NC0040011_Response to Notice_20240130

TOWN OF YANCEYVILLE
INCORPORATED
"Tradition with Vision" 1986
N C rJ(, ., :.:(,lt of
Environrrlental c)tjality
L Received
January 30a' , 2024 Winston-Salem
Regional Office -
Ms. Jennifer Graznak
Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston Salem, NC, 27105
RE: Notice of Violation & Intent to Assess Civil Penalty
Tracking Number: NOV-2024-LV-0074
Permit No. NCO040011
Yanceyville, WWTP
Caswell County
Ms. Graznak,
We are in receipt of the Notice of Violation letter dated January 19, 2024 for permit exceedances
at the Town of Yanceyville Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) during November 2023. As
the letter indicates, our WWTP experienced permit excursions for effluent Fecal Coliform
weekly geometric mean for the weeks of November 4 and November 11, and the monthly
geometric mean limitation for the month of November. We would like to provide additional
information related to this event. This information is presented subsequently for your review and
consideration.
The #2 Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) had one mixer and one aerator out of service during
this time period due to mechanical failures that negatively affected the control of solids within
the basin. This operational issue was compounded by a faulty limit switch on the actuator of the
#1 SBR decanting valve that was allowing solids to escape the basin and enter into the
Disinfection Contact Basin, which increased the loading of Fecal Coliform in the disinfection
system. The combination of these issues resulted in an elevated level of Fecal Coliform during
the first two weeks of November.
In order to correct the issues summarized above, the faulty limit switch on the #1 SBR decanting
valve actuator was repaired, which corrected the decanting cycle and minimized the loss of
solids during this stage of the treatment process. Also, an auxiliary pump was rented to remove
the solids from the disinfection contact basin to decrease the overall Fecal Coliform loading in
the disinfection system. These two corrective measures decreased the Fecal Coliform levels and
158 E. Church Street • P.O. Box 727 • Yanceyville, North Carolina 27379
[phone] Fax [phone] www.yanceyvillenc.gov

brought effluent quality back into compliance for the remaining weeks of November.
Additionally, the #2 SBR aerator was repaired and put back into service on December 28, and
the #2 SBR mixer is currently undergoing repairs.
The Town of Yanceyville is committed to effective wastewater treatment compliance and
protection of the receiving stream and environment. The Town has limited financial resources
and respectfully request that your office not pursue civil penalty for this event. The Town feels it
would be more beneficial to put our funds into additional financial needs at the facility. I hope
that this information is helpful in detailing the specifics and circumstances of the event. If you
have any questions or require additional information, please advise.
Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter.
In solidarity,
Kamara Barnett
Town Manager/Clerk
Cc: Inframark