HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQ0002146_Final Permit_19971113State of North Carolina
Department of Environment,
Health and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Wayne McDevitt, Secretary
A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director
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November 13, 1997
Mr. Lawrence D. Lively, V.P. Environmental Affairs
Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd.
900 Dominion Tower
999 Waterside Drive
Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Subject: Permit No. WQ0002146
Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd.
Land Application of Wastewater
Sampson County
Dear Mr. Lively:
In accordance with Mr. Charles Fiero's request received September 25, 1997, through Mr. Grady
Dobson of the Division's Fayetteville Regional Office, we are forwarding herewith Permit No.
WQ0002146, dated November 13, 1997, to Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. for the operation of a
wastewater land application program. This permit issuance is to cover the land application of wastewater
through the use of a honey wagon, or some similar land application equipment. The use of spray
irrigation equipment is not allowed without a permit modification through the Division of Water Quality.
The modification being made to this permit at this time is to allow grazing of anaimis on the land
application site. To allow grazing, a reduction in the amount of plant available nitrogen which can be
applied to a specific crop must be reduced by 25 percent. This permit shall be effective from the date of
issuance until May 31, 2002, shall void Permit No. WQ0002146, issued September 18, 1997, and shall
be subject to the conditions and limitations as specified therein. Please pay particular attention to the
monitoring and reporting requirements contained in this permit. Failure to establish an adequate system
for collecting and maintaining the required operational information will result in future compliance
problems.
If any parts, requirements, or limitations contained in this permit are unacceptable, you have the
right to request an adjudicatory hearing upon written request within thirty (30) days following receipt of
this permit. This request must be in the form of a written petition, conforming to Chapter 150B of North
Carolina General Statutes, and filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings, P.O. Drawer 27447,
Raleigh, NC 27611-7447. Unless such demands are made this permit shall be final and binding.
If you need additional information concerning this matter, please contact Rick Moore at (919) 733-
5083 extension 527.
Since el
�A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E.
cc: Sampson County Health Department
Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd.; Mr. Charles Fiero
Fayetteville Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Fayetteville Regional Office, Groundwater Section
Bob Cheek, Groundwater Section, Central Office
Training and Certification Unit
Facilities Assessment Unit
P.O. Box 29535, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0535 Telephone (919) 733-5083 FAX (919) 733-0719
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer 50% recycled/ 10% post -consumer paper
NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND NATURAL RESOURCES
RALEIGH
LAND APPLICATION OF WASTEWATER
In accordance with the provisions of Article 21 of Chapter 143, General Statutes of North Carolina as
amended, and other applicable Laws, Rules, and Regulations
PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO
Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd.
Sampson County
FOR THE
continued operation of a 1,000 GPD animal wastewater collection and disposal facility consisting of two
1,500 gallon septic tanks in series, 61 acres of application area and a 2,200 gallon spreader to serve
Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd., with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters, pursuant to the
modification request received September 25, 1997, and in conformity with the project plan, specifications,
and other supporting data subsequently filed and approved by the Department of Environment, Health and
Natural Resources and considered a part of this permit.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until May 31, 2002, shall void Permit No.
WQ0002146, issued September 18, 1997, and shall be subject to the following specified conditions and
limitations:
I. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
The wastewater collection and disposal facilities shall be effectively maintained and
operated at all times so that there is no discharge to the surface waters, nor any
contamination of ground waters which will render them unsatisfactory for normal use. In
the event that the facilities fail to perform satisfactorily, including the creation of nuisance
conditions or failure of the application area to adequately assimilate the wastewater, the
Permittee shall take immediate corrective actions including those actions that may be
required by the Division of Water Quality, such as the construction of additional or
replacement wastewater treatment and disposal facilities.
2. The issuance of this permit shall not relieve the Permittee of the responsibility for damages
to surface or groundwaters resulting from the operation of this facility.
3. The wastewater generated from these treatment facilities must be disposed in accordance
with General Statute 143-215.1 and in a manner approved by the North Carolina Division
of Water Quality.
4. Diversion or bypassing of the wastewater from the collection and disposal facilities is
prohibited.
H.
