WQ0003661_Final Permit_20000905

State of North Carolina
Department of Environment
and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Bill Holman, Secretary
Kerr T. Stevens, Director
September 5, 2000
Honorable William J. Igoe, Mayor
Town of Faison
Post Office Box 365
Faison, North Carolina 28341
Dear Mayor Igoe:
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NCDENR
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Subject: Permit No. WQ0003661
Town of Faison
Wastewater Spray Irrigation
Duplin County
In accordance with your application received July 3, 2000, we are forwarding herewith Permit No.
WQ0003661, dated September 5, 2000, to Town of Faison for the continued operation of the subject
wastewater treatment and spray irrigation facilities.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until August 31, 2005, shall void Permit No.
WQ0003661 issued February 11, 1999, and shall be subject to the conditions and limitations as specified
therein. Please pay particular attention to the monitoring requirements in this permit. Please note Conditions
II.(1) and II.(12) requiring the proper maintenance and operation of the facilities as well as replacing
any damaged spray heads. Also, please note Condition II.(3) requiring a suitable year round vegetative
cover crop shall be maintained. 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 the North Carolina
General Statutes, and filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings, 6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC
27699-6714. Unless such demands are made this permit shall be final and binding.
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 Telephone [phone] Fax [phone]
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer 50% recycled/10% post -consumer paper

If you need additional information concerning this matter, please contact Stephanie MiIam at (919)
733-5083 extension 544. /I
Since I ,
i
Kerr T. Stevens
cc: Duplin County Health Department
Wilmington Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Groundwater Section, Central Office
Technical Assistance and Certification Unit
Non -Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit
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NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
RALEIGH
SPRAY IRRIGATION SYSTEM PERMIT
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 HERESY GRANTED TO
Town of Faison
Duplin County
FOR THE
continued operation of.the six-inch force main in parallel with 6,580 feet of six-inch force main from the Town of
Faison's 450 GPM influent pump station to the 0.17 MGD spray irrigation treatment and disposal facility consisting of
dual 6.6 MG stabilization and storage lagoons with liners, post chlorination facilities, flow measuring, dual 800 GPM
irrigation pumps, approximately 23,000 linear feet of laterals, approximately 50 acres of spray area, four groundwater
monitoring wells, and all appurtenances to serve Town of Faison, with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters,
pursuant to the application received July 3,2000, and in conformity with the project plan, specifications, and other
supporting data subsequently filed and approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and
considered a part of this permit.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until August 31, 2005, shall void Permit No.
WQ0003661 issued February 11, 1999, and shall be subject to the following specified conditions and limitations:
I. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
The spray irrigation facilities shall be effectively maintained and operated at all tunes 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 irrigation 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 (Division), 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.
The residuals generated from these treatment facilities must be disposed in accordance with General
Statute 143-215.1 and in a manner approved by the Division.
4. Diversion or bypassing of the untreated wastewater from the treatment facilities is prohibited.

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) 150 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.
Some of the buffers specified above may not have been included in previous permits for this waste
treatment and disposal system. These buffers are not intended to prohibit or prevent modifications, which
are required by the Division, to improve performance of the existing treatment facility. These buffers do,
however, apply to modifications of the treatment and disposal facilities which are for the purpose of_
increasing the flow that is tributary to the facility. These buffers do apply to any expansion or
modification of the spray irrigation areas and apply in instances in which the sale of property would cause
any of the buffers now complied with, for the treatment and disposal facilities, to be violated. The
applicant is advised that any modifications to the existing facilities will require a permit modification.
II. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
The facilities shall be properly maintained and operated at all times.
2. Upon classification of the facility by the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification
Commission (WPCSOCC), 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 wastewate.
treatment facilities by the WPCSOCC. The Permittee must also employ a certified back-up operator of the
appropriate type and grade to comply with the conditions of 15A NCAC 8G .0202. The ORC of the
facility must visit each Class I facility at least weekly and each Class H, lit, 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 15A NCAC 8G .0202
3. A suitable year round vegetative cover crop shall be maintained.
4. Irrigation 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 spray field.
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 cumulative loading of a) 56.1 inches/acre for Norfolk soils and b)
95.7 inches/acre for Wagram soils over any twelve (12) month period.
No type of wastewater other than that from the Town of Faison shall be sprayed onto the irrigation area.
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.
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11. Freeboard in the stabilization and storage lagoons shall not be less than two feet at any time.
12. Any damaged spray heads must be repaired within thirty days of discovery of the damage. Any existing
damaged spray heads must be repaired within thirty days of permit issuance.
III. MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
1. Any monitoring (including groundwater, surface water, soil or plant tissue analyses) deemed necessary by
the Division 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 Permittee tracking the amount of wastewater disposed. These
records shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following information:
a. date of irrigation,
b, volume of wastewater irrigated,
c. field irrigated,
d. length of time field is irrigated,
e. influent flow data for the wastewater treatment facility,
f. continuous weekly, monthly, and year-to-date hydraulic (inches/acre) loadings for each field,
g. weather conditions, and
h.. maintenance of cover crops.
3. Influent flow shall be continuously monitored and daily flow values shall be reported on Form NDMR.
The Permittee shall install an appropriate flow measurement device consistent with approved engineering
and scientific practices to ensure the accuracy and reliability of influent flow measurement. Flow
measurement devices selected shall be capable of measuring flows with a maximum deviation of less than
10 percent from true flow, accurately calibrated at a minimum of once per year, and maintained to ensure
that the accuracy of the measurements is consistent with the accepted capability of that type of device.
Records of flow measurement device calibration shall be kept on file by the Pen- ittee for a period of at
least three years. At a minimum, data to be included in this documentation shall be:
a Date of flow measurement device calibration
b Name of person performing calibration
c Percent from true flow
4. The effluent from the subject facilities shall be monitored by the Permittee at the point prior to irrigation
every March, July and November for the following parameters:
BOD5 TSS NO3 as N
Fecal CoIiform pH TKN
NH3 as N Sodium PAN by Calculation
Magnesium Calcium.
Sodium Adsorption Ratio by Calculation
Three (3) copies of all operation and disposal records (as specified in condition III 2) on Form NDAR-1
and three (3) copies of all effluent monitoring data (as specified in condition 1113 and III 4) on Form
NDMR-1 shall be submitted on or before the last day of the following month. All information shall be
submitted to the following address:
NC Division of Water Quality
Water Quality Section
Non -Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617

