NC0065684_Complaint_20240115 (3)

Baker, Caroline D
From:
Justin Nicolette <[e-mail]>
Sent:
Friday, December 15, 2023 6:40 PM
To:
Justin Nicolette
Cc:
Becker, Shannon V; Pitner, Andrew; Wyatt Dunn; Gavin Eales; Sewell, Alex; Scheller,
Roberto; Erinn Nichols; Max Hsiang; Graham Hall; Matt Dillard; [e-mail];
Paul Newman; Franklin, Christopher H; David Scholl; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Wolanin, Melinda; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Biser, Elizabeth; Talley, Noelle S; Collins, Christopher A;
Grzyb, Julie; Pjetraj, Michael; [e-mail]; Keefer, Heather Vail; Rep. Dan
Bishop; Ray Kirby; [e-mail]
Subject:
Re: [External] Aqua Sewer Treatment Plant - Complaint
Attachments:
Video.mov
CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Report suspicious emails with the Report Message
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WE
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Sent from my iPhone, typos are inevitable.
On Dec 15, 2023, at 6:25 PM, Justin Nicolette <[e-mail]> wrote:
Hi all. The plant sounds like it's going to explode tonight. It's like a freight train is parked behind our
house and idling at full rpm's. We can hear it I. The house and have for much of the afternoon.
And it stinks.
Anyone else hearing this?
Added a few more neighbors and the governors office.
Justin
Sent from my iPhone, typos are inevitable.
On Dec 2, 2023, at 5:09 PM, Gavin Eales <[e-mail]> wrote:
5 pm Saturday evening
A stench that is not fit for human consumption spreads over the neighborhood once
again.
How I wish you were all here to savor it !
This is not make believe ...
Gavin Eales
[phone]
On Dec 1, 2023 at 18:44 -0500, Becker, Shannon V <[e-mail]>,
wrote:
Mr. Eales,
Aqua is aware of the odor complaint in the Country Woods East community. We are,
and have been, working to evaluate this situation as previously explained.
When we consider odor in a wastewater system, which separately includes a
collection system and treatment facility, we evaluate the cause and possible options to
help mitigate odors naturally associated with the treatment process. In 2021, when
we investigated a separate odor complaint in this system, we determined they
resulted from high levels of certain bacteria in two segments of the sewer collection

system. We then installed chemical feeds to reduce the bacteria levels and verified
the positive results.
Our wastewater treatment facility is being operated properly and meeting state
permit requirements, as has been verified by DEQ in previous communications. When
we recently received the new odor complaint claiming odors were coming from the
facility, we investigated and were not able to identify an odor issue on our site that
matched the description. As a result, we brought in an engineering firm to further
evaluate the facility to identify if an issue exists. If the engineering firm determines the
source of the issue is our facility, we will ask the firm to propose ways we can resolve
the issue, and Aqua will take appropriate action.
We will update you and our community partners when we know more.
Respectfully,
Shannon V. Becker
<i mage002.j pg>
Shannon V. Becker
President
Aqua North Carolina, Inc.,
<i mage003. png>
<i mage004. png>
<i mage005. png>
Disclaimer
The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended
solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient,
you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation of
the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.

From: Gavin Eales <[e-mail]>
Sent: Friday, December 1, 2023 5:03 PM
To: Justin Nicolette <[e-mail]>; Alex Sewell
<asewel I @sta I I i ngsnc.org>
Cc: Pitner, Andrew <[e-mail]>; Wyatt Dunn
<[e-mail]>; Scheller, Roberto <[e-mail]>;
Becker, Shannon V <[e-mail]>; Erinn Nichols
<[e-mail]>; Max Hsiang <[e-mail]>; Graham
Hall <[e-mail]>; Matt Dillard <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; Paul Newman <[e-mail]>; Franklin,
Christopher H <[e-mail]>; David Scholl
<[e-mail]>; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Wolanin, Melinda
<[e-mail]>; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Biser, Elizabeth <[e-mail]>;
Talley, Noelle S <[e-mail]>; Collins, Christopher A
<[e-mail]>; Grzyb, Julie <[e-mail]>;
Pjetraj, Michael <[e-mail]>; [e-mail]
Subject: RE: [External] Aqua Sewer Treatment Plant - Complaint
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or
open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
I'm very surprised that I've not even received one single response to my email
of November 23 from anybody, until today!
I am astounded that no one cares about this issue enough to actually take
action!
This evening, the stench is too terrible.
Will someone take responsibility and get this dealt with ???
We can't be expected to breathe this in !
Gavin Eales
On Dec 1, 2023 at 16:44 -0500, Alex Sewell <[e-mail]>, wrote:
Hi Mr. Pitner,
Since your last update on 10/6/23, I've seen several complaints from
residents. There may be efforts/communications that I'm not aware of right
now. Would you be able to give the group an update?

