NC0026921_Draft Permit_20190917

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MICHAEL S. REGAN
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+► . LINDA CULPEPPER
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
September 17,2019
Mr.Al McMillan,Mayor
Town of Parkton
PO Box 55
Parkton,NC 28371
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC0026921
Parkton WWTP
Grade II Biological WPCS
Robeson County
Dear Mr.McMillan:
Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the Draft NPDES permit renewal for your facility. Please review this draft
carefully to ensure thorough understanding of the requirements and conditions it contains. There are several changes
from the existing permit. These changes are summarized below. In addition,the summary includes responses to
permit modification requests that were included in your permit renewal application.
• Regulatory Citations-Language has been added throughout the permit to provide regulatory citations for
permit requirements.
• Electronic Reporting- Permit language has been updated to be consistent with the finalization of federal
requirements for electronic reporting.
• Parameter Codes-Codes have been updated as necessary in the table in Section A.(1).
• Mercury Monitoring-In your renewal application you requested removal of the quarterly mercury
monitoring requirement. Your request was based on NC DWR Mercury TMDL Permitting Strategy
documentation for minor municipal discharges. Evaluation of your discharge monitoring data indicates that
all data for the permit term have detected mercury at values ranging from 3.86ng/L to 11.4ng/L. With the
ongoing detection in your discharge and the continued concern for mercury levels in the Lumber River Basin
the Division has determined that mercury monitoring should remain in your permit. No changes are
proposed.
• Chronic Toxicity Testing-The renewal application requested the removal of quarterly monitoring for chronic
toxicity. Your request was based on a Division memorandum that generally associates toxicity testing with
major facilities or ones discharging complex wastewaters. 15A NCAC 02B.0508 authorizes the Director of
DWR to apply toxicity testing to discharges other than those mentioned in your request. Review of testing
results shows chronic toxicity test failures for your facility two times in the past two years. With these test
results and no additional information outlining the cause of these test failures the Division has determined
that chronic toxicity testing should remain a requirement of the permit.
DECO
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
919-707-3600

Mr.Al McMillan
Page 2
• Upstream and Downstream Monitoring-Your renewal application also requested the removal of the
upstream and downstream monitoring requirements for temperature and dissolved oxygen(DO). Your
request questioned the characteristics of the discharge(domestic with no industrial users)to contribute to
DO or temperature impacts.
Division staff have reviewed this request and determined that it is reasonable to remove these monitoring
requirements. Language in Section A. (1)has been adjusted to reflect this change. Monitoring data show that
upstream and downstream DO values are relatively consistent and these values are often low compared to
the effluent DO. The effluent DO values are consistently above 6 mg/L and do not seem to be impacting the
instream values that are often(half of the time) below 4 mg/L. Temperature values also seem to be in line
and show appropriate fluctuation with seasonal temperature changes.
Effluent monitoring for temperature and DO will continue to be required in the permit at the same
frequencies as in the current permit. If any future test results or information indicate potential concerns,the
Division may consider future instream monitoring for these parameters.
• Conductivity Monitoring-You have requested removal of this monitoring requirement in the permit
indicating the results are within expected ranges and that other monitoring parameters are sufficient to
assess the discharge characteristics. After reviewing data results the Division agrees with your request and
Conductivity monitoring has been removed from the draft permit.
• Sludge Monitoring-Your renewal application requested removal of the requirement for semi-annual
monitoring of produced sludge for mercury. You also expressed concerns that you may not produce sludge
and would not be able to comply with the permit condition. Given the ongoing concerns with mercury
discharges as discussed previously and the fact that your facility effluent continues to regularly have a
detection for mercury,this requirement will be maintained in the permit. We have,however,addressed your
concerns for compliance by adding language in the permit to clarify that the permittee can provide
documentation that no sludge was generated as an alternative to providing monitoring data. See section
A.(3).
The NPDES standard conditions(Parts II,III,and IV)that are a part of the permit are not included in this draft
document(cover,map,and Part I).The conditions are the same as in your current permit.The latest version is
available at https://bit.ly/2BZ4xxx and can be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF file.
Concurrent with this notification the Division is publishing a notice in a newspaper having general circulation in the
Columbus County area soliciting public comments on this draft permit. Please provide any written comments you
may have to me no later than 30 days after receipt of this draft permit.
Following the 30-day public comment period,the Division will review all pertinent comments and take appropriate
action prior to issuing a final permit.If you have questions concerning this draft permit,please call me at(919) 707-
3629 or contact me by email at [e-mail].
Sincerely,
441114, 34441*--
Bradley Bennett
Compliance and Expedited Permitting Unit
cc: NPDES Files
Fayetteville Regional Office/Water Quality-electronic
Operator Certification Program/Maureen Kinney-electronic
Aquatic Toxicology Branch/Susan Meadows-electronic

