NC0025542_NOV2015MV0136_20151215

PAT MCCRORY
Governor
i'
DONALD R. VAN DER VAART
Secretary
Water Resources
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY S. JAY ZIMMERMAN
Director
December 11, 2015
CERTIFIED MAIL#70151520 000.2 83761237
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Mr. Mick W. Berry, City Manager
City of Hickory RECEIVED/DENR/DWR
Post Office Box 398
Hickory, NC 28603 DEC 15 2015
Subject: Notice of Violation Water Quality
Tracking Number NOV-2015-MV-0136 Permitting Section
Catawba WWTP
NPDES Permit NCO025542
Catawba County
Dear Mr, Berry:
A review of the September 2015 self-monitoring report for the subject facility revealed violations of
the following parameter at Outfall 001:
Date Parameter Violation Type Frequency
09/05/2015 Fecal Coliform Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/12/2015 Fecal Coliform Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/19/2015 Fecal Coliform Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/26/2015 Fecal Coliform Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/05/2015 Dissolved Oxygen Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/12/2015 Dissolved Oxygen Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/19/2015 Dissolved Oxygen Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/26/2015 Dissolved Oxygen Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/30/2015 Total Nitrogen Frequency Violation Monthly
09/05/2015 pH Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/12/2015 pH Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/19/2015 pH Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/26/2015 pH Frequency Violation 5 X Week
09/30/2015 Total Zinc Frequency Violation 2 X Month
Please be advised that the permit for the subject facility_was issued on May 1, 2010, expires on
April 30, 2015, and is still the valid permit under which this facility operates until the renewal permit
is issued. Please note that the "Effluent Limitations and Monitoring Requirements"section of the
subject permit is teared into three (3) sections,A. (1) Beginning on effective date and lasting until
State of North Carolina I Environmental Quality I Water Resources I Water Quality Regional Operations
Mooresville Regional Office)610 East Center Avenue,Suite 3011 Mooresville,North Carolina 28115
704 663 1699

Mr. Mick W. Berry, City Manager
Catawba WWTP(NC0025542)
Notice of Violation (NOV-2015-MV-0136)
December 11, 2015
Page 2
expansion to 1.5 MGD; A. (2) Beginning upon expansion above 0.225 and lasting until expansion
to 1.5 MGD; A. (3) Beginning upon expansion above 1.5 MGD until expiration.
On September 2, 2015 this Office received a copy of the Engineer's Certification for the Catawba
WWTP (NC0025542) dated August 25, 2015 and signed by Mr. Danny M. Ware, P.E. on behalf of
the City of Hickory. In the certification it states "We understand that the new limits associated with
the modifications to expand to 1.5 MGD now apply." It is therefore required to immediately start
4 monitoring under Section A. (2) of the subject permit.
Please note that this Office may consider enforcement actions for the above noted violations
pursuant to G.S. 143-215.6A, a civil penalty of not more that twenty-five thousand dollars
($25,000.00) may be assessed against any person who violates or fails to act in accordance with
the terms, conditions, or requirements of any permit issued pursuant to G.S. 143-215.1.
If you wish to provide additional information regarding the noted violations, request technical
assistance, or discuss overall compliance please respond in writing within 10 days of receipt of this
Notice. A review of your response will be considered along with any information provided on the
September 2015 Discharge Monitoring Report(DMR). You will then be notified of any civil
penalties that may be assessed regarding these violations. If no response is received in this Office
within the 10-day period, a civil penalty.assessment may be prepared.
Remedial actions, if not already implemented, should be taken to correct any noted problems. The
Division of Water Resources may pursue enforcement actions for this and any additional violations.
If the violations are of a continuing nature, not related to operation and/or maintenance problems,
and you anticipate remedial construction activities, then you may wish to consider applying for a
Special Order by Consent(SOC). If you have questions concerning this matter or to apply for a
SOC, please do not hesitate to contact Roberto Scheller or myself at(704) 663-1699.
Sincerely,
r
W. Corey Basinger, Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
cc: Wastewater Branch
MSC 1617—Central Files Basement
RLS