NC0087009_Draft Permit_20240402

ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S. BISER
secretary
RICHARD E. ROGERS. JR.
Director
Mr. Curtis Potter
Washington County
P.O. Box 1007
Plymouth, North Carolina 27962
Dear Permittee:
a,. STATE q,
�d
J
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
April 2, 2024
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NCO087009
Washington County WTP
Not Classified - Physical Chemical WPCS
Washington County
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Enclosed with this letter is a copy
of the draft permit for your facility. Please review this draft carefully to ensure your thorough
understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
➢ Duration of Discharge was added to the table in Part I. A. (1).
➢ Updated Whole Effluent Toxicity testing language in Part 1. A. (2).
➢ Updated eDMR language for electronic data submission in Part I. A. (3); however, the monthly
reporting requirement for the WTP was waived by DWR on September 17, 2015 due to no
discharge.
➢ Updated eDMR parameter codes on the effluent table in Section A. (1.).
➢ Iron has been removed from the Effluent table in Section A. (1) as there are no longer water
quality standards for Iron.
The NPDES standard conditions (Parts II,111, and IV) that are a part of the permit are not included in
this draft document (cover, map, and Part I). The conditions are the same as in your current permit
except that agency and division names have been updated. The latest version is available at
hgps://bit.ly/3k5NFaL and can be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF file.
With this notification, the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a
notice in newspapers having circulation in the general Washington County area, per EPA requirements.
Please provide your comments, if any, to me at the e-mail address below no later than 30 days
after receiving this draft permit.
Following the 30-day public comment period, the Division will review all pertinent comments and take
appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit.
North Carolina Department of Em ironmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 1 1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh. North Carolina 27699-1617
"ATM cnao�wvnD �/ 919.707.9000
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Page 2 of 2
NPDES Permit NC0087009
If you have questions concerning the draft, please contact me at caroline.robinson(a�deq.nc.gov.
Sincerely,
Environmental Specialist II
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting
cc: NPDES Files
Washington Regional Office
Aquatic Toxicology Unit
Operator Certification Program

NPDES Permit NCO087009
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
In compliance with the provisions 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,
Washington County
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Washington County Water Treatment Plant (WTP)
396 West Mill Pond Road
Roper
Washington County
to receiving waters desiated as the Albemarle Sound in the Pasquotank River Basin in accordance
with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements. and other applicable conditions set forth in Parts I, II,
III and IV hereof, T
This permit shall become effective
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on May 31, 2029.
If the permittee intends to continue to discharge at the facility beyond the term of this permit, a renewal
application must be submitted no later than December 2, 2028 (180 days before the expiration of this
permit).
Signed this day
John E. Hennessy, Section Chief Regional Operations
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 9

NPDES Permit NCO087009
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.
Washington County
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate, after notification, an ion exchange waste treatment system with a discharge
of water -softener brine and filter-rinsate wastewater. Water and wastewater treatment includes
the following components: Tr
• raw -water detention tank [25,000-gal w/ pumps, three (3) each @350 gpm
• IE filters [two (2) each]
• backwash/regeneration tank [11,200-gal w/ pumps, (two (2) each @ 36 gpm]
• above -ground potable water storage tank [2 mil gallons w/ pumps (three (3)
each @ 350 gpm]
• chlorination / dechlorination
• [currently no solids generated)
• appurtenant piping [-28,400 tinier feet, 4-in dia. force -main to outfall]
• outfall with effluent diffuser [three (3) stream -sample locations]
with potential to discharge VA
• chloramines
• ammonium-
• phosphate
These facilities are located at the Washington County WTP, 396 West Mill Pond Road in Roper,
Washington County, and ,
2. After notifying the Washington Regional Office (WaRO) in writing 30 days in advance of
resuming discharge to surface waters, to allow for facility inspection, as warranted, then
3. Discharge from said treatment works at a location specified on the attached map via
Outfall 001 [-300 feet offshore at a mean -water -depth of three (3) feet with a 3-inch-
diameter Tideflex® diffuser], into the Albemarle Sound [Stream Segment: 30], a
waterbody currently classified SB within subbasin 03-01-53 [14UC: 0301020501041 of the
Pasquotank River Basin.
Page 2 of 9

NPDES Permit NCO087009
PART I
A. (1.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Not Classified - Physical Chemical WPCS [15A NCAC 08G. 0306]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the
Permittee is authorized to discharge from Outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited, monitored and
reported' by the Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS
[Parameter Codes]
LIMITS
MONITORING' REQUIREMENTS
Monthly
Average
Daily
I Maximum
Measurement
Frequency
Sample
Type
Sample
Location 2
Flow (MGD)
50050
Monitor & Report
2/Month
Instantaneous
E
Duration of Discharge (Hours)
81381
Monitor & Report
2/Month
Instantaneous
E
Total Residual Chlorine3 (µg/L)
50060
13 µgdl
2/Month
Grab
E
PH (s.u.)
00400
Not < 6.8 nor > 8.5 S. U.
2/Month
Grab
E
Total Suspended Solids (mg/L)
C0530
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
2/Month
rab
E
Temperature (°C)
00010
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E & L
Salinity (ppth)
00480
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E & L
Conductivity (µmhos/cm)
00094
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E & L
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)
00300
Monitor & Report
onthly
Grab
E & L
PH (s.u.)
00400
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
D
Turbidity (NT
00070
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Dissolve 'ds (mg/L)
70295
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Copper (µg/L
01042
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Fluoride (µg/L)
00951
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Chloride (mg/L)
00940
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Manganese (µg(L)
01055
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Lead (µg/L)
01051
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Total Zinc (µg/L)
01092
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Ammonia Nitrogen (mg/L)
61574
Monitor & Report
Monthly
Grab
E
Whole Effluent Toxicity
TGP3E
Pass/Fail
Quarterly
Grab
E
Footnotes:
1. The Permittee shall submit monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) electronically using the
Division's eDMR system [see Section A. (3.)].
Page 3 of 9

