NCG551074_1303 Goodwin Rd_NPDES_SFR-Inspection_Letter

July 27, 2023

CERTIFIED MAIL #7020 3160 0000 4115 2060
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

Katherine Dale
1303 Goodwin Rd.
Durham, NC 27712

Subject: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ASSESS CIVIL PENALTY
NOV-2023-PC-0404
Compliance Evaluation Inspection
Single Family Wastewater Treatment System
General NPDES Permit NCG550000
Certificate of Coverage NCG551074
Facility: 1303 Goodwin Rd
Durham County

Dear Katherine Dale

On June 29, 2023, Chris Smith and Kevin Fowler from the Raleigh Regional Office visited your
single-family residence (SFR) wastewater treatment system to evaluate compliance with the
subject General NPDES Permit. Ashely Dale’s assistance during the inspection was helpful and
appreciated.

Our records indicate the treatment system consists of a septic tank, dual sand filters, chlorinator
with chlorine contact chamber, discharge pipe and a rip-rap apron for post aeration, and
associated appurtenances.

General NPDES Permit NCG550000 and Certificate of Coverage (COC) NCG551074 authorize
the discharge of domestic wastewater from your treatment system to receiving waters designated
as an unnamed tributary to Eno River in subbasin 03-04-01 of the Neuse River Basin. The
authorized discharge is in accordance with the effluent limits and monitoring requirements
established within the General Permit. The checked boxes below show what conditions were
noted at your facility:

1. NCG550000 Ownership Change Form: According to Durham County deed of
records, Katherine Dale owns the residence and property located at 1303 Goodwin Rd
in Durham, North Carolina. As the property owner, you are also the owner of the
existing single-family wastewater treatment system, which treats the domestic
DocuSign Envelope ID: E4CB7F4C-187A-48AD-9CC1-4B272F34F91E

Katherine Dale, NCG551074
July 27, 2023 Page 2 of 4

wastewater from the residence and releases the effluent to the receiving waters
indicated above. Because the treatment system makes an outlet to waters of the state,
it is an activity for which the subject permit is required. In the inspection letter dated
October 31, 2018, this office notified you of the requirement to complete and submit
the Ownership Change Form. By failing to submit the NPDES Certificate of
Coverage Ownership Change Form, you have operated a treatment works without a
permit.

According to Division records, a NCG550000 Ownership Change Form has not been
submitted for the subject facility. The permit issued for this facility still belongs to the
facility’s former owner, William A. Christmas.

This places Katherine Dale in violation of North Carolina General Statute § 143-215.1(a)(2),
which states that no person may operate a treatment works or disposal system unless that
person has received a permit from the Commission. Failure to request a change of ownership
for the subject permit may result in the assessment of civil penalties of up to $25,000 per
violation.

To comply with North Carolina General Statute § 143-215.1(a), please submit a
NCG550000 Ownership Change Form within thirty (30) days of receipt of this letter. If you
have documentation proving that this record is in error, please forward it to our office. If
you have any questions regarding change in permit ownership or completing the
form, then please contact Chris Smith at [phone].

2. Treatment system operation: The wastewater treatment system shall be maintained
at all times to prevent seepage of sewage to the surface of the ground.

3. Pumping the septic tank: You are required to inspect the septic tank at least yearly
to determine if solids must be removed or if other maintenance is necessary. Septic
tanks should be pumped out every five years or when the solids level is found to be
more than 1/3 of the liquid depth in the septic tank compartment, whichever is
greater. A pumping company can check the status periodically and determine when
pumping is required. Within 30-days of receiving this letter, please send a copy of
the most recent receipt/invoice to this office showing the date the septic tank was
last checked and/or pumped out. The General NPDES Permit requires the permittee
to retain records associated with sewage disposal activities for a period of at least 5
years.

4. Chlorine tablets in the chlorinator: You are reminded that it is required that
chlorine tablets be maintained in the chlorinator to ensure proper disinfection of the
discharged wastewater. Chlorine tablets provide effective disinfection and
prevent/limit harmful bacteria from discharging to the environment. The product
label for these tablets must indicate the tablets are approved for wastewater use and
not for swimming pools. Part 1, Section D (1) of General NPDES Permit
NCG550000 requires the permittee to inspect the tablet chlorinator weekly to ensure
there is an adequate supply of tablets for continuous and proper operation. Section D
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Katherine Dale, NCG551074
July 27, 2023 Page 3 of 4

(4) requires the permittee to maintain all system components, including...disinfection
units...at all times and in good operating order. On the day of the inspection the
inspector observed chlorine tablets in the chlorinator. Please continue to ensure
the correct type of tablets are used and maintained in the chlorinator as required by
the General NPDES Permit.

5. Analyzing the effluent: Part 1. C., Effluent Limitations and Monitoring
Requirements, within General Permit NCG550000 requires a permittee to sample and
analyze the effluent leaving his/her treatment system prior to discharge annually.
Parameters to be sampled and analyzed include Flow, BOD (Biochemical Oxygen
Demand), Total Suspended Solids, Fecal Coliform and Total Residual Chlorine.
Within 30-days of receiving this letter, please let this office know if you have
monitored your effluent discharge within the last 12 months, and provide this office
with a copy of the lab results if you have. If you have not monitored your effluent,
then please collect a representative sample of the effluent, have it analyzed by a
certified commercial laboratory and submit the results to this office no later than
October 27, 2023. If, during this time, you are unable to collect a representative
sample of the effluent discharge due to insufficient flow from the discharge pipe, then
update this office with that information and continue to monitor the discharge and if
conditions for sampling become favorable, then arrange to collect a sample. Failure
to monitor the effluent discharge as required is a violation of NPDES General
Permit NCG550000.

6. Discharge outlet location. The permittee is required to conduct a visual review of
the outfall location at least twice each year (one at the time of sampling) to ensure
that no visible solids or other obvious evidence of system malfunctioning is observed.
Any visible signs of a malfunctioning system shall be documented and steps taken to
correct the problem. To comply with the general permit monitoring requirements,
you need to be able to sample and analyze the effluent from your SFR system through
the discharge pipe. The discharge pipe was visible and accessible the day of the
inspection. Please continue to ensure the outlet is always visible/maintained and
cleared of vegetation, soil and leaves. Maintaining the area will allow you to monitor
the discharge and to collect effluent samples as required by the subject permit.

The wastewater treatment system should be periodically inspected to ensure the treatment
components are always maintained and in good operating order. You are also reminded to
maintain all monitoring data and associated maintenance records onsite for a minimum of
three years and available for inspection.

This inspection report is being issued as a Notice of Violation because you are operating a
treatment system without an NPDES permit and discharging domestic wastewater from a
single-family residence illegally.

DocuSign Envelope ID: E4CB7F4C-187A-48AD-9CC1-4B272F34F91E

Katherine Dale, NCG551074
July 27, 2023 Page 4 of 4

Within 30-days receipt of this letter, please submit a written response to this office indicating
the actions you will take or have taken to comply with or resolve the issues noted in 1, 3, and 5
above.

If you have questions or comments about this inspection or the requirements to take corrective
action (if applicable), then please contact Vanessa Manuel at 919-791-4232.

Sincerely,

Vanessa E. Manuel, Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Raleigh Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ

Attachment(s): EPA Water Compliance Inspection Report
Invoice: 2017PR009414
NPDES SFR Technical Bulletin

Cc: Laserfiche
Charles Weaver, NPDES Permitting Unit w/o attachments
Durham County Health Department w/o attachments

DocuSign Envelope ID: E4CB7F4C-187A-48AD-9CC1-4B272F34F91E