5. The following buffers shall be maintained:
a) 400 feet between wetted area and any residence or places of public assembly under
separate ownership,
b) 50 feet between wetted area and property lines,
c) 100 feet between wetted area and wells,
d) 100 feet between wetted area and drainageways or surface water bodies,
e) 50 feet between wetted area and public right of ways,
f) 100 feet between wastewater treatment units and wells, and
g) 50 feet between wastewater treatment units and property lines.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
1. The facilities shall be properly maintained and operated at all times.
2. Upon classification of the facility by the Certification Commission, the Permittee shall
employ a certified wastewater treatment plant operator to be in responsible charge (ORC) of
the wastewater treatment facilities. The operator must hold a certificate of the type and
grade at least equivalent to or greater than the classification assigned to the wastewater
treatment facilities by the Certification Commission. The Permittee must also employ a
certified back-up operator of the appropriate type and grade to comply with the conditions
of Title 15A, Chapter 8A, .0202. The ORC of the facility must visit each Class I facility at
least weekly and each Class II, III, and IV facility at least daily, excluding weekends and
holidays, and must properly manage and document daily operation and maintenance of the
facility and must comply with all other conditions of Title 15A, Chapter 8A, .0202.
3. A suitable year round vegetative cover shall be maintained.
4'. Wastewater disposal shall not be performed during inclement weather or when the ground
is in a condition that will cause runoff.
5. Adequate measures shall be taken to prevent wastewater runoff from the permitted sites.
6. The facilities shall be effectively maintained and operated as a non -discharge system to
prevent the discharge of any wastewater resulting from the operation of this facility.
7. The application rate shall not exceed:
a) 0.5 inches/hour
b) agronomic rates for the cover crop as
specified by the North Carolina Department of
Agriculture
8. No type of wastewater other than that from Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. shall be applied
onto the permitted sites.
9. No traffic or equipment shall be allowed on the disposal area except while installation
occurs or while normal maintenance is being performed.
10. Public access to the land application sites shall be controlled during active site use. Such
controls may include the posting of signs showing the activities being conducted at each
site.
11. On fields where grazing will occur, there shall be a 25% reduction in the rate of plant
available nitrogen recommended by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture for the
specific cover crop.
12. All vegetation shall be removed from the permitted sites at the end of the growing season
for that cover crop.
III. MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Any monitoring (including groundwater, surface water, soil or plant tissue analyses)
deemed necessary by the Division of Water Quality to insure surface and ground water
protection will be established and an acceptable sampling reporting schedule shall be
followed.
2. Adequate records shall be maintained by the Pem-ittee tracking the amount of wastewater
disposed. These records shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following
information:
a. date of application,
b . volume of wastewater applied,
c. field applied on,
d. continuous weekly, monthly, and year-to-date hydraulic (inches/acre) loadings for each
field,
e. weather conditions, and
f. maintenance of cover crops.
3. The wastewater from the subject facilities shall be monitored by the Permittee at the point
prior to application every March, July, and November for the parameters listed by the
North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Agronomic Division's Waste Analysis Report
Form. This analysis shall be used in the monitoring and the proper management of the
cover crops of the permitted application sites. The analysis shall also be used as an
indicator to prevent any damage to the soils ability to absorb the subject wastewater at the
needed disposal rates.
4. A representative annual soils analysis (Standard Soil Fertility Analysis) shall be conducted
on each site receiving residuals in the respective calendar year and the results maintained on
file by the Permittee for a minimum of five years.
The Standard Soil Fertility Analysis shall include, but is not necessarily limited to, the
following parameters:
Acidity Manganese Potassium
Calcium Percent Humic Matter Sodium
Copper pH Zinc
Magnesium Phosphorus
Base Saturation (by calculation)
Cation Exchange Capacity
5. Three (3) copies of all operation and disposal records (as specified in condition III 2) on
Form NDAR-1 shall be submitted on or before the last day of the following month. Three
(3) copies of all effluent monitoring data (as specified in condition III 3) shall be submitted
on or before the last day of April, August, and December. Three (3) copies of the
representative soils analysis shall be submitted annually on or before March 1 of the
following year. All information shall be submitted to the following address:
NC Division of Water Quality
Water Quality Section
Non -Discharge Compliance Unit
PO Box 29535
Raleigh, NC 27626-0535
6. Noncompliance Notification:
The Permittee shall report by telephone to the Fayetteville Regional Office, telephone
number (910) 486-1541 as soon as possible, but in no case more than 24 hours or on the
next working day following the occurrence or first knowledge of the occurrence of any of
the following:
a. Any occurrence at the wastewater treatment facility which results in the treatment of
significant amounts of wastes which are abnormal in quantity or characteristic, such as
the dumping of the contents of a sludge digester, the known passage of a slug of
hazardous substance through the facility, or any other unusual circumstances;
b. Any process unit failure, due to known or unknown reasons, that renders the facility
incapable of adequate wastewater treatment, such as mechanical or electrical failures of
pumps, aerators, compressors, etc.;
c. Any failure of a pumping station, sewer line, or treatment facility resulting in a by-pass
directly to receiving waters without treatment of all or any portion of the influent to
such station or facility; or
d. Any time that self -monitoring information indicates that the facility has gone out of
compliance with its permit limitations.
