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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0001899_Monitoring (Information)_20190826 suit y ROY COOPER I ? Governor ;` firh* MICHAEL S.REGAN Secretary el.QUA"V LINDA CULPEPPER NORTH CAROLINA Director Environmental Quality August 26,2019 Jason Kaplan,Manager Moncure Holdings Utility,LLC 338 Pea Ridge Road New Hill,NC 27562 Subject:NC0001899 Moncure Holdings Utility WWTP Investigative Monitoring Dear Mr.Kaplan, Several emerging compounds have been found in North Carolina waters, specifically, 1,4-dioxane and a group of chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also referred to as PFCs). Data reviewed as part of the Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule(UCMR3)has indicated elevated concentrations for these compounds in the Cape Fear River Basin. In addition, ambient monitoring performed by DWR's Water Sciences Section have confirmed the presence of these compounds in the Cape Fear River Basin. See ambient monitoring study reports listed under the following link: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/waterresources-data/water-sciences- home-page/1-4-dioxane Background 1,4-dioxane is a clear liquid that is highly miscible in water. It has historically been used as a solvent stabilizer and is currently used for a wide variety of industrial and manufacturing purposes. The compound can be found in industrial solvents,paint strippers, and varnishes and is often produced as a by-product of chemical processes to manufacture soaps,plastics, and other consumer products. The U.S.EPA has not established a maximum contaminant level for 1,4-dioxane in drinking water but has characterized it as"likely to be carcinogenic to humans"and has established a drinking water health advisory of 35 µg/L. North Carolina has a calculated human health surface water criterion with an associated estimated lifetime cancer risk of one in one million at a concentration for 1,4-dioxane of 0.35 µg/L in water supplies and 80 µg/L in all other waterbodies(15A NCAC 02B .0208). PFAS compounds are most often associated with nonstick coatings,plating operations, firefighting foams, and stain-and water-resistant treatments for clothing, furniture and carpeting. PFAS has been found to have adverse effects in laboratory animals and humans when ingested. To provide Americans with a margin of protection from a lifetime of exposure to PFAS from drinking water, EPA has established the health advisory level of 70 ng/L individually and combined for two of the most common PFAS compounds: PFOA(perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate). Required Actions To assess the levels of these compounds throughout the Cape Fear and to assist DWR in developing a Management Strategy to reduce levels of these emerging compounds,Industries permitted under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System(NPDES)which employ processes associated with the discharge of these compounds are hereby required to perform investigative monitoring at the treatment plant effluent for 1,4-dioxane and total PFAS once per month for three consecutive months starting in October 2019. Such investigative actions can be required under 15A NCAC 02B .0508 (b)(2) and G.S. 143-215.66. D E North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources ') 512 North Salisbury Street 11617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617 NORTH CAROIJNA Otputmml a�w�ocm auwn 919.707.9000 Samples collected should be representative of the typical wastewater discharged from your facility. Sufficiently sensitive test methods shall be used. • To locate a lab capable of performing the PFAS analysis,please visit https://www.denix.osd.mil/edqw/accreditation/accreditedlabs/and search by method"PFAS by LCMSMS Compliant with Table B-15 of QSM 5.1 or Latest Version". • Grab samples are required to avoid cross-contamination and ensure consistency. • Please refer to Attachment B for the analyte list.Each facility shall provide results for as many of the PFAS compounds as possible, specifically including PFOA and PFOS. • To locate a lab certified to perform 1,4-dioxane analysis using EPA Method 624.1,please visit https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/water-resources-data/water- scienceshome-page/laboratory-certification-branch/certified-laboratory-listings.Be sure to specify 1,4-dioxane by EPA method 624.1 when contacting the labs.The Division recommends that the lab uses sufficiently sensitive test procedures with a target Practical Quantification Level(PQL)of approximately 1 µg/L. • In addition to reporting the monthly results on the facility's eDMR,please send a copy of all three monthly results to the DWR NPDES Complex Permitting Unit by January 31, 2020 at the following email address(please include the lab sheets with the test results): svc_deq_npdes-ec@ncdenr.gov.Please include your NPDES permit number in your subject heading. If your effluent samples exceed the human health surface water criteria for 1,4-dioxane pertaining to your receiving stream classification,DWR NPDES Complex Permitting Staff will evaluate the impact on the receiving stream based on your facility's discharge and receiving stream volume. If necessary,NPDES staff will contact you to develop a corrective action plan to begin reducing or eliminating 1,4-dioxane discharges from your facility. The PFAS drinking water health advisory of 70 ng/L is the target concentration for the sum of sample results for PFOA and PFOS.NPDES staff will evaluate PFAS data results and impacts on the receiving stream based on your facility's discharge flow,receiving stream volume, and location of water supply intakes downstream. If necessary,NPDES staff will contact you to develop a corrective action plan to begin reducing or eliminating PFAS discharges from your facility. Please