WQCS00005_Annual Report_20240830

I **** WATER MANAGEMENT
*
CITY OF DURHAM
RECEIVED
August 26, 2024
AUG 30 2024
NC DEQ, DWQ NCDEQ/DWR/NPDES
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
Re: System Performance Annual Report
Enclosed please find a copy of the City of Durham's Annual Sanitary Sewer System report for fiscal
year 2023-2024.
Notification: The report was completed and printed for distribution on August 26, 2023. It was
posted on the City's website at https://durhamnc.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=7039 on the
Department of Water Management page under Wastewater Treatment Division. Copies of the
report are available in Water Management divisions. Notification of the availability of the report
will be placed in the next issue of the Citizens' Newsletter which is inserted in all water
bills. Notification will be placed in the City Manager's weekly electronic report. Notification will
also be placed on the Department's Facebook page and twitter account. The report will be available
for distribution at community events.
Certification: I certify under penalty of law that this report is complete and accurate to the best of
my knowledge. I further certify that this report has been made available to the users or customers
of the Durham's system.
(/ kAN
Reginald C. Hicks,Water Resources Analyst

CITY OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
* ANNUAL SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM REPORT
FY 2023-2024
CITY OF
DURHAM
Welcome to the City's Annual Sanitary -
Sewer System Report.In addition to #r }'"
informing our customers about the -
system, this report also meets the itini l—
requirements of House Bill 1160 } I .•,
_ �
passed by the North Carolina General - — •-�.,,, „.
Assembly in 1999. The bill requires . :..,N_ ' *;_V
owners and/or operators of }._
wastewater collection and treatment ,,� -�
systems to provide an annual report `��!!! '~�., __ ;' #,� `
to users or customers. .����!HgU, Ni,
Each year's report summarizes the
treatment facilities' and collection If,
/`"
system's performance over a
12-month period. This report is = r
available to all customers via the City ..�-
of Durham's website and is submitted "•,w'r^ - y
to the N.C. Department of ,fir►
Environmental Quality. „_
About the Department ',.
.
This year, the Department changed • 16 '
its organizational structure to split Water leaving the North Durham Water Reclamation Facility after being treat-
the Water & Sewer Maintenance ed and flowingto its receivingstream, Ellerbe Creek.
Division into a Collection System
Maintenance Division and a separate This report describes the collection homes, businesses,schools,hospitals,
Water Distribution System system operation, the wastewater and industries.
Maintenance Division. Sometimes treatment process, and the City's
referred to as the sanitary sewer reduction initiative. As with The waste flows by gravity or to lift
system, the collection system is the greasestations located at strategic points
any large municipal system, throu hout the service area. Pumps
series of pipes that transport P
occasional blockages cause backups in the ift stations do just that—
wastewater to the treatment facilities and overflows.Included in this report they
operated by the Wastewater divisions. is a table listing the spills and "lift" the wastewater to a higher
Wastewater includes all domestic and elevation where it again flows by
overflows that occurred in FY 2023-
process water from any drain leaving 24 and the steps taken to mitigate gravity to one of the City's two water
a residence, business, industry, or reclamation facilities. Sixty-three lift
the impact and prevent recurrences.
other facility and entering the ALL incidents were reported to the stations in the collection system are
collection system. monitored and maintainedf by Lift
state within 24 hours o their Station Maintenance division staff.
Wastewater travels through sewer occurrence. By policy, if the spill is
pipes to a treatment plant, where it more than 1,000 gallons, news Durham sits on a ridgeline that
is treated by physical, biological,and releases are distributed within 24 generally runs along Pettigrew Street
chemical processes before it is hours after an occurrence. and the railroad tracks. Wastewater
returned to the environment via This report is available at City Hall, on the north side of the ridgeline
receivingstreams. flows to the North Durham Water
Water Management and Public Reclamation Facility (WRF) on East
The City is committed to protecting Works facilities, and on the City's Club Boulevard, and after treatment
the environment and the health of website: www.durhamnc.gov/946. is ultimately discharged into the
downstream users by ensuring that Copies of the report may be requested Neuse River Basin.The South Durham
Durham's wastewater discharges by calling Water Management at WRF on Farrington Road receives
meet all applicable standards. 919-560-4381. wastewater that flows south of the
Because of this high level of Down the Drain!Where Does It Go? ridgeline. After processing, the
treatment, water downstream of a When waste exits a home, business, facility's discharge flows into the
water reclamation facility may be or industry via piping,the wastewater Cape Fear Basin.
cleaner than the water upstream of enters the collection system. These
the facility. pipes carry wastewater away from

