WQ0003396_Final Permit_19991115

t
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
Mr. Jim Skinner, East Coast Manager
SierraPine Limited, Moncure Division
985 Corinth Road
Moncure, NC 27559
Dear Mr. Skinner:
NCDENR
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
November 15, 1999
Subject: Permit No. WQ0003396
SierraPine Limited
Moncure Division
Wastewater Spray Irrigation
Chatham County
In accordance with your application received September 8, 1999, we are forwarding herewith Permit
No. WQ0003396, dated November 15, 1999, to SierrePine Limited for the continued operation of the subject
wastewater treatment and spray irrigation facilities. This permit is being issued as the, result of the change in
ownership from Weyerhaeuser Company to SierraPine Limited.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until August 31, 2000, shall void Permit No.
WQ0003396 issued February 28, 1997 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, 6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC
27699-6714. Unless such demands are made this permit shall be final and binding.
If you need additional information concerning this matter, please contact,Kristin Miguez at (919) 733-
5083 extension 524.
-e-Kerr T. Stevens
cc: Chatham County Health Department
Raleigh Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Raleigh Regional Office, Groundwater Section
Bob Cheek, Groundwater Section, Central Office
Technical Assistance and Certification Unit
Non -Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit
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

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 HEREBY GRANTED TO
SierraPine Limited
Chatham County
FOR THE
continued operation of a spray irrigation treatment and disposal facility with a treatment volume of 200,000 GPD,
consisting of an 8.8 million gallon clay lined wastewater holding lake (pond #5); a grit settling pond (pond #4) which
will receive wastewater from pond #5, plant site wastewater, and wash down water; a grit settling pond (pond #1)
which will receive the Roberts-Boze clarifier backwash wastewater; a domestic wastewater package treatment plant
consisting of a bar screen, a 7,000 gallon aeration tank, a 1,167 gallon secondary clarifier, a 1,047 gallon sludge
holding tank, 36 CFM dual blowers, a 185 gallon chlorine contact tank equipped with tablet feed type chlorinator and
related appurtenances; an aerobic treatment pond (pond #2) which will receive the wastewater from pond #4, pond #1,
and treated effluent from the domestic treatment plant; a secondary settling pond (pond #3) which will receive all the
wastewater from pond #2; a 500 GPM pumping station to transport the wastewater from pond #3 to the spray irrigation
field; an 800 GPM pump station to recycle the wastewater from pond #3 back to production for use as Plant process or
wash down water and to transport wastewater to the storage pond when spray irrigation is not possible; a center pivot
irrigation system consisting of sprinkler nozzles averaging 11.5 GPM divided into ten (10) 5.58 acre spray zones
totalling 55.8 acres on a 100 acre company owned site; and all associated piping, valves, controls, pumps, later level
sensors, aeration units and other appurtenances to serve SierraPine Limited's Moncure Facility with no discharge of
wastes to the surface waters, pursuant to the request received September 8, 1999, 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 pen -nit.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until August 31, 2000, shall void Pen -nit No.
WQ0003396 issued February 28, 1997, 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 t
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.
1 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.
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.
11. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
1. 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 wastewater
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 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 15A NCAC 8A .0202.[.
A suitable year round 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.
b. 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. For spray zones 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 the application rate shall not exceed a cumulative loading of 52
inches over any twelve (12) month period at an instantaneous application rate not to exceed 0.6 inches per
hour for spray zones 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10. The instantaneous rate of application for spray zones shall not
exceed 0.35 inched per hour. ,
For spray zones 4 and 5, the application rate shall not exceed a cumulative loading of 12.74 inches over
any twelve (12) month period at an instantaneous application rate not to exceed 0.2 inches per hour.
8. No type of wastewater other than that from SierraPine Limited's Moncure Facility shall be sprayed onto
the irrigation area.
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. Freeboard in five ponds (four treatment ponds and one holding pond) shall not be less than one feet at any
time.
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. 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 Pernittee at the point prior to irrigation
every March, July, and November for the following parameters:
BODS TSS
n
Fecal Coliform pH
NH3 as N Formaldehyde
a
Fecal Coliform shall be monitored at the discharge of the domestic wastwater package
treatment plant.
3

Three (3) copies of all operation and disposal records (as specified in condition 111 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
Non -Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
5. Noncompliance Notification:
The Permittee shall report by telephone to the Raleigh 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 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
1. Monitor wells SMW-3, SMW-4, SMW-5, SMW-8, SMW-9 and SMW-18 shall be sampled every March,
July and November for the following parameters:
NO3 Ammonia Nitrogen
TDS TOC
pH Water Level
Chloride Orthophosphate
Formaldehyde - In November Only
Volatile Organic Compounds - In November only by the method below
Method 6230D (Capillary - Column), "Standard Methods For The Examination of Water and
Wastewater", 17th ed., 1989
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.
4

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/l are detected in any downgradient monitoring well, additiona
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, then the Raleigh 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 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.
2. Any additional groundwater duality monitoring, as deemed necessary by the Division, shall be provided.
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.
V. INSPECTIONS
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 Ieast 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.
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 of
groundwater, surface water, or leachate.
5

VI. GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. This permit shall become voidable unless the facilities are constructed in accordance with the conditions of
this permi,, 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 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 I43-
215.6C.
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.
T 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 specked by ISA 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 thWfifteenth day of November, 1999
NORTH
MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
-.Kerr T. Stevens, Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit Number WQ0003396