Some
Thanks,
Alex
<i mage006.j pg>
M. Alexander Sewell, Esq., ICMA-CM
Town Manager
Town of Stallings
[phone]
*Pursuant to Chapter 132 of the North Carolina General Statutes, this email
message and any attachments hereto, as well as any electronic mail message(s)
that may be sent in response to it may be considered a public record(s) and as
such are subject to request and review in accordance with the law.
From: Justin Nicolette <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2023 10:51 PM
To: Justin Nicolette <[e-mail]>
Cc: Gavin Eales Gmail <[e-mail]>; Pitner, Andrew
<[e-mail]>; Alex Sewell <[e-mail]>; Wyatt
Dunn <[e-mail]>; Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Becker, Shannon V
<[e-mail]>; Erinn Nichols <[e-mail]>;
Max Hsiang <[e-mail]>; Graham Hall
<[e-mail]>; Matt Dillard <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; Paul Newman <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; David Scholl <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; [e-mail]; Wolanin, Melinda
<[e-mail]>; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Biser, Elizabeth <[e-mail]>;
Talley, Noelle S <[e-mail]>; [e-mail];
Grzyb, Julie <[e-mail]>; Pjetraj, Michael
<[e-mail]>; [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [External] Aqua Sewer Treatment Plant - Complaint
received this message don't often get email from justin.nicolettekgmail.com. Learn why this is important
The smell is terrible again this evening. Just FYI. Is there anyway I can help
you see that there is a real issue here?

Gov. Cooper's office has also been in touch.
Please help us
Justin
Sent from my iPhone, typos are inevitable.
On Nov 23, 2023, at 7:55 PM, Justin Nicolette
<[e-mail]> wrote:
Gavin,
I agree. The smell has been horrible. What a way to ruin a
holiday for many of us.
Among other things, I've been working with a few reporters
on a story about this to help raise broader awareness of the
issue and lack of action. I'll send you the information and
encourage you to reach out directly to the reporter.
Justin (affected homeowner not in CWE)
Sent from my iPhone, typos are inevitable.
On Nov 23, 2023, at 12:18 PM, Gavin Eales
Gmail <[e-mail]> wrote:

Hello All.
Things are still really bad with the smell
originating from the sewerage plant in
Country woods East,.
Last night was terrible, why must our breath
be contaminated with this filth in the air?
Whether it is a gas or airborne solids, it is
still originating from the orifices of the areas
human residents, and why should I be
breathing that into my nostrils? and why
should my thanksgiving guests and family
breathe it in?
Please, we need this escalated,.
Thanking you in advance
Gavin Eales
From: Pitner, Andrew
[mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Friday, October 6, 2023 3:40 PM
To: Sewell, Alex <[e-mail]>;
Wyatt Dunn <[e-mail]>;
Basinger, Corey
<corey. basi nger@deq. nc.gov>;
[e-mail]
Cc: Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Gavin Eales
Gmail <[e-mail]>; Becker,
Shannon V <[e-mail]>;
Erinn Nichols <[e-mail]>;
Max Hsiang <[e-mail]>;
Graham Hall <[e-mail]>; Ruben
Ortiz <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; Paul Newman
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; David Scholl
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail];
[e-mail]; Wolanin,
Melinda <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail];
[e-mail]; Biser, Elizabeth
<[e-mail]>; Talley,
Noelle S <[e-mail]>;