6. A representative annual soils analysis (Standard Soil Fertility Analysis) shall be conducted on each spray
field 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 Exchangeable Sodium Percentage Phosphorus
Cation Exchange Capacity Base Saturation (by calculation)
7. Noncompliance Notification:
The Permittee shall report by telephone to the Wilmington Regional Office, telephone number (910) 395-
3900, 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 render 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.
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.
IV. GROUNDWATER REQUIREMENTS
Monitor wells MW-1, MW-2, MW-3 and MW-4 shall be sampled every March, July and November for
the following parameters:
Water Level pH
Chloride Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Fecal Coliforms Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
Nitrate (NO3) Nitrite (NO2)
Total Phosphorous
Volatile Organic Compounds - In November only using one of the following:
(A) Standard Method 6230D, PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less
(B) Standard Method 6210D, PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less
(C) EPA Method 8 02 1, Low Concentration, PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less
(D) EPA Method 8260, Low Concentration, PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less
(E) Another method with prior approval by the Groundwater Section Chief
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Any method used must meet the following qualifications:
(1) A laboratory must be DWQ certified to run any method used.
(2) The method used must, at a minimum, include all the constituents listed in Table VIII of
Standard Method 6230D.
(3) The method used must provided a PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less which must be supported by
laboratory proficiency studies as required by the DWQ Laboratory Certification Unit. Any
constituents detected above the MDL but below the PQL at 0.5 ug/L must be qualified
(estimated) and reported.
If any volatile organic compounds are detected by the methods listed, then the Wilmington Regional
Office Groundwater Supervisor, telephone number [phone], must be contacted immediately for
further instructions regarding any additional follow-up analyses required. The results of all initial and
follow-up analyses must be submitted simultaneously.
The measurement of water levels must be made prior to sampling for the remaining parameters. The depth -
to water in each well shall be measured from the surveyed point on the top of the casing.
If TOC concentrations greater than 10 mg/1 are detected in any downgradient monitoring well, additional
sampling and analysis must be conducted to identify the individual constituents comprising this TOC
concentration. If the TOC concentration as measured in the background monitor well exceeds 10 mg/i,
this concentration will be taken to represent the naturally occurring TOC concentration. Any exceedances
of this naturally occurring TOC concentration in the downgradient wells shall be subject to the additional
sampling and analysis as described above.
The results of the sampling and analysis must be received on Form GW-59 (Groundwater Quality
Monitoring: Compliance Report Form) by the Groundwater Section, Permits and Compliance Unit,- P.O.
Box 29578 Raleigh, N.C. 27626-0578 on or before the last working day of the month following the
sampling month.
4. Any additional groundwater quality monitoring, as deemed necessary by the Division, shall be provided.
5. The COMPLIANCE BOUNDARY for the disposal system is specified by regulations in 15A NCAC 2L,
Groundwater Classifications and Standards. The Compliance Boundary is for the disposal system constructed
after December 31, 1983 is established at either (1) 250 feet from the waste disposal area, or (2) 50 feet within the
property boundary, whichever is closest to the waste disposal area. 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).
6. In accordance with 15A NCAC 2L, a REVIEW BOUNDARY is established around the disposal systems midway
between the Compliance Boundary and the perimeter of the waste disposal area. Any exceedance of standards at
the Review Boundary shall require remediation action on the part of the permittee.
V. INSPECTIONS
1. Adequate inspection, maintenance, and cleaning shall be provided by the Permittee to insure proper
operation of the subject facilities.
2. The Permittee or his designee shall inspect the wastewater treatment 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 or other permitting authority.
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3. Any duly authorized officer, employee, or representative of the Division 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 r
groundwater, surface water, or leachate.
VI. GENERAL CONDITIONS
This permit shall become voidable urrless 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 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 in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 143-215.6A to 143-
215.6C.
5. The issuance of this permit does not exempt the Perrr&tee 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, including but not limited to applicable river buffer rules in 15A NCAC 2B .0200,
erosion and sedimentation control requirements in 15A NCAC Ch. 4 and under the Division's Genera'
Permit NCG0100000, and any requirements pertaining to wetlands under 15A NCAC 213 .0200 and 21A
.0500.
6. A set of approved plans and specifications for the subject project must be retained by the Permittee for the
life of the project.
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
revolve this permit as specified by 15A NCAC 2H .0205 (c)(4).
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.
Permit issued this ffie fifth day of September, 2000
NOR AROLINA E 7 NTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Kerr T. Stevens, Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit Number WQ0003661