be aware that criteria are being developed for PFAS compounds and are likely to be lower than the current drinking water health advisory level.Results for PFAS that do not currently require action may trigger reduction activities in the future. More Information Attachment A outlines a suggested list of PFAS compounds for analysis and Attachment B identifies a list of labs that have been pre-approved as capable of analyzing PFAS by LCMSMS Compliant with Table B-15 of QSM 5.1 or Latest Version or with an acceptable modification. The Department looks forward to working closely with you on this important public health issue. Data from the Cape Fear River Basin will be evaluated to determine next steps to reduce the discharge of 1,4- dioxane and PFAS throughout the State. Please contact any of the following DWR NPDES Complex Permitting Unit staff members if you have any questions or concerns: Julie Grzyb 919-707-3605, Cassidy Kurtz 919-707-3613 or Nick Coco 919-707-3609 or via email(firstname.lastname@ncdenr.gov). Sincerel , ( p Linda Culpepper,Director Division of Water Resources,NCDEQ Cc: Dana Satterwhite,WSS Julie Grzyb,NPDES Rick Bolich,Raleigh Regional Office Attachment A To locate a lab capable of performing the PFAS analysis,please visit https://www.denix.osd.mil/edqw/accreditation/accreditedlabs/and search by method"PFAS by LCMSMS Compliant with Table B-15 of QSM 5.1 or Latest Version".Grab samples are required to avoid crosscontamination and ensure consistency. It is the Division's understanding that this test method is capable of providing results for the listed PFAS compounds listed below.The Division recognizes that there may be variations from lab to lab.Each facility shall provide results for PFOA,PFOS, and shall include as many of the following PFAS compounds as possible: Analyte Name ! Acronym Fluorinated ! Molecular CAS 1 Carbon Chain Formula Number Length Perfluorotetradecanoic acid i PFTeA C,4 C13F27C00H j 376-06-7 Perfluorotridecanoic acid ! PFTriA C13 C12F25COOH 72629-94-8 Perfluorododecanoic acid PFDoA C12 Ct,F3COOH 307-55-1 Perfluoroundecanoic acid PFUnA Cu C1oF21COOH 2058-94-8 Perfluorodecanoic acid PFDA Go j C9F19COOH 335-76-2 Perfluorononanoic acid PFNA Co i C8F17COOH 375-95-1 Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA C8 j C7F1sCOOH 335-67-1 Perfluoroheptanoic acid I PFHpA C7 J C6F13COOH 375-85-9 Perfluorohexanoic acid i PFHxA C6 C5F11COOH i 307-24-4 Perfluoropentanoic acid PFPeA C5 j C4F9COOH 2706-90-3 Perfluorobutanoic acid j PFBA C4 C3F7COOH ! 375-22-4 Perfluorodecanesulfonic acid PFDS Cio C1oF21SO3H 335-77-3 Perfluorononanesulfonic acid PFNS C9 C9F19SO3H 68259-12-1 Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid PFOS C8 I C8F17SO3H 1763-23-1 Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid j PFHpS C7 C7F15SO3H 375-92-8 Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid i PFHxS C6 I C6F13SO3H 355-46-4 Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid PFPeS C5 C5F11SO3H ; 2706-91-4 Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid PFBS C4OMG I C4F9S03H 375-73-5 Perfluorooctanesulfonamide 1 PFOSA C8 CsF17S02NH2 I 754-91-6 2-(N-Ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) N-EtFOSAA C8 I CsFI7SO2N(C2H5) 2991-50-6 acetic acid CH2COOH 2-(N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) N-MeFOSAA C8 I C8F17SO2N(CH3)C 2355-31-9 acetic acid j HCOOH 1 Attachment B Labs approved by NCDEQ-DWR for the PFAS Wastewater Influent Screening Sampling: (Note:Most labs on this list are also listed on the Department of Defense accredited list approved for PFAS testing using LCMSMS with Isotope Dilution,found by visiting https://www.denix.osd.mil/edqw/accreditation/accreditedlabs/and searching by method"PFAS by LCMSMS Compliant with Table B-15 of QSM 5.1 or Latest Version") ALS Environmental—Kelso Maxxam Analytics International Corp 1317 S. 13th Avenue 6740 Campobello Road Kelso,Washington 98626 Mississauga,Ontario L5N 2L8 (360)577-7222 (905)817-5700 http://maxxam.ca http://www.alsglobal.com/ APPL,Inc. Microbac Laboratories,Inc.—Ohio Valley Division 908 N.Temperance Avenue 158 Starlite Drive Clovis,CA 93611 Marietta,OH 45750 (559)275-2175 http://www.applinc.com/ (800)373-4071 http://www.microbac.com/ourlaboratories/marietta-ohio/ Alpha Analytical SGS AXYS Analytical Services Ltd. 8 Walkup Drive 2045 Mills Road W. Westborough,MA 01581 Sidney BC,Canada V8L 5X2 (508)898-9220 http://www.anab.org/ - (250)655-5800 http://www.axvsanalvtical.com/ Battelle *SGS North America,Inc.—Orlando 141 Longwater Drive,Suite 202 4405 Vineland Road,Suite C15 Norwell,MA 02061 Orlando,FL 32811 (781)681-5565 http://www.battelle.org/ (407)425-6700 http://www.sgs.com/ *Enthalpy Analytical Shealy Environmental Services 2714 Exchange Drive 106 Vantage Point Drive Wilmington,NC 28405(910) West Columbia,SC 29172 212-5858 https://enthalpy.com/ (803)791-9700 http://www.shealylab.com Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environmental 2425 TestAmerica—Sacramento New Holland Pike 880 Riverside Parkway Lancaster,PA 17601 (717) West Sacramento,CA 95605 656-2300 (916)373-5600 http://www.lancasterlabs.com/ http://www.testamericainc.com GEL Laboratories,LLC Vista Analytical Laboratory 2040 Savage Road 1104 Windfield Way Charleston,SC 29407 El Dorado Hills,CA 95762 (843)556-8171 (916)676-1520 http://www.gel.com http://www.vista-analytical.com Gulf Coast Analytical Laboratories, Inc.7979 Innovation Park Drive Baton Rouge,LA 70820 (225)767-5717 http://www.gcal.com/ *denotes labs approved by NCDEQ-DWR to run the DoD compliant method regardless of accreditation status and/or are approved to run a variation of the DoD method. Laboratories that believe they run the DoD compliant method accurately and should be included on this list shall contact Christyn Fertenbaugh via phone at 919-707-3625 or by email at christyn.fertenbaugh@ncdenr.gov.