[e-mail]; Grzyb, Julie
<[e-mail]>; Pjetraj, Michael
<[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant - Complaint
Hi Alex and others,
I apologize for the delay in responding to
your email. DEQ-Division of Water
Resources (DWR) staff from this office have
been working in the background since you
and others reached out to us this week to
report continuing odor problems that Aqua's
Country Woods wastewater treatment
facility is creating in the
neighborhood. Unfortunately, DWR's
attempts to get Aqua to respond to us were
unsuccessful.
As Aqua had been unresponsive to our calls
and emails, DWR staff visited the site
yesterday unannounced. While I'm glad to
report that DWR staff were greeted by Aqua
staff and an engineering contractor who
suggested they were considering steps they
could take, DWR has not yet been presented
with a plan to address the problems. There
are several operational, engineering, and on
the ground approaches that could be taken
by Aqua to address the odors and DWR has
requested that Aqua submit a plan to us to
do just that.
We understand that until Aqua implements
such a plan, there are likely to be additional
odor problems as wastewater treatment is a
biological process that will always generate
some level of odor. Until that time, we'd
request that the following be included in
future concerns about the facility:
Andrew Pitner, DWR,
[e-mail], 704-235-2180

Roberto Scheller,
DWR, [e-mail], 704-
235-2204
Christopher Collins, Aqua North Carolina
Western Operations Area Manager,
[e-mail], 704-489-
9404
Shannon Becker, Aqua North Carolina,
President, , [e-mail]
919-467-8712
Thanks,
Andrew
Andrew H. Pitner, P.G.
Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Mooresville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources
Department of Environmental Quality
704 235 2180 direct office
704 663 1699 MRO main line
704 663 6040 fax
DWR website: http://www.ncwater.org
610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301,
Mooresville, NC 28115
NOTICE: Email correspondence to and from
this address is subject to the North Carolina
Public Records Law and may be disclosed to
10

third parties unless the content is exempt by
statute or other regulation.
From: Alex Sewell <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 3, 2023 9:55 AM
To: Wyatt Dunn <[e-mail]>;
Basinger, Corey
<[e-mail]>; Pitner,
Andrew <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]
Cc: Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Gavin Eales
Gmail <[e-mail]>; Becker,
Shannon V <[e-mail]>;
Erinn Nichols <[e-mail]>;
Max Hsiang <[e-mail]>;
Graham Hall <[e-mail]>; Ruben
Ortiz <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; Paul Newman
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; David Scholl
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail];
[e-mail]; Wolanin,
Melinda <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail];
[e-mail]; Biser, Elizabeth
<[e-mail]>; Talley,
Noelle S <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant - Complaint
CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or
open attachments unless verified. Report
suspicious emails with the Report Message
button located on your Outlook menu bar on the
Home tab.
Mr. Basinger & Mr. Pitner,
Good morning. Attached is a letter Stallings
Mayor Wyatt Dunn to NCDENR last year
regarding objectionable odors coming from
Aqua North Carolina's Wastewater
Treatment Plant in Stallings. The Town of
Stallings has recently received several more
11

complaints regarding the smell and I am
consolidating everyone from several
different email chains to keep everyone in
the loop.
What is NCDENR's plan of action here?
Thank you for your assistance,
Alex
<i mage001.j pg>
M. Alexander Sewell, Esq., ICMA-CM
Town Manager
Town of Stallings
[phone]
*Pursuant to Chapter 132 of the North Carolina
General Statutes, this email message and any
attachments hereto, as well as any electronic
mail message(s) that may be sent in response
to it may be considered a public record(s) and
as such are subject to request and review in
accordance with the law.
From: Wyatt Dunn
<[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2022 11:42 AM
To: Basinger, Corey
<corey. basi nger@ ncden r.gov>
Cc: Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Pitner,
Andrew <[e-mail]>; Alex
Sewell <[e-mail]>; Town
Council <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [External] Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant - Complaint
12

