NCG580000 EPA Fact Sheet 2024

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
IN SUPPORT OF RENEWAL UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
PDES
FACT SHEET FOR
GENERAL PERMIT NCG580000
TO DISCHARGE RECLAIMED WATER
FROM CONJUNCTIVE USE RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEMS
August 22, 2024
BACKGROUND
Development of this NPDES general permit was mandated by the General Assembly of North
Carolina in Session Law 2011-48 as a means to encourage the use of reclaimed water. Ideally,
both storage and irrigation using reclaimed water are nondischarge activities. Potential users
have expressed reservations regarding the acceptance and use of reclaimed water because of
jeopardy they may face if any volume of reclaimed water reached surface waters from property
under their control due to run off or overspray of reclaimed water during irrigation, or if a
reclaimed water storage pond overflowed during a rainfall event.
This general permit allows for the de minimus discharge of reclaimed water from a conjunctive
use reclaimed water system by users of reclaimed water. Covered discharges are limited to:
• Discharges from reclaimed water storage ponds resulting from rainfall or other storm
events.
• Overspray or runoff of reclaimed water, provided that the volume is <10% of the total
volume of reclaimed water use, or 5,000 gallons per day, whichever is less.
The restrictions inherent in the scope of coverage under the general permit should serve to ensure
protection of water quality and encourage responsible oversight of reclaimed water utilization
activities, while providing peace of mind to reclaimed water users that de minimus discharge of
reclaimed water is allowed per the terms of the general permit.
1. TYPES OF DISCHARGES COVERED
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A. Activities Covered by this General Permit
De minimus point source discharges of reclaimed water from conjunctive use reclaimed
water systems resulting from incidental overspray and run off associated with irrigation
activities, and the incidental overflow of storage ponds holding reclaimed water that
result from rainfall or storm events.
Potential Permittees under the general permit may include users of reclaimed water, such
as:
• Individual Homeowners
• Golf Courses
• Nurseries
B. Activities Not Covered by this General Permit
Direct, intentional or negligent discharge of reclaimed water to waters of the State
C. Geographic Area(s) Covered by this General Permit
Discharges covered by this General Permit are located at any place within the political
boundary of the State of North Carolina (discharges located on the Cherokee Indian
Tribal Reservation are subject to permitting by the US Environmental Protection Agency
and are not covered by this General Permit).
D. Receiving Waters
All surface waters of the State of North Carolina or separate storm sewer systems
conveying water to surface waters.
E. Types of Wastewater Discharged
Reclaimed water generated by a conjunctive use reclaimed water system.
Reclaimed water is highly treated (not less than tertiary treatment) wastewater effluent
that is used for beneficial reuse — i.e., it is used for the purpose of conservation of the
State's water resources by reducing the use of other water resources (potable water,
surface water, groundwater) as opposed to being discharged into surface waters or the
land surface as a method of final disposal. Minimum effluent standards for reclaimed
water are established by 15A NCAC 02U .0301. More stringent effluent limits may be
imposed per the terms of an associated NPDES or land application permit.
A conjunctive use reclaimed water system is a system where the reclaimed water option
is not necessary to meet the wastewater disposal needs of the facility, and where other
wastewater utilization or disposal methods (e.g. NPDES permit) are available to the
facility at all times.
F. Description of Typical Treatment Facilities
This type of discharge will be generated from a wastewater treatment plant producing
tertiary quality effluent (filtered or equivalent). Facilities may also manage temporary
storage ponds for reclaimed water and distribution lines to convey reclaimed water to
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users. Minimum design standards for conjunctive use wastewater treatment systems are
established in 15A NCAC 02U .0401.
2. MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Because the effluent quality of reclaimed water is established at the point of its
generation (the wastewater treatment facility) and is monitored at that point for
compliance with effluent limits and standards, permittees covered under this general
permit are not required to conduct any qualitative monitoring of discharges to surface
waters. However:
Permittees shall conduct visual spot checks of any discharge from a reclaimed
water storage pond to assess if adverse impacts to the waters are occurring.
The Division may request additional sampling of the discharge or receiving
stream.
3. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROPOSED EFFLUENT LIMITS (AND COMPLIANCE
SCHEDULE IF APPLICABLE)
This general permit is planned to become effective on September 1, 2024. The permit
will be in effect for a period less than five (5) years in order to put the permit back on
schedule.
4. PROPOSED DISCHARGE CONTROLS AND LIMITATIONS
Effluent quality shall be governed by reclaimed water effluent standards established in
15A NCAC 02U .0301 and/or any NPDES or nondischarge permit issued to the facility.
Coverage under the general permit is restricted to the following activities:
• Discharges from reclaimed water storage ponds resulting from rainfall or other
storm events.
• Overspray or runoff of reclaimed water, provided that the volume is <10% of the
total volume of reclaimed water use, or 5,000 gallons per day, whichever is less.
Additionally:
• Coverage under the general permit for discharges from reclaimed water storage
ponds shall be applicable only where no viable alternative to discharge exists and
measures are taken to reduce the risk of overflow.
• Coverage under the general permit is predicated by the permittee's compliance
with all applicable statutes, rules and regulations governing the utilization of
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reclaimed water and the terms and conditions of any permit issued regulating the
permittee's utilization of reclaimed water.
Discharges covered under the general permit shall not result in any violations of
surface water standards.
5. THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD
The administrative record, including draft permit, fact sheet, and additional information,
is available through DWR's Laserfiche database which can be found here:
hlt2s://edocs.deq.nc.gov/WaterResources/Welcome.aspx?cr--1
6. STATE CONTACT
Additional information concerning the permit application may be obtained by contacting
Catherine (Kate) Shadwell at kate.shadwellkdeq.nc. _gov or [phone].
7. PROPOSED RENEWAL SCHEDULE FOR NPDES GENERAL PERMIT
A. Current Permit
The NPDES General permit expires on: July 31, 2023
B. Revised Permit
The draft General permit to public notice: April 2024
Permit scheduled to issue: September 1, 2024
8. PROCEDURES FOR THE FORMULATION OF FINAL DETERMINATIONS
A. Public Notice and Comment Period
The Division of Water Resources proposes to issue a General NPDES Permit for this
group of discharges to assign the conditions outlined above. These determinations
are tentative and are open to comment from the public.
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the general permit or
on the Division of Water Resources' proposed determinations to the following
address:
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
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Water Quality Permitting Section
Compliance & Expedited Permitting Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
All comments received within thirty (30) days following the date of public notice
will be considered in the formulation of final determinations with regard to this
application.
B. Public Hearing
The director of the Division of Water Resources may hold a public hearing if there is
a significant degree of public interest in the General Permit. Public notice of such a
hearing will be circulated in newspapers in the State of North Carolina and to those
on the Division of Water Resources' mailing list at least thirty days prior to the
hearing.
C. Appeal Hearings
An applicant whose permit is denied, or is granted subject to conditions he deems
unacceptable, shall have the right to a hearing before the Commission upon making
written demand to the Director within 30 days following issuance or denial of the
permit.
D. Issuance of the Permit when no Hearing is held
If no public hearing or appeal hearing is held, and after review of the comments
received, the Division of Water Resources' determinations are substantially
unchanged, the General Permit will be issued and become effective immediately.
This will be the final action of the Division of Water Resources.
If a hearing is not held, but there have been substantial changes, public notice of the
Division of Water Resources' revised determinations will be made. Following a 30-
day comment period, the general permit will be issued and will become effective
immediately. This will be the final action of the Division of Water Resources unless
a public or appeal hearing is granted.
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