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Home My WebLink AboutNC0026654_NOV2017PC0338_20170617w v W4 aforRosdt eS "01#4VATAL OUW Certified Mail # 7016 1370 0001 65719697 Return Receipt Requested June 07, 2017 Edward T Vance Town of Crossnore PO Box 129 Crossnore, NC 28616-0129 SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION & INTENT TO ASSESS CIVIL PENALTY Tracking Number: NOV-2017-PC-0338 Permit No. NCO026654 Crossnore WWTP Avery County Dear Permittee: ROY COOPER MICHA L ,S. RE�i �MCA xPGary' $. JAY ZIMMERMAN VrElaffl RECEIVEMCDEOIDWR JUN 16 2017 Water (duality Permitting Section The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Crossnore WWTP on May 24, 2017. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in NPDES WW Permit No. NC0026654. A summary of the findings and comments noted during the inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report. The Complaint inspection was conducted by Division of Water Resources staff from the Asheville Regional Office. The following violation(s) were noted during the inspection: Inspection Area Description of Violation Operations & Maintenance Failure to maintain adequate equipment for preventing overflows. Permit Part 11 B.2 Duty to Mitigate: The Permittee shall take all reasonable steps to minimize or prevent any discharge or sludge use or disposal in violation of this permit with a reasonable likelihood of adversely affecting human health or the environment, Part 11 C.2 Proper Operation and Maintenance: The Permittee shall at all times properly operate and maintain all facilities and systems of treatment and control which are installed or used by the Permittee to achieve compliance with the conditions of this permit. Equalization Basins Illegal bypass of about 20,000 gallons of sewage from the equalization basin. Part Arl C.4. c I Bypass from the treatment facility is prohibited and the Permit Issuing Authority may take enforcement action against a Permittee for bypass Reporting Requirements Failure to report bypass to the Division within 24 hours, and to provide written submission within 5 days. State of North Carolina I Environmental Quality I Water Resources 2090 U S 70 Highway, Swannanoa, NC 28778 828-296-4500 a Part 11 E.6.a The Permittee shall report to the Director or the appropriate regional office any noncompliance ' that potentially threatens human health or the environment Any information shall be provided orally within 24 hours from the time the permittee becomes aware of the circumstances A written submission shall also be provided within 5 days of the time the Permittee becomes aware of the circumstances, A Notice of Violation/Intent to Issue Civil Penalty is being issued for the noted violation of North Carolina General Statute (G.S.) 143-215.1 and the facility's NPDES WW Permit. Pursuant to G.S. 143-215.6A, a civil penalty of not more than 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 violation, request technical assistance, or discuss overall compliance please respond in writing within ten (10) business days after receipt of this Notice. A review of your response will be considered along with any additional information provided. You will then be notified of any civil penalties that may be assessed regarding the violations. If no response is received in this Office within the 10 -day period, a civil penalty assessment may be prepared. Please provide answers (with documentation where possible) to the following questions in your response: 1 -At any point during the most recent or any past bypasses, did anyone, permitee or ORC, attempt to notify the State? If not, why? 2.Please provide any documentation relating to requests made by the ORC or backup ORC, for equipment or services needed to operate the facility in compliance with the permit. 3.What date did the pump fail? Please provide documentation relating to the date at which the pump failed, requests for pump repair, etc. 4.What measures or actions were taken to ensure compliance while the facility operated on a single pump? Please provide documentation. 