Corey,
Thank you for your reply and I look forward
to DENR's next steps.
Thanks.
Wyatt Dunn, Mayor
Town of Stallings
Get Outlook for iOS
From: Basinger, Corey
<corey. basi nger@ ncden r.gov>
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2022 9:04 PM
To: Wyatt Dunn <[e-mail]>
Cc: Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Pitner,
Andrew <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant - Complaint
Mayor Dunn,
This Office continues to investigate the odor
issues you reference in your email.
I have included Roberto Scheller and
Andrew Pitner on my response. Mr. Scheller
is our field representative responsible for
the compliance of the Country Woods
wastewater treatment facility.
Regards,
Corey Basinger
13

W. Corey Basinger
Regional Supervisor
NC Division of Water Resources
Mooresville Regional Office
610 E. Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 28115
704-235-2168 (new Office number)
Chairman
Water Pollution Control System Operators
Certification Commission
704-235-2168 (new Office number)
From: Wyatt Dunn
[mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2022 4:07 PM
To: Basinger, Corey
<corey. basi nger@ ncden r.gov>
Cc: Biser, Elizabeth
<[e-mail]>;
Gov —Requests <[e-mail]>;
Talley, Noelle S <[e-mail]>;
Paul. [e-mail]; Sen. Todd Johnson
<[e-mail]>; Rep. Dean Arp
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail];
[e-mail]; ial son-
[e-mail]; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Sewell, Alex
<asewell@staIli ngsnc.org>; Graham Hall
14

<[e-mail]>; David Scholl
<[e-mail]>
Subject: [External] Aqua Sewer Treatment
Plant - Complaint
CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or
open attachments unless you verify. Send all
suspicious email as an attachment to Report
Spam.
Dear Mr. Basinger,
Attached is a letter regarding complaints
about the oder coming from Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant in the Country Woods
East neighood in Stallings, NC. As you
can see I have forwarded this
attachment to state elected officials and
local news media. I look forward to
hearing from you on what action can be
taken by the State of NC.
Thank you for your assistance.
Thank you,
Wyatt Dunn, Mayor
Town of Stallings
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Please do not read, copy, forward, or
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intended recipient of it. If you have
15

received this message in error, please
forward it to the sender and delete it
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For auditing purposes, a copy of this
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database.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This
e-mail message is intended to be received
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confidential information it may contain. E-
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do not read, copy, forward, or store this
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Email correspondence to and from this address may be
subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may
be disclosed to third parties by an authorized state official.
From: Justin Nicolette
[mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Thursday, October 5, 2023 7:21 AM
To: Alex Sewell <[e-mail]>
Cc: Wyatt Dunn <[e-mail]>;
Basinger, Corey
<[e-mail]>; Pitner,
Andrew <[e-mail]>;
Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Gavin Eales
Gmail <[e-mail]>; Becker,
Shannon V <[e-mail]>;
Erinn Nichols <[e-mail]>;
Max Hsiang <[e-mail]>;
16

Graham Hall <[e-mail]>; Ruben
Ortiz <[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; Paul Newman
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail]; David Scholl
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail];
[e-mail];
[e-mail];
[e-mail];
[e-mail];
[e-mail];
[e-mail]
Subject: Re: [External] Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant - Complaint
Good morning from Golden Acres, lot 14 -
otherwise known as 15709 Knollwood Place
in Indian Trail.
As we opened our sliding glass door to enjoy
the fall temps this a.m., we were greeted by
the stench of the wastewater plant yet
again. This obnoxious moment occurred as
we were making our daughter's school
lunch, so imagine how lovely that was at
6:45 in the morning.
Please help us; please fix this problem.
Justin Nicolette
704-301-4544
On Tue, Oct 3, 2023 at 9:55 AM Alex Sewell
<[e-mail]> wrote:
Mr. Basinger & Mr. Pitner,
17

