WQ0008489_Final Permit_20030523

OF W A T�9pG
Michael F. Easley, Governor
0) William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
7 r North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
--i
a C Alan W. Klimek, P.E., Director
Division of Water Quality
May 23, 2003
Jack Mason, Manager
Hyde County Water & Sewer
PO Box 188
Swan Quarter, NC 27885
Subject: Permit No, WQ0008489
North Carolina Prison Facility at Piney Woods
Wastewater Surface Irrigation
Hyde County
Dear Mr. Mason:
In accordance with a request submitted on your behalf by Rivers &. Associates, Inc. received on April 8, 2003, we
are forwarding herewith Permit No. WQ0008489, dated May 23, 2003, to Hyde County for the continued operation and
expansion of the subject wastewater treatment and surface irrigation facilities. This permit acknowledges a reduction in
previously expanded irrigation areas and a subsequent reduction in approved flow. This permit also approves a modified
cumulative hydraulic loading on the irrigation areas in accordance with revised information submitted by the soil scientist.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until January 31, 2008, shall void Permit No. WQ0008489
issued February 18, 2003, 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.
i
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 co�ttact Sue Homewood at [phone]
extension 502. 'J
Sincerely, .
f
-eL
Alan W. Klime , P.E.
cc: Hyde County Health Department
Washington Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Washington Regional Office, Groundwater Section
Groundwater Section, Central Office
Randy Gould, P.E., Rivers & Associates, Inc.
Technical Assistance and Certification Unit
Water Quality Central Files
NDPU Files
_A.
Non -Discharge Permitting Unit Internet httpi//h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ndpu VL1)EN"t
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh. NC 27099-1617 Telephone [phone] Fax [phone]
DENR Customer Service Center Telephone [phone]
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NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
RALEIGH
SURFACE 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
Hyde County
Hyde County
FOR THE
continued operation of a wastewater spray irrigation treatment and disposal facility to treat 80,200 GPD of
domestic wastewater and consisting of an influent totalizing flow meter, dual treatment and storage lagoons
totaling 15.06 million gallons of storage which provides approximately 157 days of storage and 30 days of
treatment, the addition of a lagoon pump to transfer wastewater from the treatment lagoon to the storage lagoon as
necessary to maintain adequate storage capacity, an effluent flowmeter, a gas chlorination system, an outlet
structure with a 1,072-ft3 chlorine contact tank, a 700-GPM vertical turbine irrigation pump (with a spare on site),
seven previously approved irrigation zones consisting of approximately 66.6 acres, and the addition of 12.73 acres
of irrigation area, and all piping and appurtenances to serve North Carolina Prison Facility at Piney Woods, with
no discharge of wastes to the surface waters, pursuant to the modification request received April 8, 2003, 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 January 31, 2008, shall void Permit No.
WQ0008489 issued February 18, 2003, and shall be subject to the following specified conditions and limitations:
L PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Upon completion of construction and prior to use of the additional acreage a certification must be
received from a professional engineer certifying that the permitted systems has been installed in
accordance with this permit, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting materials_ If
this project is to be completed in phases and partially certified, you shall retain the responsibility to
track further construction approved under the same permit, and shall provide a final certificate of
completion once the entire project has been completed. Mail the Certification to the Non -Discharge
Permitting Unit, Division of Water Quality, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617.
The Washington Regional Office, telephone number [phone], shall be notified at least forty-
eight (48) hours in advance of operation of the new irrigation areas so that an in -place inspection can
be made. Such notification to the regional supervisor shall be made during the normal office hours
from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday, excluding State Holidays.

3. Interior ditches within the new irrigation areas will be filled in accordance with the recommendations
of a soil scientist. The engineer's certification required by Condition I.1 will also serve as
documentation that this condition has been met.
4. The lagoons shall be operated to maximize storage available during summer to prepare for the winter
storage requirement.
5. If the lease between Hyde County and the State of North Carolina addressing use of the new irrigation
sites is modified or terminated, the Division will be notified immediately.
6. The surface 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 Perrrmittee 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.
7. . 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.
8. 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.
9. Diversion or bypassing of the untreated wastewater from the treatment facilities is prohibited.
10. 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 drainage ways or surface water bodies,
e) 50 feet between wetted area and public right of ways,
f) 100 feet between treatment/storage units and any wells, and
g) 50 feet between 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 that 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 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
The facilities shall be properly maintained and operated at all times.
2. Upon classification of the wastewater treatment and irrigation facilities by the Water Pollution
Control System Operators Certification Commission (WPCSOCC), the Permittee shall designate and
employ a certified operator to be in responsible charge (ORC) and one or more certified operator(s) to
be back-up ORC(s) of the facilities in accordance with 15A NCAC 8G .0201. The ORC shall visit
the facilities in accordance with 15A NCAC 8G .0204 or as specified in this permit and shall comply
with all other conditions specified in these rules.

