NC0026573_NOV-2024-LV-0379_20240508_response

City of Morganton
Water Resources Department
May 8th, 2024
Daniel Boss, Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Asheville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
Subject: Response to NOV-2024-LV-0379
Dear Mr. Boss,
We have reviewed the permit violation NOV-2024-LV-0379 for Permit NC0026573. The
facility had several issues during the month to cause the exceedance of 0.14 mg/1 over monthly
average.
The first two weeks of the month had higher TSS average due to facility still recovering
from the washout/young sludge issues from prior month (January). Then the second half of the
month, on three different days, we had secondary return activated sludge pumps stop pumping
due to air locking and caused TSS to escape from clarifier for short periods of time. This issue
only happens maybe once to twice a year.
After the events of the RAS pumps, ORC implemented a twice a day pump air bleed off
regiment and began RAS flow meter checks six times per day in an effort to prevent pump air
locking.
The facility has also began a SCADA rehabilitation project to address failed PLCs and
software so these RAS pumps and other sections in the facility are fully monitored and trending
again. This will be of great assistance once completed, hopefully by end of the year.
If there is any questions or if more information is needed, please reach me at
828-438-5375 or at eself(c�morgantonNC.gov
Sincerely,
Eli Self
Wastewater Plant Superintendent & ORC
City of Morganton NC
Telephone [phone] East Union St. Post Office Box 3448
www.morgantonNC.gov Morganton, NC 28655 Morganton, NC 28680-3448