiRO, Morella King [[e-mail]]
ATB, Cindy Moore
McKim &Creed, Inc, Tony Boahn, PE, Vice President [[e-mail]]

Permit NCO085553
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
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,
Village of Bald Head Island
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Bald Head Island Utility Department
Water Treatment Plant (WTP)
256 Edward Teach Extension, Bald Head Island
Brunswick County
to receiving waters designated as Bald Head Island Marina Basin Channel in the Cape Fear 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 , 2023.
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on November 30, 2027.
Signed this day 12023.
for Richard E. Rogers, Jr., Director
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 8

Permit NCO085553
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.
Village of Bald Head Island
is hereby authorized to:
1. continue to operate a potable Water Treatment Plant (WTP) utilizing Reverse Osmosis (RO)
technology to generate a concentrated wastewater discharge (3-year flow average = 0.086 MGD) to
produce potable water (design flowrate = 0.288 MGD from groundwater source wells) utilizing,
but not limited to, facilities as
• multiple groundwater pumping wells
• one (1) each anti-scalant injection system (phosphoric/phosphonic acid)
• two (2) each 0.101 MGD primary RO systems with reject -water flow totalizer
• one (1) each 0.086 MGD polishing RO system with reject -water flow totalizer
• appurtenant piping to the outfall and effluent sample point
• one (1) each potable -water storage tank (0.400 million gallons)
these facilities located at the Village of Bald Head Island, 256 Edward Teach Extension, Bald Head
Island, Brunswick County, and
2. discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001, at the location specified on the attached map,
into Bald Head Island Marina Basin Channel (Stream Segment 18-88-8-5), a waterbody currently
classified SC; # waters within hydrological unit 03-06-17 [HUC: 030300000508] of the Cape Fear
River Basin.
Page 2 of 8

Permit NCO085553
Part I
A. (L) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the
Permittee is authorized to discharge reverse osmosis reject water from Outfall 001. Such discharges
shall be limited, monitored, and reported 1 by the Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT
CHARACTERISTICS
PARAMETER CODE
LIMITS
MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
Monthly
Average
Daily
Maximum
Measurement
Frequency
Sample
Type
Sample
Location z
Flow, MGD
50050
Weekly
Recorder
E
pH (Standard Units)
00400
Not < 6.8 nor > 8.5 s.u.
2/Month
Grab
E
pH (Standard Units)
00400
Monthly
Grab
U, D
Total Arsenic
01002
10 µg/L
10 µg/L
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Chloride (mg/L)
00940
Monthly
Grab
E
Temperature (°C)
00100
Monthly
Grab
E, U, D
Salinity (ppth)
00480
Monthly
Grab
E, U, D
Conductivity (µmhos/cm)
00094
Monthly
Grab
E, U, D
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)
00300
Monthly
Grab
E, U, D
Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L)
70295
Monthly
Grab
E
Ammonia as Nitrogen (mg/L)
C0610
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Copper (µg/L)
01042
Quarterly
Grab
E
Total Zinc (µg/L)
01092
Quarterly
Grab
E
Whole Effluent Toxicity'
TGE3E
Quarterly
Grab
E
Footnotes:
The Permittee shall submit Discharge Monitoring Reports electronically using NCDWR's eDMR
application system [see A. (3)].
2. E = Effluent; U = Upstream; at least 50 feet from the channel discharge location towards the
Cape Fear River; D = Downstream at least100 feet from the channel discharge location towards
Bald Head Island Marina.
3. WET Testing — Acute, 24-hour Pass/ Fail, (Mysidopsis bahia) at 90%; January, April, July, and
October; refer to Special Condition A. (2). All listed effluent parameters must be measured in
conjunction with toxicity test sample.
Conditions:
All samples collected 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 8

Permit NCO085553
A. (2.) ACUTE TOXICITY MONITORING (QUARTERLY)
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). Effluent samples for self -monitoring purposes must be
obtained during representative effluent discharge below all waste treatment. 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.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent
Discharge Monitoring Form (MR-1) for the month in which it was performed, using the TGE3E.
Additionally, DWQ Form AT-2 (original) is to be sent to the following address:
Attention: North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Environmental Sciences Section
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Environmental 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 and accurate and include all supporting chemical/physical measurements
performed in association with the toxicity tests, as well as all dose/response data. 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 Environmental 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. 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 Quality indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may
be re -opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
If the Permittee monitors any pollutant more frequently then required by this permit, the results of such
monitoring shall be included in the calculation and reporting of the data submitted on the DMR and
AT Forms.
Page 4 of 8

Permit NCO085553
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 DWQ
staff or data collection provided by the permittee and approved by DWQ 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 NC DWQ, ESS at the address listed above.
A. (3.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING - 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
Page 5 of 8

Permit NC0085553
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://deg.nc.aov/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.
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, 2020, 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
Page 6 of 8

Permit NC0085553
appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES
Electronic Reporting Rule is found at:
hllps://www. federalreaister. gov/documents/20l 5/ l O/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
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d)1
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. (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:
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
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,
Page 7 of 8

Permit NCO085553
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 the Director at any time [40 CFR 122.41].
Page 8 of 8

Village of Bald Head Island
256 Edward Teach Extension; Bald Head Island
Facility
Location
Outfall Latitude: 33° 52' 37" N Outfall Longitude: 78' 00' 04" W
not to scale
Stream Class: SC; # Receiving Stream: Bald Head Island Marina
Stream Segment: 18-88-8-5 Waste Flow: 0.0706 MGD
Hydrological Unit: 03-06-17 USGS Ouad: South Port, NC
HUC: 0303000508 Drainage Basin: Cape Fear
NPDES Permit NC0085553
North
Brunswick County