WQ0012690_Final Permit_19970731

State of North Carolina
Department of Environment,
Health and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Jonathan B. Howes, Secretary
A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director
July 31, 1997
Alan Jeffreys, Park Engineer
NCDEHNR - Division of Parks and Recreation
12700 Bayleaf Church Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27614
Dear Mr. Jeffreys:
A 11 -
EDEHNF1
Subject: Permit No. WQ0012690
NCDEHNR - Division of Parks and Recreation
Mt. Mitchell State Park Facility
Wastewater Drip Irrigation System
Yancey County
In accordance with the amendment request received June 13, 1997, we are forwarding herewith
Permit No. WQ0012690 as amended, dated July 31, 1997, to the NCDEHNR - Division of Parks and
Recreation for the construction and operation of the subject wastewater treatment and drip irrigation
facilities. This permit is being amended to account for some minor relocation of several treatment
components.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until June 30, 2001, shall void Permit No.
WQ0012690 issued July 31, 1996, 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.
One set of approved plans and specifications is being forwarded to you. If you need additional
information concerning this matter, please contact Mr. Michael D. Allen at [phone] extension 547.
Sincerely,
�A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E.
cc: Yancey County Health Department
McGilI Associates
Asheville Regional Office, Water Quality Section
Asheville Regional Office, Groundwater Section
Bob Cheek, Groundwater ,Section, Central Office
Training and Certification Unit (no revised rating)
Facilities Assessment Unit
P.O. Box 29535, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0535 Telephone [phone] FAX [phone]
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer 50% recycled/ 10% post -consumer paper

NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND NATURAL RESOURCES
RALEIGH
DRIP 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 THE
NCDEHNR - Division of Parks and Recreation
Yancey County
61 M "N
construction and operation of a 1,800 GPD drip irrigation treatment and disposal facility consisting of a
5,000 gallon pump tank, a 3,000 gallon septic tank (a replacement of an existing septic tank), a 450 square
foot recirculating sand filter, a tablet chlorinator, a Pere -Rite Model W30C filter assembly with dual 23
GPM pumps, and a 0.44 acre two zone surface drip irrigation field, to serve the NCDEHNR - Division of
Parks and Recreation's Mt. Mitchell State Park Facility, with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters,
pursuant to the amendment request received June 13, 1997, and in conformity with the project plan,
specifications, and other supporting data subsequently filed and approved by the Department of
Environment, Health and Natural Resources and considered a part of this permit.
This permit shall be effective from the date of issuance until June 30, 2001, shall void Permit No.
WQ0012690 issued July 31, 1996, and shall be subject to the following specified conditions and
limitations:
I. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
1. Upon completion of construction and prior to operation of this permitted facility, a
certification must be received from a professional engineer certifying that the permitted
facility has been installed in accordance with this permit, the approved plans and
specifications, and other supporting materials. Mail the Certification to the Water Quality
Permits and Engineering Unit, P.O. Box 29535, Raleigh, NC 27626-0535.
2. The Asheville Regional Office, telephone number [phone], shall be notified at least
forty-eight (48) hours in advance of operation of the installed facilities 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. The drip 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.

4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Diversion or bypassing of the untreated wastewater from the treatment facilities is
prohibited.
7. The following buffers shall be maintained:
a) 100 feet between wetted area and any residence or places of public assembly under
separate ownership,
b) 25 feet between wetted area and property lines,
c) 100 feet between wetted area and wells,
d) 50 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 treatment/storage units and any wells, and
g) 50 feet between treatment units and property lines.
S. A leakage test shall be performed on the septic tank and dosing tank to insure that any
exfiltration occurs at a rate which does not exceed twenty (20) gallons per twenty-four (24)
hours per 1,000 gallons of tank capacity. The engineer's certification will serve as proof of
compliance with this condition.
11. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
I . 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 SA, .0202. The ORC of the facility must visit each Class I facility at
least weekly and each Class II, III, and IV facility at least daily, excluding weekends and
holidays, and must properly manage and document daily operation and maintenance of the
facility and must comply with all other conditions of Title 15A, Chapter SA, .0202. Once
the facility is classified, the Permittee must submit a letter to the Certification Commission
which designates the operator in responsible charge within thirty days after the wastewater
treatment facilities are 50% complete.
3. A suitable cover shall be maintained on the drip irrigation field.
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 drip 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 0.32 inches per day.
S. No type of wastewater other than that from the NCDEHNR - Division of Parks and
Recreation's Mt. Mitchell State Park Facility shall be disposed onto the irrigation area.
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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. Fencing
around the treatment and disposal system shall be provided to prevent unauthorized entry.
11. In accordance with the submitted application package, the drip irrigation system shall be
utilized from May i through October 31 only. The existing subsurface disposal system
permitted by the Division of Environmental Health shall be utilized from November 1
through April 30 when the state park is closed to visitors and the wastewater flows are at a
minimum.
12. The tablet chlorinator shall be checked weekly and fresh tablets added as needed to provide
proper chlorination. The inspection shall insure that the chlorine tablets are in contact with
the wastewater.
III. 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 July and September for the following parameters:
BOD5 TSS
Fecal Coliform pH
NH3 as N
4. Three (3) copies of all operation and disposal records (as specified in condition III 2) on
Form NDAR-I shall be submitted on or before the last day of the following month. Three
(3) copies of all effluent monitoring data (as specified in condition III 3) on Form NDMR-1
shall be submitted on or before the last day of August and October. All information shall
be submitted to the following address:
NC Division of Water Quality
Water Quality Section
Facility Assessment Unit
PO Box 29535
Raleigh, NC 27625-0535
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.
IV. GROUNDWATER REQUIREMENTS
1. Any additional groundwater quality monitoring, as deemed necessary by the Division, shall
be provided.
2. 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
1. Adequate inspection, maintenance,- and cleaning shall be provided by the Permittee to
insure proper operation of the subject facilities.
2. 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.
3. 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
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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.
VI. 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.
3. This permit is not transferable. In the event there is a desire for the facilities to change
ownership, or there is a name change of the Permittee, a formal permit request must be
submitted to the Division of Water Quality accompanied by an application fee,
documentation from the parties involved, and other supporting materials as may be
appropriate. The approval of this request will be considered on its merits and may or may
not be approved.
4. Failure to abide by the conditions and limitations contained in this permit may subject the
Permittee to an enforcement action by the Division of Water Quality in accordance with
North Carolina General Statute 143-215.6(a) to 143-215.6(c).
5. The issuance of this permit does not preclude the Permittee from complying with any and
all statutes, rules, regulations, or ordinances which may be imposed by other government
agencies (local, state, and federal) which have jurisdiction.
6. 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 thirty-first day of July, 1997
NORTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
(`�A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director
Division of Water Quality
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Permit Number WQ0012690
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Permit No. WQ0012690
July 31, 1997
ENGINEER'S CERTIFICATION
I, , 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
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.