3. A suitable actively growing 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 irrigation 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 on zones 1-7 (existing areas) shall not exceed a cumulative loading of 14.56
inches over any twelve (12) month period at an instantaneous application rate not to exceed 0.25
inches per hour.
8. The application rate on zone 9 shall not exceed a cumulative loading of 14.408 inches over any
twelve (12) month period at an instantaneous application rate not to exceed 0.3 inches per hour.
9. The grade of the swales shall be maintained so there is no standing water in the swales. The
Permittee will make any repairs to the swales as deemed necessary by the Division.
10. No type of wastewater other than that from North Carolina Prison Facility in the Piney Woods shall
be irrigated onto the irrigation area.
11. No traffic or equipment shall be allowed on the disposal area except while installation occurs or while
normal maintenance is being performed.
12. 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.
13. Freeboard in the lagoons shall not be less than two feet at any time.
14. A waste -level gauge, to monitor waste Ievels in the storage pond, shall be installed witlfin 60 days of
issuance of this permit. This gauge shall have readily visible permanent markings indicating the
maximum liquid level at the top of the temporary liquid storage volume, minimum liquid level at the
bottom of the temporary liquid storage volume, and top of the dam elevations. Caution must be taken
not to damage the integrity of the Iiner when installing the gauge.
15. A protective vegetative cover shall be established and maintained on all earthen basin embankments
(outside toe of embankment to maximum pumping elevation), berms, pipe runs, erosion control areas,
and surface water diversions. Trees, shrubs, and other woody vegetation shall not be allowed to grow
on the earthen basin dikes or embankments. Earthen basin embankment areas shall be kept mowed or
otherwise controlled and accessible.
III. MONITORING AND REPORTING REOUIREMENTS
I. 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. Influent flow shall be continuously monitored and daily flow values shall be reported on Form
NDMR.

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
Permittee 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
3. The effluent from the subject facilities shall be monitored by the Pere -tee at the sampling port at the
new irrigation nozzle closest to the wastewater treatment system every April, August and December
for the following parameters:
BOD5 TSS
Fecal Coliform pH
NH3 as N NO2-NO3
TKN Total Phosphorous
4. 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.
Zones shall be identified in the following manner for the purposes of record keeping
ID
Acreage
1
9.20
2
9.50
3
1030
4
9.70
5
9.30
6
9.20
7
9.30
9B
3.09
9C
3.22
9D
3.21
9E
3.21
Freeboard in the lagoons shall be recorded weekly.
6. Three (3) copies of all monitoring data (as specified in condition 1112 and III 3) on Form NDMR-1
and three (3) copies of all operation and disposal records (as specified in condition 1114, and 1115) on
Form NDAR-1 shall be submitted monthly on or before the last day of the following month. All
information shall be submitted to the following address:

NC Division of Water Quality
IV.
Water Quality Section
Non -Discharge Compliance/Enforcement Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
7. A representative annual soils analysis (Standard Soil Fertility Analysis) shall be conducted on each
irrigation 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
Calcium
Copper
Magnesium
Cation Exchange Capacity
8. Noncompliance Notification:
Manganese Potassium
Percent Humic Matter Sodium
pH Zinc
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage Phosphorus
Base Saturation (by calculation)
The Pertittee shall report by telephone to the Washington Regional Office, telephone number (252)
946-6481, 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.
Occurrences outside normal business hours may also be reported to the Division's Emergency
Response personnel at telephone number [phone], [phone], or [phone]_
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.
GROUNDWATER REQUIREMENTS
Prior to beginning waste disposal operations on the new spray areas, three (3) monitor wells shall be
installed to monitor groundwater quality. The well(s) shall be constructed such that the water level in
the well is never above or below the screened (open) portion of the well at any time during the year.
The general location and name for each well is marked on Figure 3. Each monitoring well shall be
located at the Review boundary, constructed in accordance with this permit, and approved by the
Washington Regional Office.

2. The well(s) must be constructed by either a North Carolina Certified Well Contractor, the property
owner, or the property lessee according to General Statutes 87-94.4(b)(2). If the construction is not
performed by a certified well contractor, the property owner or lessee must physically perform the
actual well construction activities, and the well(s) must be constructed according to the North
Carolina Well Construction Standards (15A NCAC 2C .0108) and the local county rules.
The Washington Regional Office, telephone number [phone], shall be notified at least forty-
eight (48) hours prior to the construction of any monitoring well so that an inspection can be made of
the monitoring well location. Such notification to the regional groundwater supervisor shall be made
during the normal office hours from 8.00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday, excluding
state holidays.
4. Within thirty (30) days of completion of all well construction activities, a certification must be
received from a professional engineer or a licensed geologist certifying that the monitoring wells are
located according to this permit.
5. New monitor well(s) MW-4, MW-5, and MW-6 shall be sampled initially after construction and prior
to waste disposal operations. and thereafter every April, August, and December for the parameters
listed below. Existing monitor wells MW-I, MW-2 and MW-3 shall also be sampled every April,
August, and December for the parameters listed below. Prior to sampling the parameters, the
measurement of water levels must be taken. 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 relative to a common datum.
Water Level pH
TDS Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3-N)
TOC Fecal Coliforms
Volatile Organic Compounds (in December only)
For Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) sampled in December, use only one of the following
methods:
1) Standard Method 6230D, Practical Quantitation Limit (PQL) at 0.5 ug/L or less
2) Standard Method 6210, PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less
3) EPA Method 8021, Low Concentration, PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less
4) EPA Method 8260, Low Concentration, PQL at 0.5 ug/L or less
5) Another method with prior approval by the Groundwater Section Chief
Any of the referenced methods used for VOCs must, at a minimum, include all the constituents listed
in Table VI11 of Standard Method 6230D. Any method used must provide a PQL of 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 Method Detection Limit (MDL) but below the
PQL of 0.5 ug/L must be qualified (estimated) and reported.
6. For Total Organic Carbon (TOC), if concentrations greater than 10 mg/1 are detected in any down -
gradient 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 down -gradient wells shall be subject to the additional: sampling and analysis as
described above.
7. Any laboratory selected to analyze parameters must be Division of Water Quality (DWQ) certified
for those parameters required,
rl

