NC0000272_November 2024 non-compliance reporting_20241114

5 day Notification of Permit Limit Exceedance
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November 14, 2024

On Friday, September 27, 2024, our Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) experienced severe
flooding, affecting most buildings and inundating some areas up to the ceilings. All open-
top vessels were submerged. This flooding rendered critical electrical equipment, including
transformers, motors, switchgear, PLC, and DCS systems, inoperable due to water and
mud damage. The flooding also damaged the wastewater treatment plant laboratory and
equipment.
Since the incident, we have undertaken extensive cleaning, replacement, and repair efforts
across various electrical and mechanical systems within the plant. Most of the essential
electrical and mechanical equipment is now running. Importantly, no untreated
wastewater has been discharged into the receiving stream since we resumed capture on
October 8, 2024.
On November 12, 2024, despite our significant progress, the wastewater treatment plant
exceeded its daily maximum limit for fecal coliform this week for the second time since
October 8th. As DEQ is aware, wastewater from the Town of Canton’s collection system
constitutes almost the entire flow through the plant. The laboratory results indicate that the
fecal count in the Town’s waste was extremely high, notably greater than 600,000 colonies.
Because we treated the wastewater with sodium hypochlorite prior to discharge, we were
able to reduce the count to 1986.3. That level was still in excess of the limit of 400 and was
solely caused by the Town’s failure to pre-treat.
We note that, prior to the arrival of Hurricane Helene, the Town of Canton was only
intermittently and inadequately treating its wastewater with sodium hypochlorite before
discharging to the Pactiv system. The Town did provide sodium hypochlorite to Pactiv which
Pactiv used to treat the waste prior to discharging to the river. It is our understanding that
now even the equipment the Town used to inject the sodium hypochlorite is unavailable,
due to the hurricane or otherwise. The Town has not replaced the equipment, nor provided
a timeline for doing so despite several requests to gain updates and offers to help source
equipment. Pre-treatment by the Town of its own wastewater is an important part of the
treatment process. These systems need to be immediately reinstalled and operated
properly to ensure reliable operation and treatment of the system.
Please let us know if you have any questions and we welcome any assistance you could
provide in encouraging the Town to undertake its responsibilities.

Tracy Willis
Evergreen Packaging WTP ORC
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