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Home My WebLink AboutNC0020184_Pretreatment_PFAS 0500_Letter_20240501 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 Ms. Stephanie Scheringer Assistant Director of Public Utilities Two Rivers Utilities PO Box 1748 Gastonia, NC 28053 Subject: NC0020184 Two Rivers Utilities POTW and SIU PFAS Investigative Monitoring Dear Ms. Scheringer, Background Several emerging compounds have been found in North Carolina waters, including a group of chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also referred to as PFCs). In their December 5, 2022, Memorandum Addressing PFAS Discharges in NPDES Permits and Through the Pretreatment Program and Monitoring Programs, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided approval authorities with recommended National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program actions for Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs). Additionally, EPA identified industrial categories known or suspected to discharge PFAS, these include organic chemicals, plastics & synthetic fibers (OCPSF), metal finishing, electroplating, electric and electronic components, landfills, centralized waste treaters (CWTs), pulp, paper & paperboard, leather tanning & finishing, plastics molding & forming, textile mills, paint formulating, and airports. A review of the Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) included in Two Rivers Utilities’ pretreatment program indicates that SIUs discharging wastewater to Two Rivers Utilities overlap with one or more categories identified in the above list. Required Action Since indirect industrial dischargers are identified as part of the controlled wastewater loading to the POTW [15A NCAC 02B .0202 (33)], to assess the industrial contribution of PFAS and assess levels of PFAS compounds in the facility’s effluent, investigative monitoring for PFAS is hereby required at Two Rivers Utilities effluent once per calendar quarter starting on 4/1/2024. Samples collected should be representative of the typical wastewater discharged from your facility. Such investigative actions can be required under 15A NCAC 02B .0508 (b)(2) and G.S. 143-215.66. In the absence of a published 40 CFR Part 136 method, Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) effluent & specified indirect discharger effluent PFAS monitoring shall be conducted using Method 1633. For reporting details, see the “More Information” section below. DocuSign Envelope ID: F03AAC95-788F-463C-81CA-3D6E3B71C75B 5/1/2024 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 Effective the first full calendar quarter following six (6) months after EPA publishes a 40 CFR part 136 Final PFAS Method for wastewater in the Federal Register, effluent PFAS monitoring shall be conducted using the approved EPA PFAS Method 1633. This delay after EPA publishes the final method is to allow laboratories to become NC-certified in the new method. Pretreatment Monitoring In addition to expedited effluent monitoring, Two Rivers Utilities must identify and locate each SIU in the approved pretreatment program in industry categories expected or suspected of PFAS discharges to Two Rivers Utilities; and begin sampling of and/or modify Industrial User Permits (IUPs) for each SIU identified as suspected of PFAS discharges to Two Rivers Utilities to ensure sampling begins before 7/1/2024. Two Rivers Utilities must also review and revise its industrial waste survey (IWS) to include all indirect dischargers in industry categories expected or suspected of PFAS discharges. This information shall be submitted to the Division as part of the 2024 Pretreatment, Annual Report (PAR), due March 1, 2025. Two Rivers Utilities must begin sampling of and/or issue IUPs for each indirect discharger identified as suspected of PFAS discharges to Two Rivers Utilities to ensure sampling begins before June 30, 2025. For new users with suspected PFAS discharges, monitoring must begin within 6 months of their identification. The Division has determined that the discharge of targeted SIUs and indirect dischargers identified above must be analyzed for PFAS at a sampling frequency identified below based on the type of discharge for two (2) consecutive years after the first sample and with the same analytical method as the Two Rivers Utilities’ effluent to ensure protection of human health and the environment due to the p otential health hazards associated with PFAS. Sampling Frequency for SIU and Indirect Dischargers Suspected of PFAS Discharges  Quarterly: Dischargers that typically have greater than 100 gpd of suspected PFAS wastewater.  Semi-Annual: Dischargers that typically have an average of less than 100 gpd of suspected PFAS wastewater. Collection and evaluation of this information will also assist the Department in developing sound policies with respect to PFAS in the environment. After the two-year sampling evaluation, Two Rivers Utilities must ensure that IUPs within the Two Rivers Utilities service areas are appropriately modified or reissued, new IUPs are issued where needed, and other Pretreatment Program mechanisms are completed to address PFAS discharges to POTWs. In the absence of local limits, and based upon data as they become available, POTWs should encourage Best Management Practices (BMPs), pollution prevention, product substitution, and good housekeeping practices to make meaningful reductions in PFAS introduced to the POTWs. Such BMPs could be similar to those included in the EPA Office of Water, December 5, 2022, “Addressing PFAS Discharges in NPDES Permits and Through the Pretreatment Program and Monitoring Programs,” Section 3 DocuSign Envelope ID: F03AAC95-788F-463C-81CA-3D6E3B71C75B North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 “Best Management Practices (BMPs) for discharges of PFAS, including product substitution, reduction, or elimination of PFAS, as detected by method 1633.” A summary of all actions taken by Two Rivers Utilities, their industries, monitoring and frequencies conducted of each indirect discharger identified as part of this Special Condition should be provided as part of the PAR. This first report is due March 1, 2025. More Information Current analytes are listed under Table 1 of Method 1633 Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Aqueous Samples, January 2024 (page 49): EPA Method 1633 