8. All reports and documentation t(;W-I, GW-59) shall be mailed to the following address:
Groundwater Section
Permits and Compliance Unit
1636 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1636
Updated blank forms (GW- [ . (;W-59) may be downloaded from the Groundwater Section's website
at htt :!! w.ehnr.state.nc.us/ or requested from the address mentioned above_
9. For the initial sampling of the well(s), the permittee shall submit a copy of the GW-1 Form (Well
Construction Record) with the Compliance Monitoring Form (GW-59) for each well to the address
listed in the "Reporting / Documentation" section of the Groundwater Requirements. Initial
Compliance Monitoring Forms that do not include copies of the GW-1 form may be returned to the
permittee without being processed. Failure to submit these forms as required by this permit may
result in the initiation of enforcement activities pursuant to NC General Statutes 143-215.6A.
10, The results of the sampling and analysis must be received on Form GW-59 (Groundwater Quality
Monitoring: Compliance Report Form) by the Groundwater Section (address listed in the "Reporting
/ Documentation" section of the Groundwater Requirements), on or before the last working day of the
month following the sampling month. The data of all groundwater sampling analyses required by the
permit conditions must be reported using the most recent GW-59 form along with attached copies of
the laboratory analyses.
11. Within sixty (60) days of completion of the new monitoring well(s), the permittee shall submit two
original copies of a scaled site map (scale no greater than 1"=100'); however, special provisions may
be granted upon prior approval for large properties. The map(s) must include the following
information:
1) The location and identity of each monitoring well.
2) The location of major components of the waste disposal system.
3) The location of property boundaries within 500 feet of the disposal area(s).
4) The latitude and longitude of the established horizontal control monument.
5) The elevation of the top of the well casing (which shall be known as the "measuring point")
relative to a common datum.
6) The depth of water below the measuring point at the time the measuring point is established.
7) The location of Review and Compliance boundaries.
8) The date the map is prepared and/or revised.
Control monuments 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. Maps and any
supporting documentation shall be sent to the Groundwater Section as addressed in the "Reporting /
Documentation" above.
The permittee is responsible for the geographic accuracy of any map submitted, however produced.
12. Waste application activities shall not occur when the vertical separation between depth of application
and the water table is at less than one (1) foot. Verification of the water table elevation can be
confirmed by water level readings obtained from the monitor well(s) near the site or auger boring(s),
which must be done within 24 hours, prior to application of wastewater. Any open borings must be
properly filled with native soil, prior to application to decrease the chance of any waste
contaminating the groundwater.
7

�rP
13. The COMPLIANCE BOUNDARY for the disposal system is specified by regulations in 15A NCAC
2L, Groundwater Classifications and Standards. The Compliance Boundary for the disposal system
individually permitted after December 31, 1983 is established at either 250 feet from the waste
disposal area, or 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 according to 15A NCAC 2L .0106(d)(2).
14. The 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 action in accordance with 15A NCAC 2L .0106(d)(1).
15. Any additional groundwater quality monitoring, as deemed necessary by the Division, shall be
provided.
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.
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.
V1. GENERAL CONDITIONS
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
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.

The issuance of this permit does not exempt 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, including but not limited to applicable river buffer rules in 15A
NCAC 2B .0200, erosion and sedimentation control requirements in 15A NCAC Chapter 4 and under
the Division's General Permit NCG010000, and any requirements pertaining to wetlands under 15A
NCAC 2B .0200 and 2H .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 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 23`' day of May, 2003
NORTH CAkOLINA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
:," Alan W. Klimek, P.E., Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit Number WQ0008489
9

Permit No. WQ0008489
May 23, 2003
ENGINEER'S CERTIFICATION
Partial Final
1, , as a duly registered Professional Engineer in the State of
North Carolina, having been authorized to observe (periodically, weekly, full time) the construction of the project,
Project Name
Location and County
for the Permittee hereby state that, to the best of my abilities, due care and diligence was used in the observation
of the construction such that the construction was observed to be built within substantial compliance and intent of
this permit, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting materials.
Signature
Date
Registration No.