5.On what dates did anyone, permittee representative or ORC/Backup-ORC, observe conditions at the facility in which wastewater was bypassing a treatment unit? If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Daniel Boss with the Water Quality Regional Operations Section in the Asheville Regional Office at 828-296-4500. Sincerely, G. Landon Davidson, P.G., Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report Cc: Denver Eggers, ORC Jadd Brewer, Back up ORC WQS Asheville Regional Office - Enforcement File NPDES Compliance/Enforcement Unit - Enforcement File G \WR\WQ\Avery\Wastewater\Municipal\Crossnore 26654\2017-05-24 Crossnore WWrP Bypass, incident #201700920\NOV-2017-PC-0338 rtf State of North Carolma I Environmental Quality I Water Resources 2090 U S 70 highway, Swannanoa, NC 28778 828-296-4500 United States Environmental Protection Agency Form Approved EPA Washington, D C 20460 OMB No 2040-0057 Water Compliance Inspection Report Approval expires 8-31-98 Section A National Data System Coding (i e, PCS) Transaction Code NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type 1 IN 1 2 15 1 3 I N00026654 I11 12 17/05/24 17 18 l, I 19 I G I 201 I' 21111111 1111111111111111111111111 11111111111 166 Inspection Work Days Facility Self-Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA Reserved I 71 I I 72 L N C 67 70 Iu J 731 I 174 751 1 1 1 1 1 1 180 I I I Section B FacilityDataL� Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date POTW name and NPDES permit Number) 11 OOAM 17/05/24 15/04/01 Crossnore WWTP US Highway 221 Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date Crossnore NC 28616 11 45AM 17/05/24 20/01/31 Name(s) of Onsite Representatives)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) Other Facility Data /// Denver Lee Eggers/ORC/704-733-3142/ Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Contacted Edward T Vance,PO Box 129 Crossnore NC 28616/!828-733-0360/ No Section C Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Operations & Maintenance Section D Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) (See attachment summary) Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s) Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date /y�l Daniel J Boss _,ARO WQH828-296-4658/ Signature of Manage ent Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date 60-cy. !-�- EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete Page# NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type (Cont ) 31 N00026654 I11 12 17/05/24 17 18 I , I Section D Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach Edditional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) The Asheville Regional Office received an anonymous complaint about the Crossnore WWTP overflowing sewage on 5/24/2017 at 8 00am The complainant said that a pump had broken at the plant and that he believed the pump had not been running since early May. I (Daniel Boss) conducted an Investigation at the Crossnore WWTP the same day of the complaint The ORC, Denver Eggers, and the mayor of Crossnore, Edward (Tudor) Vance, were both present during the Inspection Upon arrival I found the treatment plant equalization basin and aerobic digester overflowing sewage onto the ground Mr Eggers said the plant had been overflowing since the previous day My best estimate of the volume of the bypass based on duration and past flow readings is 10,000-20,000 gallons It's not certain if any of the bypass directly reached surface waters Our office has not yet received a 5 day report of the incident Mr Eggers told me that there are 2 pumps that transfer the sewage from the equalization basin (old plant) to the anoxic tank (new plant) One of those pumps had stopped working In early May and so they sent it away to get repaired On a typical day, one pump can handle all the flow at the plant, but during periods of high rainfall, one pump can't keep up One pump can handle about 50,000 gpd For April 2017, the maximum daily flow was 63,000 gallons After I left, they called pump trucks to come and pump clown the equalization basin to prevent it from overflowing Now they have rented a submersible pump and put it in the equalization basin with a hose to the anoxic tank Jadd Brewer has told me that both equalization basin pumps will be fitted with new impellers which will boost their pumping capacities to 90gpm This will allow one pump to handle the highest flows the plant receives Mr Brewer also mentioned that the mayor is looking Into I&I repairs for the collection system Page# In • Permit NCO026654 Owner - Facility. Crossnore WWTP Inspection Date 05/24/2017 Inspection Type Complaint Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping? ❑ B ❑ ❑ Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex MLSS, MCRT, Settleable ❑ ❑ ❑ Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable? Comment Failure to maintain adequate equipment and backup equipment to run the plant Equalization Basins Yes No NA NE Is the basin aerated? ❑ M ❑ ❑ Is the basin free of bypass lines or structures to the natural environment? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the basin free of excessive grease? 0 ❑ ❑ ❑ Are all pumps present? ❑ N ❑ ❑ Are all pumps operable? ❑ 0 ❑ ❑ Are Float controls operable? ❑ ❑ ❑ 0 Are audible and visual alarms operable? ❑ ❑ ❑ 0 # Is basin size/volume adequate? ❑ ❑ ❑ 0 Comment Illegal bypass of about 20.000 gallons of sewage from the equalization basin Page# 3