City of Durham's Sewer System Facilities
Collection System Water Reclamation Facility
Name of Facility Mist Lake Facility North Durham Water South Durham Water
Reclamation Facility Reclamation Facility
Permit Number WQCS00005 NC0023841 NC0047597
Address 1600 Mist Lake Drive 1900 East Club Blvd. 6605 Farrington Rd.
Operator in Responsible Kenny Willard Brian Merritt Charles Cocker
Charge (ORC)
Phone Number 919-560-4344 919-560-4384 919-560-4386
Durham County owns and operates 1,172 miles of the collection system Improper disposal of grease and
a third wastewater treatment plant are represented by GIS mapping. nonwoven materials contributed to
that serves most of Research Triangle During this reporting period, approximately 11% of blockages in
Park, Parkwood, and a few other Collections Maintenance crews and the sewer system (see pages 3 &4).
southern Durham neighborhoods. City contractors conducted numerous City staff continues to focus resources
The Durham County sewer system maintenance activities to clean and on preventing repeat blockages and
report is posted at www.dconc.gov. rehabilitate the collection system. promoting a maintenance campaign
Collection System Performance These maintenance activities include to alleviate the environmental and
City departments use Geographic cleaning lateral services, flushing, financial impacts of this problem.
Information System (GIS) mapping camera inspection(CCTV), replacing One major element of the program
of the collection system which mains, and mowing easements. has been an extensive cleaning of
provides an accurate method of Maintenance crews repaired/replaced problem areas of the system. The
tracking both operations and 136 sewer services, 62 sewer mains, second major element of the program
maintenance activities.Approximately and responded to 1324 blockages. is the education, prevention, and
enforcement effort coordinated by
the Department's Industrial Waste
_ Control/FOG Program. Funding of
infrastructure rehabilitation is a high
priority of the department's Capital
. Improvement Program (CIP).
ti,: - e r
t ` ` '4,-;R3" Maintenance Activities
" ',; r.i . .z �i< �t„ Activity Linear Feet,
—
New Laterals 0
•
,� i i► " b�fokik Y x ``. Flushing 744,880
Inspections (CCTV) 43,063
r
_� ,- - ,� _ Gravity Main New 23,409
. _ „� ```♦ _ Gravity Main 1,113
�' � Replaced
l' � Force Main New 0
_ ,,F4� I ' Force Main
;r, , `+ 4 ' • 0 Replaced
'
4 " �.
i :. y . r Easements Mowed 137,214
''. '-. Cured in Place Pipe 0
ell 3.- V - • -V •* 4.fr.Rli A.,'' '
Aerial view of the South Durham Water Reclamation Facility, which had an all-
time low in discharged nitrogen in FY2023-24.
I

