NC0040070_Staff Report_20090713

1V
SOC PRIORITY PROJECT: No
r emits and Engineering Unit
Water Quality Section
Attention: Dina Sprinkle
Date: July 13, 2009
NPDES STAFF REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
County: Gaston
NPDES Permit No.: NCO040070
PART I - GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Facility and address: City of Gastonia Water Treatment Plant
City of Gastonia
Post Office Box 1748
Gastonia, N.C. 28053-1748
2. Date of investigation: July 9, 2009
3. Report prepared by: Samar Bou-Ghazale, Environ. Engr. II
4. Person contacted and telephone number: Chris High, ORC, [phone].
5. Directions to site: The City of Gastonia's WTP is located at the intersection of York St.
and Long Avenue in the City of Gastonia.
6. Discharge point(s), List for all discharge points: -
Latitude: 350 16' 06"
Longitude: 810 11' 16"
Attach a USGS Map Extract and indicate treatment plant site and discharge point on map.
USGS Quad No.: F14SW
7. Site size and expansion area consistent with application: Yes. Very limited area
available for expansion.
8. Topography (relationship to flood plain included): Gently sloping, 3-6% slopes. The site
is not located in a flood plain.
9. Location of nearest dwelling: Approx. 100 feet from the WTP site.

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10. Receiving stream or affected surface waters: Unnamed tributary to Long Creek
a. Classification: C
b. River Basin and Subbasin No.: Catawba 030836
C. Describe receiving stream features and pertinent downstream uses: channel is ,::� 2-
4 feet wide with a rocky bottom. Very urbanized drainage basin. No other known
downstream dischargers.
PART II - DESCRIPTION OF DISCHARGE AND TREATMENT WORKS
1. a. Volume of wastewater: 1.2 MGD (Design Capacity)
b. What is the current permitted capacity: No flow limit in permit.
C. Actual treatment capacity of current facility (current design capacity): 1.2 MGD
d. Date(s) and construction activities allowed by previous ATCs issued in the
previous two years: N/A
e. Description of existing or substantially constructed WWT facilities: The existing
WWT facilities consist of two (2) 0.600 MG settling basins and a residuals
dewatering press (currently not in use). Bio-Nomic Services Inc., (tel# 704-529-
0000) dewater the sludge at site twice a year and dispose the waste in a landfill in
Harrisburg, NC. The -wastewater flow at this facility consists of effluent from the
filter backwashes, sedimentation basin clean -outs, ancillary leakage from pipes
and sample points throughout the WTP, and drainage from in -line analytical
equipment.
f. Description of proposed WWT facilities: There are no proposed WWT facilities.
g. Possible toxic impacts to surface waters: Effluents from WTPs have been shown
to exhibit toxic characteristics.
h. Pretreatment Program (POTWs only): Not Needed.
2. Residual handling and utilization/disposal scheme: Alum residuals generated at the WTP
are stored in Settling Basin #2 until the unit is filled. Once filled, the residuals are
pumped to the City's Long Creek where they are blended with residuals from the City's
two (2) WWTPs and then land applied under DWQ Permit No. WQ0001793.
3. Treatment plant classification: Class I (no change from previous rating).
4. SIC Code(s): 4941 Wastewater Code(s): 21 MTU Code(s): 51003

PART III - OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION
Is this facility being constructed with Construction Grant Funds or are any public monies
involved (municipals only)? Public monies were used in the construction of this facility.
2. Special monitoring or limitations (including toxicity) requests: None at this time.
3. Important SOC/JOC or Compliance Schedule dates: N/A
4. Alternative analysis evaluation
a. Spray Irrigation: Insufficient area available.
b. Connect to regional sewer system: Municipal sewer is available, however,
effluents from the WTP have been found to be detrimental to the operational
efficiency of the City's WWTP's. Therefore, the City does not have any plans to
send any of the WTP effluent to the sewer collection system at this time, although
this option does exist.
C. Subsurface: Insufficient area available.
PART IV - EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The City of Gastonia has requested that the subject permit be renewed. The City
is not discharging any wastewater and has been pumping residuals to the City's Long
Creek WWTP since February 2006.
The City has obtained an inactive status from Raleigh in May, 2009, however, the
City would like to renew the discharge permit in case they have a need for it in the future.
Pending review and approval by the Western NPDES Program Unit, it is
recommended that the permit be renewed as requested.
Signature of Report Prep Date
211 /4 ,el4 31407
Water Quality Regional Supervisor Date