WQ0004967_Final Permit_19960807

State of North Carolina IT L -Wyj�
Department of Environment,
Health and Natural Resources 4 0
Division of Water Quality r
AL
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor 1
Jonathan B. Howes, Secretary C) F—= H
A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director
August 7, 1996
Mr. Ronald T. Kahrer, President
Nature's Choice of North Carolina, Inc.
Route 6, Box 87B, Sugarloaf Road
Hendersonville, North Carolina 28792
Dear Mr. Kahrer:
Subject: Permit No. WQ0004967
Nature's Choice of North Carolina
Wastewater Spray Irrigation
Henderson County
In accordance with your application received April 25, 1996 we are forwarding herewith Permit
No. WQ0004967, dated August 7, 1996 to Nature's Choice of North Carolina for the continued operation
of the subject wastewater treatment and spray irrigation facilities. The only modification being made to
this permit at this time is a name change from Carolina Apple Processor's to Nature's Choice of North
Carolina, Inc.
Please be advised, the Division is issuing this permit with the understanding that prior to the
processing of whole apples, a permit amendment, with applicable processing fee, shall be requested and
submitted to the Division for review. The amendment request shall include appropriate plans,
specifications and documentation for modifications to the existing lagoon and spray irrigation facilities.
Furthermore, this request shall include plans for the installation of a lagoon liner, an evaluation of the
clarifier and solids handling equipment for the adequacy of treating wastes from the processing of whole
apples, a residuals management plan, and other modifications as deemed necessary prior to the Division
allowing reissuance of the permit for the processing of whole apples.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until March 31, 1999 shall void Permit No.
WQ0004967, issued April 19, 1994 and shall be subject to the conditions and limitations as specified
therein. Please pay particular attention to the monitoring requirements 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 the
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.
P.O. Box 29535, Raleigh, North Carolina 27526-0535 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 Rick Moore at (919) 733-
5083 extension 527.
cc:
Henderson County Health Department
Raleigh Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Raleigh Regional Office, Groundwater Section
Bob Cheek, Groundwater Section, Central Office
Training and Certification Unit (no new rating)
Facilities Assessment Unit
Sincerely,
A. Presto oward, Jr., .E.

NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH 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 HEREBY GRANTED TO
Nature's Choice of North Carolina, Inc.
Henderson County
iia . •1
continued operation of a 20,000 GPD spray irrigation treatment and disposal facility consisting of a 0.5
million gallon aerated lagoon with 1, 30 hp floating mechanical aerator, a clarifier, a sludge holding tank,
2, 450 GPM pumps and spray irrigation facilities to apply wastewater generated from the processing of
apple juice, from concentrate only, to approximately 7.05 acres of land to serve Nature's Choice of North
Carolina, Inc. with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters, pursuant to the application received April
25, 1996 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 March 31, 1999, shall void Permit
No. WQ0004967 issued April 19, 1994, 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 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
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, such as the construction of additional or replacement wastewater treatment and
disposal facilities.
2. In the event that the irrigation system ceases to function due to mechanical or any other
problems, or in the event that unsuitable weather conditions prevent the operation of the
spray irrigation system, Nature's Choice of North Carolina, Inc. shall discontinue plant
operation until the system can be restored to proper operation.
3. The issuance of this permit small not relieve the Permittee of the responsibility for damages
to surface or groundwaters resulting from the operation of this facility.

8. No type of wastewater other than that from Nature's Choice of North Carolina, Inc. shall
be sprayed onto the irrigation area.
9. The only waste which may be stored in the lagoon shall be comprised of non -contact
cooling water, washdown water and bleach water (2 gallons of bleach per 1,500 gallons
plus of water) used for the rinsing of juice tanks.
10. No traffic or equipment shall be allowed on the disposal area except while installation
occurs or while normal maintenance is being performed.
11. 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.
12. Freeboard in the lagoon shall not be less than two feet at any time.
IIl. MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
1. 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 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. continuous weekly, monthly, and year-to-date hydraulic (inches/acre) loadings for each
field,
f. weather conditions, and
g. maintenance of cover crops.
3. 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:
BODS TSS
NH3 as N pH
TDS Chlorides
4. 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 111 3) on Form NDMR-1
shall be submitted on or before the last day of April, August and December. All
information shall be submitted to the following address:
NC Division of Water Quality
Water Quality Section-
Facility
ectionFacility Assessment Unit
PO Box 29535
Raleigh, NC 27626-0535