You can learn more about the City's
(' . wastewater treatment process at
www.durhamnc.gov/1124.
Morels end M.M«w a "''
oba,se...t...r Industrial Waste Control (IWC)
' . staff survey facilities discharging into
- the sewer system and issue permits
-
E to facilities in certain categories,
t - ` '11i-,- determined by the business activity
they conduct or the type of
-A wastewater they discharge.
•ell , 74,
� '` Permit limits are based on the ability
;` of the treatment plants—North
... ...., - Durham WRF or South Durham WRF,
ice,
. - ` ., to treat and remove substances from
the waste. Staff monitors 19
t � industrial users and more than 800
commercial establishments with
✓ high-strength discharges.
_ To help reduce grease blockages in
'°'°riddled.** / • the sewer system, the IWC staff
:y _ J coordinates the education and
,,.. ,.., ':_` inspection portion of the grease
adut •� reduction initiative. FOG (fats, oils,
se� A We/Monde r,.. s and grease) may enter the sewer
/ � system from household drains or
/ ; poorly maintained grease traps in
III s restaurants and other food service
establishments.
To meet the 250 mg/L limit for FOG,
food preparation and/or processing
This illustration shows the typical wastewater treatment process.The City's facilities mustaet clean their interceptor
systems(grease traps)on a monthly
water reclamation facilities at North and South Durham have similar layouts. basis.Cleaning more frequently will
Water Reclamation Facilities improvements be required if a facility discharges
more than 250 mg/L of FOG. Less
The City's two wastewater treatment . Primary settling tank modifications, frequent cleaning may be permitted
plants, North Durham and South • New Camden Avenue lift station if the facility can demonstrate that
Durham Water Reclamation Facilities . Tertiary filter upgrades the 250 mg/L limit can be met with
(WRFs), have the combined capacity an alternate cleaning schedule.
to treat (or reclaim) 40 million • New hypochlorite storage facility
gallons per day(MGD)of wastewater. • New sidestream Anita Mox Cleaning and maintenance records
During this reporting period, the treatment process. must be maintained for three years
combined dailyflow treated bythe and available for inspection upon
South Durham WRF treated 3.8 request.While restaurants and other
two plants was 19.69 MGD. billion gallons in FY 2024, at an food service establishments typically
North Durham WRF treated 3.4 average of 10.37 MGD—the highest use commercial processors to collect
billion gallons in FY 2024, at an total flow in a fiscal year. The total and remove grease from their grease
average of 9.32 MGD. In FY 2024, nitrogen discharge in FY 2024 was traps, it is not practical for
NDWRF discharged 70,130 pounds 133,764 pounds—an all-time record homeowners and residential
of total nitrogen and 3,834 pounds low for a one-year period. Total customers to contract such services.
of total phosphorous - both well phosphorus discharge was 8,791 For this reason,the City has provided
under permit requirements and in pounds—well under permit
compliance with Stage 1 of the Falls requirements. a collection container for used
Lake Rules for nutrient reduction, cooking oil at the Waste Disposal
which went into in 2016 South Durham WRF's three-year and Recycling Center at 2115 East
Phase 2 project was completed in Club Boulevard.Water Management
Current construction at North fiscal year 2023-24. Additions and also provides small residential
Durham WRF, slated for improvements are two new Biofilters grease collection units called Fat
completion in fall 2024, includes: for odor,a new dewatering process, Trappers.
• New odor control systems and a new generator that repaced Durham residents can go to the
•Anaerobic digester rehabilitation a 40-year-old unit. following site https://durhamnc.gov/
• Conversion of existing clarifiers to Both North and South Durham F o r m C e n t e r / Water -
flowequalization WRFs completed the fiscal year Management-16/Fat-Trapper-
• Equalization mixing improvements with no state-issued Notice of Order-Form-244 to obtain a
•Waste activated sludge storage Violations. complimentary Fat Trapper.

�we�rxsa
_'-.. .,.a w.-,,..ir+.a.•.w�i.nmya ate..:.:; - ._' - ".... _.. .. _
_ TRAP THE GREASE:FAT TRAP/ivin - —---
w�.d 4 al
\ . , TY OF
pURFIAM __r,�b1i ".."- UR OF
"�- DVRHAM -
, r
- :: --�.
s'ek ,..Sr„............._,_.."......"'._---- adolimia.lZidmaaa..
PLEASE AVOID
Collect FOGs in a container Pouring FOGs down the drain.
and dispose of them properly.
Washing fryers/griddles, pots/pans, and
Remove FOG from kitchen utensils, plates/utensils until FOGs are removed.
equipment, and food prep areas
with scraper/towels/broom. Using hot water to rinse FOG
off of surfaces.
Keep FOG out of wash water.
Using the drain as a means to dispose
Place food scraps in a waste of food scraps.
container for solid waste.
The toilet is NOT a trash can!
Sanitary sewers are designed to handle human waste, toilet tissue, and approved industrial commercial wastes.
But nonwoven materials such as disinfectant wipes and diapers create problems. Although products may be
labeled flushable, that does not mean they readily break down within the sewer system. These items can cause
sewer overflows and damage pumps and other infrastructure.
Just because you can flush them doesn't mean you should! i 2 AgilININI•0101.
"Flushable" products like wet wipes, baby wipes, pre-moistened towelettes,
tissues,and paper towels can wreak havoc on home plumbing, septic tanks,
and our City sewer system. They create clogs and damage equipment. In
your home, they can get caught at 45-degree elbows and cause backups.
If they make it into the sewer system,they tend to obstruct pipes and cause
sewer overflows that impact streets,creeks,and streams.When these wipes - �/
make it all the way to one of our wastewater treatment plants,they can get ,
trapped in the pumps and cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage. , r
Do your part throw trash items in the garbage, not down the toilet
Notice Under the Americans With Disabilities Act
The City of Durham will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability.Anyone who requires an
auxiliary aid or service for effective communications,or assistance to participate in a City program,service,or activity, should contact the
office of the ADA Coordinator,voice:919-560-4197,TTY:919-560-4809,or email:[e-mail],as soon as possible but no later
than 48 hours before the scheduled event.