Draft Permit NC0026921
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
In compliance with the provision of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the
Town of Parkton
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Parkton WWTP
240 Sewer Plant Drive (NCSR 1724)
Parkton, NC
Robeson County
to receiving waters designated as Dunns Marsh in the Lumber River Basin in accordance with effluent
limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I, II, III and IV hereof.
This permit shall become effective.
This permit and authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on July 31, 2024.
Signed this day.
Linda Culpepper, Director
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 8

Draft Permit NC0026921
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked. As of this permit issuance, any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer
effective. Therefore, the exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the
permit conditions, requirements, terms, and provisions included herein.
The Town of Parkton
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue operating an existing 0.200 MGD wastewater treatment works consisting of:
• manual bar screen
• two oxidation ditches (operated as parallel treatment trains)
• two clarifiers
• two sludge recirculation and waste pumping stations
• Parshall flume and flow meter
• chlorination/dechlorination
• step-down post-aeration
• aerated sludge digester
• sludge drying beds
• effluent piping and sample point
from a facility located at the Parkton WWTP, 240 Sewer Plant Drive (NCSR 1724), Parkton, NC,
Robeson County.
2. Discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001, at the location specified on the attached map
into Dunns Marsh [Stream Segment 14-22-1-3-2], a waterbody currently classified C-Swamp within
subbasin 03-07-53 [HUC: 0304020306] of the Lumber River Basin.
Page 2 of 8

Draft Permit NC0026921
PART I
A. (1.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade II Biological Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G.0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of the permit and lasting until expiration, the Permittee
is authorized to discharge from Outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored) by the
Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT CHARTACTERISTICS LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
(Parameter Code) Monthly Weekly Daily Measurement Sample Sample
Average Average Maximum Frequency Type Location
Flow(MGD) 50050 0.200 Continuous RecordingInfluent or
Effluent
Temperature(°C) 00100 Daily Grab Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine2 50060 17 pg/L 3 2/Week Grab Effluent
BOD,5 day(20°C)3 C0310 15.0 mg/L 22.5 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
(April 01-October 31) Effluent
BOD,5 day(20°C)3 C0310 24.0 mg/L 36.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
(Nov 01-Mar 31) Effluent
Total Suspended Solids3 C0530 30.0 mg/L 45.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
Effluent
NH3 as N C0610 5.0 mg/L 15,0 mg/L Weekly Composite Effluent
(April 01-Oct 31)
NH3 as N C0610 9.0 mg/L 27.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Effluent
(Nov 01-Mar 31)
Dissolved Oxygen 00300 Weekly Ave.not <5.0 mg/L Weekly Grab Effluent
Fecal Coliform 31616 200/100 ml 400/100 ml Weekly Grab Effluent
(geometric mean)
pH (Standard Units) 00400 >6.0 and<9.0 standard units 2/Month Grab Effluent
Total Mercury4 COMER Monitor and report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Nitrogen C0610 Quarterly Composite Effluent
(NO2+NO3+TKN)
Total Phosphorus C0665 Quarterly Composite Effluent
Chronic Toxicity5 TGP3B Quarterly Composite Effluent
Footnotes:
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the Division's eDMR system [See A. (4.)].
2. The Permittee shall monitor for TRC only if chlorine is used to disinfect.The Division will consider compliant all
values reported below 50µg/L.However,the Permittee shall continue to report all values detected by NC-Certified
test methods(including field certified)even if values are detected below 504L.
3. The monthly average BOD5 and Total Suspended Solids concentrations shall not exceed 15%of the respective
influent values(i.e.,85%removal required).
4. Mercury analyses shall be conducted in accord with low-level field and lab testing protocol EPA Method 1631 E
or as subsequently modified.
5. Chronic Toxicity(Ceriodaphnia)P/F at 90%:January,April,July&October[see A. (2.)].
There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.
This permit contains Sludge [biosolids] Monitoring Requirements for Mercury (see A. (3.)].
The Division may reopen this permit to require additional compliance for mercury [see A. (5.)].
Page 3 of 8