4. 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 North Carolina Division of
Water Quality.
5. Diversion or bypassing of the untreated wastewater from the treatment facilities is
prohibited.
6. 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,
0 100 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
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 Il, 111, 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 vegetative cover 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 52 inches over any twelve (12)
month period. The instantaneous rate shall not be such that it causes ponding or
wastewater runoff.
2

5. Noncompliance Notification:
The Permittee shall report by telephone to the Asheville Regional Office, telephone number
[phone] 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
1. A properly sized pump, capable of producing sufficient drawdown, shall be installed and
properly operated in the existing monitor/recovery .well. The water recovered by the well
shall be discharged into the lagoon.
2. A lagoon liner shall be installed before the processing of any whole fruit. The liner shall
conform to 15 NCAC 2H .0219(f). Prior to construction of the liner, the permittee must
request an amendment of this permit and receive approval for construction of the liner.
3. The three existing monitor wells shall be sampled every March, July and November for the
following parameters:
NO3 Dissolved Iron
TDS TOC
pH Water Level
Chloride Total Coliforms
Fecal Coliform SO4
Volatile Organic Compounds - In November only by either method below
Method 6230D (Capillary - Column), "Standard Methods For The Examination of
Water and Wastewater", 17th ed., 1989
Method 502.2 "Method for the Determination of Organic Compounds in Drinking
Water", United States Environmental Protection Agency - 600/4-
88/039.
4

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.
The measuring points (top of well casing) of all monitoring wells shall be surveyed to
provide the relative elevation of the measuring point for each monitoring well.
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/l, 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.
If any volatile organic compounds are detected by Method 6230D, or the equivalent method
502.2, then EPA methods 604 and 611 must also be run to detect other organic compounds
which may be present. The results of all analyses specified in the monitoring requirements,
including 604 and 611 if required, must be submitted simultaneously.
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 April, August and December.
3. Any additional groundwater quality monitoring, as deemed necessary by the Division, shall
be provided.
4. 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).
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.
5. All wells that are constructed for purposes of groundwater monitoring shall be constructed
in accordance with 15A NCAC 2C.0108 (Standards of Construction for Wells Other than
Water Supply) and any other state and local laws and regulations pertaining to well
construction.
6. Within sixty (60) days of completion of all monitoring wells, the permittee shall submit two
original copies of a scaled topographic map (scale no greater than I":100') signed and
sealed by a professional engineer or a state licensed land surveyor that indicates all of the
following information:
a, the Iocation and identity of each monitoring well,
b. the location of the waste disposal system,
c. the location of all property boundaries,
d. the latitude and longitude of the established horizontal control monument,
e. the relative elevation of the top of the well casing (which shall be known as the
"measuring point"), and

The survey shall be conducted using approved practices outlined in North Carolina General
Statutes Chapter 89C and the North Carolina Administrative Code Title 21, Chapter 56.
The surveyor shall establish a horizontal control monument on the property of the waste
disposal system and determine the latitude and longitude of this horizontal control
monument to a horizontal positional accuracy of +/- 10 feet. All other features listed in a.
through e. above shall be surveyed relative to this horizontal control monument. The
positional accuracy of features listed in a. through e. above shall have a ratio of precision
not to exceed an error of closure of 1 foot per 10,000 feet of perimeter of the survey. Any
features located by the radial method will be located from a minimum of two points.
Horizontal control monument shall be installed in such a manner and made of such
materials that the monument will not be destroyed due to activities that may take place on
the property. The map shall also be surveyed using the North American Datum of 1983
coordinate system and shall indicate the datum on the map. All bearings or azimuths shall
be based on either the true or NAD 83 grid meridian. If a Global Positioning System
(GPS) is used to determine the latitude and longitude of the horizontal control monument, a
GPS receiver that has the capability to perform differential GPS shall be used and all data
collected by the GPS receiver will be differentially corrected.
The maps and any supporting documentation shall be sent to the Groundwater Section,
N.C. Division of Water Quality P.O. Box 29578 Raleigh, N.C. 27625-0578.
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 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.
V1. 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.
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. 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 revoke 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 the 7th day of August, 1996,
NORTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
1
A. Preston ard, Jr., P.E., irector
Division of W ter Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management
Permit Number WQ0004967

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