NPDES Permit NCO087009
2. E = Effluent; L = location instream at three (3) each relative to the diffuser:
• Location 1 (L1) = point 80 feet radius from diffuser.
• Location 2 (L2) = point 180 feet radius east of diffuser.
• Location 3 (L3) = point 180 feet radius west of diffuser.
3. Monitoring is required only if chlorine and/or chlorine derivatives are added to the backwash and/or rinse
water used regenerate softeners, or added in the effluent. The Division shall consider all effluent TRC values
reported below 50 µg/L to be in compliance with the permit. However, the Permittee shall continue to record
and submit all values reported by a North Carolina certified laboratory (including field certified), even if these
values fall below 50 µg/L.
4. Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Test, Chronic for saltwater (Mysidopsis bahia) Pass/Fail at 0.83% is required
in the months of March, June, September, and December [see Section A. (2.)].
ALL SAMPLES COLLECTED SHALL ACCURATELY REPRESENT DISCHARGE EVENTS.
THE PERMITTEE SHALL DISCHARGE NO FLOATING SOLIDS OR FOAM OTHER THAN
TRACE AMOUNTS.
-44
A. (2.) CHRONIC TOXICITY PASS/FAIL PERMIT MONITORING (QUAl'TERLY)
[15A NCAC 0213 .0200] [15A NCAC 0213 .0500]
The effluent discharge shall at no time exhibit obscr\ able inhibition of growth or significant mortality to
Mysidopsis bahia at an effluent concentration of 0.83% [established by diffuser modeling].
The permit holder shall perform at a minimum, quarterly monitoring using procedures described below
to establish compliance with the permit condition. The tests will be performed during the months of
March, June, September, and December. These months signify the first month of each three-month
toxicity testing quarter assigned to the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained
during representative effluent discharge and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent
discharge below all treatment processes. The test procedure will be based on EPA Method 1007.0,
Mysid, Mysido ' 's bahia, Survival, Growth, and Fecundity Test, as described in Short -Term Methods
for Estimating ronic Toxicity►Rf Effluents and Receiving Waters to Marine and Estuarine
Organisms, Thir . n, EPA-821-R-02-014. The procedure will be performed as written with the
following exceptions.'
• The test treatments will consist of a control and a 0.83 % effluent concentration.
• Mortality for pass/fail tests will be evaluated using the t test described in Section 11.3 in
Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents to Freshwater and Marine
Organisms, Fifth Edition. EPA-821-R-02-012, October 2002, applying an alpha level
of 0.05.
• The growth endpoint for pass/fail tests will be determined using Appendix G of Short -
Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to
Marine and Estuarine Organisms, Third Edition, EPA-821-R-02-014, October 2002,
applying an alpha level of 0.01.
• Mortality and growth endpoints for multiple -concentration tests will be determined using
hypothesis testing as described in EPA Method 1007.0, Mysid, Mysidopsis bahia,
Survival, Growth, and Fecundity Test, as described in Short -Term Methods for
Page 4 of 9

NPDES Permit NC0087009
Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Marine and
Estuarine Organisms, Third Edition, EPA-821-R-02-014, October 2002.
• Fecundity will not be evaluated.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered electronically using
the Division's eDMR system for the months in which tests were performed. For pass/fail results, report
using the parameter code TGP3E. Additionally, DWR Form AT-4 (original) is to be sent to the
following address:
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1621
Or, results can be sent to the email, ATForms.ATB(a),dea.nc.gov.
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water 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, accurate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all
concentration/response data, and be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved designate
signature. 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
Water Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, monitoring
will be required during the following month. Upon submission of a valid test, this monthly test
requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above. Should any test data from this
monitoring requirement or tests performed by the North Carolina Division of Water Resources indicate
potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re -opened and modified to include alternate
monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival, minimum control organism growth, 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:
Page 5 of 9

NPDES Permit NCO087009
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 DWR staff or data collection provided by the permittee and approved by DWR
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 (3) 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-
0 12, "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 North Carolina
Division of Water Resources, Water Sciences Section (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.)
• Section D. (6.)
• Section E. (5.)
Reporting
Records Retention
Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)l
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.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr.
Page 6 of 9

NPDES Permit NC0087009
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.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
reported via the eDMR system no later than the last calendar day of the month following the
completed reporting period. 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, 2025, 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
appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES
Electronic Reporting Rule is found at: https://www.federalre ig ster.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-
24954/national-pollutant-discharge-elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the "Reporting Requirements" section above.
Page 7 of 9

NPDES Permit NC0087009
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:
hM://deg.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resourcesJedmr
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 I1,
Section B. (11.) (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:
httD:Hdea.nc. gov/about/divis ions/water-resourcesledmr
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:
"I 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, 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.)l
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
Page 8 of 9

NPDES Permit NCO087009
date of the report. This period may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR
122.41].
Page 9 of 9

NCO087009 - Washington County WTP
Washington County
Receiving Stream: Albemarle Sound Sub -Basin: 03-01-53
Latitude: 35° 56' 10" N Drainage Basin: Pasquotank
Longitude: 76° 37' 03" W Stream Segment: 30
Stream Class: SB Grid/Quad: D32NE/Roper N.
HUC: 03010205
Facility
Location
�� Washington County
Map not to scale