Persons reporting such occurrences by telephone shall also file a written report in letter
form within five (5) days following first knowledge of the occurrence. This report must
outline the actions taken or proposed to be taken to ensure that the problem does not recur.
I V . GROUNDWATER REQUIREMENTS
The COMPLIANCE BOUNDARY for the disposal system is specified by regulations in
15A NCAC 2L, Groundwater Classifications and Standards. An exceedance of
Groundwater Quality Standards at or beyond the Compliance Boundary is subject to
immediate remediation action in addition to the penalty provisions applicable under General
Statute 143-215.6A(a)(1). The sale of property by the Permittee, which is within or
contiguous to the disposal system site, may alter location of the compliance boundary.
For facilities permitted on or after December 30, 1983, the Compliance Boundary is
established at the lesser of 250 feet from the application field or 50 feet within the property
boundary.
If the title for any property which may affect the location of the Compliance Boundary is
changed, the Permittee shall notify the Division Director within 14 days. The Director shall
then establish'a modified Compliance Boundary which will be done as a modification to the
permit.
2. Any groundwater quality monitoring, as deemed necessary by the Division, shall be
provided.
3. No land application of waste activities shall be undertaken when the seasonal high water
table is less than three (3) feet below land surface.
V . INSPECTIONS
1. Adequate inspection, maintenance, and cleaning shall be provided by the Permittee to
insure proper operation of the subject facilities.
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2. The Permittee or his designee shall inspect the wastewater collection and disposal facilities
to prevent malfunctions and deterioration, operator errors and discharges which may cause
or lead to the release of wastes to the environment, a threat to human health, or a nuisance.
The Permittee shall keep an inspection log or summary including at least the date and time
of inspection, observations made, and any maintenance, repairs, or corrective actions taken
by the Permittee. This log of inspections shall be maintained by the Permittee for a period
of three years from the date of the inspection and shall be made available upon request to
the Division of Water Quality or other permitting authority.
3. Any duly authorized officer, employee, or representative of the Division of Water Quality
may, upon presentation of credentials, enter and inspect any property, premises or place on
or related to the disposal site or facility at any reasonable time for the purpose of
determining compliance with this permit, may inspect or copy any records that must be
maintained under the terms and conditions of this permit, and may obtain samples of
groundwater, surface water, or leachate.
VI. GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. This permit shall become voidable unless the facilities are constructed in accordance with
the conditions of this permit, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting
data.
2. This permit is effective only with respect to the nature and volume of wastes described in
the application and other supporting data.
3. This permit is not transferable. In the event there is a desire for the facilities to change
ownership, or there is a name change of the Permittee, a formal permit request must be
submitted to the Division of Water Quality accompanied by an application fee,
documentation from the parties involved, and other supporting materials as may be
appropriate. The approval of this request will be considered on its merits and may or may
not be approved.
4. Failure to abide by the conditions and limitations contained in this permit may subject the
Permittee to an enforcement action by the Division of Water Quality in accordance, with
North Carolina General Statute 143-215.6(a) to 143-215.6(c).
5. The issuance of this permit does not preclude the Permittee from complying with any and
all statutes, rules, regulations, or ordinances which may be imposed by other government
agencies (local, state, and federal) which have jurisdiction.
6. The following are approved sites for wastewater application:
Application Area [acres]
Site No. Owner/Lessee (excluding buffets)
Sampson County
I Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. 3
H Ralph Bass 8
III Ralph Bass 50
TOTAL ACRES IN COUNTY 61
TOTAL AVAILABLE ACRES 61
7. The annual administering and compliance fee must be paid by the Permittee within thirty.
(30) days after being billed by the Division. Failure to pay the fee accordingly may cause
the Division to initiate action to revoke this permit as specified by 15A NCAC 2H .0205
(c)(4).
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8. The Permittee, at least six (6) months prior to the expiration of this permit, shall request its
extension. Upon receipt of the request, the Commission will review the adequacy of the
facilities described therein, and if warranted, will extend the permit for such period of time
and under such conditions and limitations as it may deem appropriate.
9. This permit shall become voidable unless the agreements between the Permittee and the
landowners/lessees are in full force and effect. The land owner agreements are considered
expired concurrent with the expiration date of the permit and must be renewed at the same
time the permit is renewed.
Permit issued this the thirteenth day of November, 1997.
NORTH C LINA E O NTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
i
A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit Number WQ0002146
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