WQ0015869_More Information Requested_19981030

State of North Carolina
Department of Environment
and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Wayne McDevitt, Secretary
A. Preston Howard, Jr., P.E., Director
October 30, 1998
Mr. U.H. Parrish
Lake Osseroga Joint Venture
900 East Moreno Street
Pensacola, FL 32503
1 • •
Now
NCDENR
NOR-rH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Subject: Application No. WQ0015869
Additional Information Request
Reuse Drip Irrigation
Lake Osseroga
Macon County
Dear Mr. Parrish:
The Non Discharge Permitting Unit has completed a preliminary engineering review of the subject
application. The following items must be addressed before we can complete our review:
Water Balance. The application includes two very different water balances. One was completed by
Dr. Rubin, and the other was included in the design calculations from Keith Webb, PE. The water
balances differ significantly with respect to the following:
• Precipitation per month. Please provide justification for the precipitation amount per month.
Irrigation in December, January, and Febru . Due to the precipitation quantity, freezing
potential with reduced drainage, and reduced evapotranspiration Dr. Rubin indicates
irrigation will not be possible in December, January and February, and will not be sufficient
to dispose of the entire monthly wastewater flow in March and April. Dr. Rubin's water
balance indicates a holding tank of approximately 1,400,000 gallons will be necessary. In
contrast, Mr. Webb's calculation do not reduce the irrigation rate during the winter months,
and does not require a storage tank. Mr. Webb does propose a 359,040 gallon storage tank
based on a 30 day holding time. Please have your consultants confer and provide a consistent
recommendation.
•
Drip Irrigation Area. The water balances are based on a drip irrigation area of 29 acres;
however, only 1.75 acres of irrigation area are provided in the plans. The drip irrigation area
affects both the overall ability of the site to absorb the waste and also the storage tank size.
Please verify the irrigation area provided and adjust the water balance accordingly.
If we consider Dr. Rubin's worst case assumptions are correct and disposal may not be consistently
possible from December to March, the Division's calculations indicate a holding tank ranging in
capacity between 750,000 gallons and 900,000 gallons may be appropriate. If your consultants'
calculations indicate a similar volume is necessary, then please consider the use of two tanks so that
one tank can be taken out of service without affecting operation if necessary for routine maintenance.
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2. Recirculating Sandfilter Treatment System Capability. 15A NCAC 2H .0219 (k)(1)(A)(1V) requires
a monthly average ammonia -nitrogen concentration of 4 mg/l or less, with a daily maximum
ammonia -nitrogen concentration of 6 mg/l or less. Please provide data from a similar system
operating at similar wintertime temperatures that is achieving these limits. Please be aware other new
resort locations have influent ammonia -nitrogen concentrations of 35 to 40 mg/l due to the use of Sow
flow fixtures and the reduced use of dishwashers, and clothes washers. if an alternative system is
designed for wastewater treatment, please have the system designed for the higher concentration
flows, the winter temperatures, and the high elevation. Based on comments from Mike Dowd, the
continued review of the sand filter system will not be completed until the data is provided.
3. Irrigation Controls. The irrigation controls shall include an automatic control system to shut down in
for rain and freezing conditions.
4. Dri line Conections. During recent field inspections of similar dripline it was noted that barb
connections of the Netafim dripperline had become disconnected. To reduce this potential, please
that a secondary clamping procedure will be used at all connections, such as stainless steel plumber's
clamps, or another justified design alternative.
5. Post -Dose Line Drainage. At the end of each dose, effluent will continue to drain from the system.
Due to y rau zcs, most of this effluent will discharge from the lowest elevation line, and can cause
excessive application. To eliminate this problem, a small pump tank may be installed at the bottom
of each zone to which the dose may drain, and may be returned to the dosing tank. Please propose a
system which resolves this problem.
Refer to the subject permit application number when providing the requested information. Please submit
five (5) copies of all information to my attention at the address below. Also, please note that failure to
provide this additional information on or before October 30, 1998 will subject your application to being returned
as incomplete, in accordance with 15A NCAC 2H .0208. Please note that a complete review has not been
completed, and that the Asheville Regional Office and the Groundwater Section have not made comments to the
revised plans.
If you have any questions on this matter, please call me at [phone] ext. 544.
Sincerely,
oseph Pearce
Environmental Engineer
Non Discharge Permitting Unit
cc: Asheville Regional Office, Water Quality
Keith Webb, McGill Associates
Permit File WQ0015869