for PFAS PFAS monitoring using Method 1633 shall be reported quarterly using the Division-provided submittal form, available in Microsoft Excel form upon request. Please contact Municipal Unit Pretreatment Staff for more information. Please note that specific considerations and protocols are required to avoid cross-contamination and minimize sample bias for PFAS. A current listing of laboratories accredited by the Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. (PJLA), ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), or the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) to perform EPA Method 1633 can be found by contacting the individual associations. Please note that different labs are accredited for different matrices. NOTES - Sampling and Analytical:  The 3rd or more recent wastewater draft analytical method 1633 (see 40 CFR 122.21(e)(3)(ii) and 40 CFR 122.44(i)(1)(iv)(B)) shall be used and shall include all target analytes listed under Table 1 of the draft method until such time as the POTW uses the Final PFAS Method for wastewater.  Sampling shall be planned so that required holding times for analytical methods are met.  Using one of the analytical laboratories included above will allow consistency in the analytical method and in anticipation of a final method.  “J” flag values shall be reported when the “J” flag value is associated with the method’s upper bound. “J” flag values need not be reported when less than the method’s Minimum Reporting Level (listed in Method 1633).  Laboratories approved for Aqueous matrix may be utilized. Please note that the lab used does not have to be in North Carolina. After the 24-month sampling period, the Permittee shall submit all monitoring data and any modified industrial permits to DEQ, and continue monitoring the WWTP effluent quarterly. After the Division has reviewed the data, the Division may request additional monitoring of industrial sources from the Permittee. The Department looks forward to working closely with you on this important public health issue. Data submitted will be evaluated to determine the next steps to reduce the discharge of PFAS throughout the State. DocuSign Envelope ID: F03AAC95-788F-463C-81CA-3D6E3B71C75B North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 Please contact any of the following DWR NPDES Municipal Permitting Unit staff members if you have any questions or concerns: Natalie Gorensek 919-707-3660 or Keyes McGee 919-707-3626 or via email (firstname.lastname@deq.nc.gov). Sincerely, tkm/tru_055_pfas_01 Cc: Julie Grzyb, Deputy Director NPDES File Pretreatment File Wes Bell, MRO Central Files (Laserfiche) Michael Montebello, NPDES Permitting Branch Chief Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ DocuSign Envelope ID: F03AAC95-788F-463C-81CA-3D6E3B71C75B North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 Appendix A. PFAS Target Analytes EPA Method 1633 (4th Draft, July 2023). Target Analyte Name Abbreviation CAS Number Parameter Code Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids Perfluorobutanoic acid PFBA 375-22-4 51522 Perfluoropentanoic acid PFPeA 2706-90-3 51623 Perfluorohexanoic acid PFHxA 307-24-4 51624 Perfluoroheptanoic acid PFHpA 375-85-9 51625 Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA 335-67-1 51521 Perfluorononanoic acid PFNA 375-95-1 51626 Perfluorodecanoic acid PFDA 335-76-2 51627 Perfluoroundecanoic acid PFUnA 2058-94-8 51628 Perfluorododecanoic acid PFDoA 307-55-1 51629 Perfluorotridecanoic acid PFTrDA 72629-94-8 51630 Perfluorotetradecanoic acid PFTeDA 376-06-7 51531 Perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid PFBS 375-73-5 52602 Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid PFPeS 2706-91-4 52610 Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid PFHxS 355-46-4 52605 Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid PFHpS 375-92-8 52604 Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid PFOS 1763-23-1 52606 Perfluorononanesulfonic acid PFNS 68259-12-1 52611 Perfluorodecanesulfonic acid PFDS 335-77-3 52603 Perfluorododecanesulfonic acid PFDoS 79780-39-5 52632 Fluorotelomer sulfonic acids 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid 4:2FTS 757124-72-4 52607 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid 6:2FTS 27619-97-2 52608 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorodecane sulfonic acid 8:2FTS 39108-34-4 52609 Perfluorooctane sulfonamides Perfluorooctanesulfonamide PFOSA 754-91-6 51525 N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide NMeFOSA 31506-32-8 52641 N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide NEtFOSA 4151-50-2 52642 Table continues on next page. DocuSign Envelope ID: F03AAC95-788F-463C-81CA-3D6E3B71C75B North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1611 919.707.9000 Table continued from Appendix A. PFAS Target Analytes EPA Method 1633 (4th Draft, July 2023). Target Analyte Name Abbreviation CAS Number Parameter Code Perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acids N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid NMeFOSAA 2355-31-9 51644 N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid NEtFOSAA 2991-50-6 51643 Perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanols N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol NMeFOSE 24448-09-7 51642 N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol NetFOSE 1691-99-2 51641 Per- and Polyfluorother carboxylic acids Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid HFPO-DA 13252-13-6 52612 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid ADONA 919005-14-4 52636 Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid PFMPA 377-73-1 PF002 Perlfuoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid PFMBA 863090-89-5 PF006 Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid NFDHA 151772-58-6 52626 Ether sulfonic acids 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid 9Cl-PF3ONS 756426-58-1 PF003 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid 11Cl-PF3OUdS 763051-92-9 PF004 Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid PFEESA 113507-82-7 52629 Fluorotelomer carboxylic acids 3-Perfluoropropyl propanoic acid 3:3FTCA 356-02-5 PF001 2H,2H,3H,3H-Perfluorooctanoic acid 5:3FTCA 914637-49-3 PF007 3-Perfluoroheptyl propanoic acid 7:3FTCA 812-70-4 PF005 DocuSign Envelope ID: F03AAC95-788F-463C-81CA-3D6E3B71C75B