Draft Permit NC0026921
A. (2.) CHRONIC TOXICITY PASS/FAIL MONITORING (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B.0200 et seq.]
The Permittee shall conduct quarterly chronic toxicity tests using test procedures outlined in the"North
Carolina Ceriodaphnia Chronic Effluent Bioassay Procedure,"Revised December 2010, or subsequent
versions.
The effluent concentration defined as treatment two in the procedure document is 90 %. The testing
shall be performed as a Ceriodaphnia dubia 7-day pass/fail test. The tests will be performed during the
months of January,April,July&October. These months signify the first month of each three-month
toxicity-testing quarter assigned to the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained
during representative effluent discharge and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent
discharge below all treatment processes.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent
Discharge Monitoring Form(MR-1) for the month in which it was performed,using the parameter code
TGP3B. Additionally, the Permittee shall send DWR Form AT-1 (original)to:
Attention: North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1621
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than 30
days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made. Test data shall be complete and
accurate and include all supporting chemical/physical measurements performed in association with the
toxicity tests, as well as all dose/response data. Total residual chlorine of the effluent toxicity sample
must be measured and reported if chlorine is employed for disinfection of the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is
required, the Permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity(AT)test
form indicating the facility name, permit number,pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report
with the notation of"No Flow" in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted to the
Water Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the Permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, then
monthly monitoring will begin immediately. Upon submission of a valid test, this monthly test
requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above.
Should any test data from this monitoring requirement or tests performed by the North Carolina Division
of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re-opened and
modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival,minimum control organism reproduction, and appropriate environmental controls,
shall constitute an invalid test and will require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later
than the last day of the month following the month of the initial monitoring.
Page 4 of 8

Draft Permit NC0026921
A. (3.) SLUDGE MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[G.S. 143-215.1 (b)]
The Permittee shall monitor facility-generated sludge(bio-solids) for mercury.
• Sludge samples shall be collected semi-annually.
• The laboratory detection limit for mercury in sludge is 0.1 mg/Kg(dry weight).
• After securing sludge monitoring results, the Permittee shall submit to the
Division.
• If no sludge is generated during a semi-annual timeframe the Permitee shall
provide documentation to the Division to indicate that no sludge was generated.
This will serve to meet the permittee's monitoring requirement.
A. (4.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING- DISCHARGE MONITORING REPORTS
[G.S. 143-215.1 (b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports(DMRs) and program
reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December
21, 2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this
permit(Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B. (11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D. (2.) Reporting
• Section D. (6.) Records Retention
• Section E. (5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements (Supersedes Section D.(2.)and Section E. (5.)(a)1
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic
Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR)internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
submitted electronically using eDMR. The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter
monitoring data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. Until such time that the state's
eDMR application is compliant with EPA's Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Regulation
(CROMERR), permittees will be required to submit all discharge monitoring data to the state
electronically using eDMR and will be required to complete the eDMR submission by printing,
signing, and submitting one signed original and a copy of the computer printed eDMR to the
following address:
NC DEQ/Division of Water Resources/Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the facility
being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have broadband
access,then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted
Page 5 of 8

Draft Permit NC0026921
and discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms(MR 1, 1.1,2, 3)or
alternative forms approved by the Director. Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to the •
mailing address above. See"How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Regardless of the submission method,the first DMR is due on the last day of the month following
the issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last day of the month following the
commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21,2020, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports,when applicable:
• Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
• Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and
• Clean Water Act(CWA) Section 316(b)Annual Reports.
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division(see"Haw to Request a
Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below).
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9), the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time
of each electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify the
initial recipient for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the entity
(EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program)that is the designated entity
for receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for
each type of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the
appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES
Electronic Reporting Rule is found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-
24954/nati onal-pollutant-discharge-elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the"Reporting Requirements"section above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an
electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to
the Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to
the Division for written approval at least sixty(60) days prior to the date the facility would be
required under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a
temporary waiver shall not exceed 5 years and shall thereupon expire. At such time,monitoring data
and reports shall be submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re-applies for and is
granted a new temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic reporting
waivers are not transferrable. Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request may
submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved
reporting waiver request is effective.
Page 6 of 8

Draft Permit NC0026921
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on
the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B.(11.)(b)and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d)I
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(a)or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II,
Section B. (11.)(b). A person, and not a position,must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR
reporting purposes.
For eDMR submissions,the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user
account and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North
Carolina's eDMR system,registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit
the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification. Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall make
the following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION
WILL BE ACCEPTED:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my
direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or
persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information,
the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete. I
am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the
possibility of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations."
5. Records Retention [Supplements Section D.(6.)1
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR submissions. These
records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the date of the report. This period
may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR 122.41].
A. (5.) MERCURY REOPENER
[40 CFR 122.44(c)]
The Division may re-open this permit to require mercury load limitations,mercury minimization plans,
and/or source water characterization following completion of the Phase 2 Mercury TMDLs for the
Lumber and Waccamaw River watersheds.
Page 7 of 8

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NC0026921 / Town of Parkton WWTP Facility
Location
1-Ct
Receiving Stream: Dunns Marsh Drainage Basin: Lumber River
Latitude: 34°53'02"N Longitude: 78°59'59"W (not to scale)
Permitted Flow: 0.200 MGD Sub-Basin: 03-07-53 State Grid: H23NW
Stream Class: C;Sw North USGS Quad:Hope Mills
County: Robeson
Page 8 of 8