Good morning. Attached is a letter Stallings
Mayor Wyatt Dunn to NCDENR last year
regarding objectionable odors coming from
Aqua North Carolina's Wastewater
Treatment Plant in Stallings. The Town of
Stallings has recently received several more
complaints regarding the smell and I am
consolidating everyone from several
different email chains to keep everyone in
the loop.
What is NCDENR's plan of action here?
Thank you for your assistance,
Alex
<>M. Alexander Sewell, Esq., ICMA-CM
Town Manager
Town of Stallings
[phone]
*Pursuant to Chapter 132 of the North Carolina
General Statutes, this email message and any
attachments hereto, as well as any electronic
mail message(s) that may be sent in response
to it may be considered a public record(s) and
as such are subject to request and review in
accordance with the law.
From: Wyatt Dunn
<[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2022 11:42 AM
To: Basinger, Corey
<corey. basi nger@ ncden r.gov>
Cc: Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Pitner,
Andrew <[e-mail]>; Alex
Sewell <[e-mail]>; Town
18

Council <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [External] Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant - Complaint
Corey,
Thank you for your reply and I look forward
to DENR's next steps.
Thanks.
Wyatt Dunn, Mayor
Town of Stallings
Get Outlook for iOS
From: Basinger, Corey
<corey. basi nger@ ncden r.gov>
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2022 9:04 PM
To: Wyatt Dunn <[e-mail]>
Cc: Scheller, Roberto
<[e-mail]>; Pitner,
Andrew <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant - Complaint
Mayor Dunn,
This Office continues to investigate the odor
issues you reference in your email.
I have included Roberto Scheller and
Andrew Pitner on my response. Mr. Scheller
is our field representative responsible for
the compliance of the Country Woods
wastewater treatment facility.
19

Regards,
Corey Basinger
W. Corey Basinger
Regional Supervisor
NC Division of Water Resources
Mooresville Regional Office
610 E. Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 28115
704-235-2168 (new Office number)
Chairman
Water Pollution Control System Operators
Certification Commission
704-235-2168 (new Office number)
From: Wyatt Dunn
[mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2022 4:07 PM
To: Basinger, Corey
<corey. basi nger@ ncden r.gov>
Cc: Biser, Elizabeth
<[e-mail]>;
Gov —Requests <[e-mail]>;
Talley, Noelle S <[e-mail]>;
Paul. [e-mail]; Sen. Todd Johnson
<[e-mail]>; Rep. Dean Arp
<[e-mail]>;
[e-mail];
20

[e-mail]; 'al son-
[e-mail]; [e-mail];
[e-mail]; Sewell, Alex
<[e-mail]>; Graham Hall
<[e-mail]>; David Scholl
<[e-mail]>
Subject: [External] Aqua Sewer Treatment
Plant - Complaint
CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or
open attachments unless you verify. Send all
suspicious email as an attachment to Report
Spam.
Dear Mr. Basinger,
Attached is a letter regarding complaints
about the oder coming from Aqua Sewer
Treatment Plant in the Country Woods East
neighood in Stallings, NC. As you can see I
have forwarded this attachment to state
elected officials and local news media. I look
forward to hearing from you on what action
can be taken by the State of NC.
Thank you for your assistance.
Thank you,
Wyatt Dunn, Mayor
Town of Stallings
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This
e-mail message is intended to be received
only by persons entitled to receive the
confidential information it may contain. E-
mail messages may contain information that
is confidential and legally privileged. Please
do not read, copy, forward, or store this
message unless you are an intended
recipient of it. If you have received this
21

message in error, please forward it to the
sender and delete it completely from your
computer system. For auditing purposes, a
copy of this message has been saved in a
permanent database.
----------------------- IMPORTANT NOTICE: This
e-mail message is intended to be received
only by persons entitled to receive the
confidential information it may contain. E-
mail messages may contain information that
is confidential and legally privileged. Please
do not read, copy, forward, or store this
message unless you are an intended
recipient of it. If you have received this
message in error, please forward it to the
sender and delete it completely from your
computer system. For auditing purposes, a
copy of this message has been saved in a
permanent database.
Thanks,
Justin
<3-11-22 - Letter to State Re Aqua Sewer
Plant.docx>
----------------------- IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail message is intended to be
received only by persons entitled to receive the confidential information it
may contain. E-mail messages may contain information that is confidential
and legally privileged. Please do not read, copy, forward, or store this
message unless you are an intended recipient of it. If you have received this
message in error, please forward it to the sender and delete it completely
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has been saved in a permanent database.
22