SEWER OVERFLOWS FROM JULY 2023 THROUGH JUNE 2024
Location Date Volume Cause Remedy
4023 Wake Forest Highway 7/20/2023 45 Grease JET VACUUM
3640 Pine View Circle 7/30/2023 292 Roots JET VACUUM
2415 Camellia Drive 8/15/2023 921 Grease JET VACUUM
831 Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy 8/16/2023 8500 Grease JET VACUUM
2534 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd 9/6/2023 1905 Nonwovens JET VACUUM
624 Homeland Avenue 9/11/2023 2585 Pipe Damage BYPASS PUMP REPAIR INFRASTRUCTURE
3406 Mordecai Street 10/3/2023 34 Grease JET VACUUM
3699 Keystone Place 10/11/2023 284 Debris in line JET VACUUM
1102 Infinity Road 11/7/2023 2040 Debris in line JET VACUUM
1111 Anderson Street 11/16/2023 111 Roots JET VACUUM
2506 Fairlawn Road 11/22/2023 750 Debris in line JET VACUUM
1508 Pinecrest Road 12/9/2023 458000 Damaged line BYPASS PUMP REPAIR INFRASTRUCTURE
4800 Marlborough Way 12/15/2023 810 Debris in line JET VACUUM
1021 Wedgewood Lane 12/26/2023 14400 Debris in line JET VACUUM
1818 54 NC Hwy E 1/4/2024 500 Grease JET VACUUM
3300 Shannon Road 1/23/2024 265 Grease JET VACUUM
27 Jenee Lane 1/23/2024 24300 Grease JET VACUUM
905 Parkridge Road 2/1/2024 12100 Grease JET VACUUM
2006 Aiken Avenue 2/5/2024 4200 Pipe Damage BYPASS PUMP REPAIR INFRASTRUCTURE
612 Elizabeth Street 3/16/2024 180 Debris in line JET VACUUM
2501 Tulip Poplar Circle 4/9/2024 120 Equipment Failure JET VACUUM
Truss Way/Framer Lane 4/11/2024 500 Equipment Failure BYPASS PUMP REPAIR INFRASTRUCTURE
448 Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy 4/12/2024 5670 Grease JET VACUUM
6100 Pine Glen Trail 4/23/2024 3260 Grease JET VACUUM
Del Webb Carolina Arbors 4/25/2024 410 Grease JET VACUUM
400 Muldee Street 5/1/2024 860 Debris in line JET VACUUM
1330 Maplewood Drive 5/30/2024 270 Grease JET VACUUM
202 W. Carver Street 6/5/2024 56 Grease JET VACUUM
3729 Guess Road 6/11/2024 1360 Debris in line JET VACUUM
116 Monticello Avenue 6/13/2024 258 Roots JET VACUUM
933 Chalk Level Road 6/27/2024 198 Debris in line JET VACUUM
FY 2024 Sanitary Sewer Report

SEWER OVERFLOWS FROM JULY 2023 THROUGH JUNE 2024
S0 Historical Number of Spills - Last 10 Years
45
40
35
a.
VI30
w
0 25
a, 46
jg 20
111
Z 15 11/
24
10 19 16
5
0
FY14-15 FY15-16 FY16-17 FY17-18 FY18-19 FY19-20 FY20-21 FY21-22 FY22-23 FY23-24
3500000 Total Gallons Spilled - Last 10 Years
3000000 3041300.7
2602555
2500000
2000000
1500000
1000000
623661 545184
500000
125860
181435 58422 45023 49319.8
I14 103730
j FY14-15 FY15-16 FY16-17 FY17-18 FY18-19 FY19-20 FY20-21 FY21-22 FY22-23 FY23-24
FY 2024 Sanitary Sewer Report