NC0021881_Draft Permit_20190917

frATE
ROY COOPER
(ioi cl
' MICHAEL S. REGAN
secreuzo
'ta►orw,n�• LINDA CULPEPPER
nr,<,�<„
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
September 17,2019
Mr.Gordon Hargrove
Town Manager
Town of Lake Waccamaw
PO Box 145
Lake Waccamaw,NC 28450-0145
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC000021881
Lake Waccamaw WWTP
Grade II Biological WPCS
Columbus County
Dear Mr.Hargrove:
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).
• 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 four
times in the past three 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.
• 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 noted the difficulty in selecting definitive upstream and downstream sampling sites in the swamp
D QO
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
919-707-3600

Mr.Gordon Hargrove
Page 2
drainage area and also 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
over the permit cycle there were only a few sample events showing low DO values and downstream values
were in line with upstream results. Temperature values also seem to be in line and show appropriate
fluctuation with seasonal temperature changes. In addition, the difficulty of finding appropriate instream
sampling locations has been verified by our regional office staff.
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.
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, 1r,---
Bradley Bennett
Compliance and Expedited Permitting Unit
cc: Mike Prostinak;Town of Lake Waccamaw
NPDES Files
Wilmington Regional Office/Water Quality-electronic
Operator Certification Program/Maureen Kinney-electronic
Aquatic Toxicology Branch/Susan Meadows-electronic

Draft Permit NC0021881
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 provisions 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 Lake Waccamaw
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from an outfall located at the
Lake Waccamaw WWTP
1692 Dupree Landing Rd
Lake Waccamaw
Columbus County
to receiving waters designated as an unnamed tributary of Bogue Swamp located within 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
1 of 8

Permit NC0021881
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked, and as of this 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 described herein.
The Town of Lake Waccamaw
is hereby authorized to:
1) Continue operating an existing wastewater treatment system that includes the following
components:
➢ Manual bar screen&grit chamber
➢ Activated sludge extended-aeration basin(with two floating mechanical aerators)
➢ Clarifier with sludge return(RAS) and sludge wasting(WAS)
➢ Two polishing ponds in series with mechanical aerator in second pond
➢ Gaseous chlorine disinfection with contact chamber
➢ Dechlorination chamber
> Continuous-recording flow meter&composite sampler
➢ Two aerated sludge holding tanks
> Sludge drying beds (backup)
> Emergency power generator
This facility is located at the Lake Waccamaw WWTP (1692 Dupree Landing Rd, Lake
Waccamaw) in Columbus County.
4
2) Discharge from said treatment facility via outfall 001 (see attached map)into an unnamed
tributary to Bogue Swamp [Stream Segment 15-3], currently classified C Swamp waters within
subbasin 03-07-56 [HUC: 0304020603] in the Lumber River Basin.
2 of 8

Permit NC0021881
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 through outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored' by the
Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS EFFLUENT LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
(Parameter Code) Monthly Weekly Daily Measurement Sample Sample
Average Average Maximum Frequency Type Location
Flow 50050 0.4 MGD Continuous Recording Effluent
BOD, 5 day,20°C 2 C0310 10.0 mg/L 15.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
(April 1 -October 31) Effluent
BOD, 5 day,20°C 2 C0310 11.0 mg/L 16.5 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
(Nov 1 -March 31) Effluent
Total Suspended Solids2 C0530 30.0 mg/L 45.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Influent&
Effluent
NH3 as N C0610 2.0 mg/L 6.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Effluent
(April 1 -October 31)
NH3 as N C0610 4.0 mg/L 12.0 mg/L Weekly Composite Effluent
(Nov 1 -March 31)
Fecal Coliform 200/100
(geometric mean) 31616 ml 400/100 ml 3/Week Grab Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen 00300 Dail average>5.0 mg/L Weekly Grab Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine3 50060 I 17 µg/L 2/Week Grab Effluent
pH 00400 > 6.0 and <9.0 standard units Weekly Grab Effluent
Temperature(°C) 00010 Daily Grab Effluent
Total Nitrogen C0600 Quarterly Composite Effluent
(NO2 N + NO3 N +TKN)
Total Phosphorus C0665 Quarterly Composite Effluent
Chronic Toxicity 4 TGP3B Quarterly Composite Effluent
Total Mercury, COMER 5 Grab Effluent
Footnotes:
1. The permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the Division's eDMR system[see A. (4)].
2. The monthly average effluent BOD5 and Total Suspended Solids concentrations shall not exceed 15%of the respective
influent values(i.e., 85%removal is required).
3. The Division shall consider all effluent TRC values reported below 50 µg/L to be in compliance with the permit.
However,the Permittee shall continue to record and submit all values reported by a North Carolina certified laboratory
(including field certified),even if these values fall below 50 µg/L.
4. Chronic Toxicity(Ceriodaphnia)at 90%:March,June,September,December[see A. (2)].
5. The permittee shall collect one sample of total mercury during the term of this permit[see A. (5)].
There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.
3 of 8

Permit NC0021881
A. (2) CHRONIC TOXICITY PERMIT LIMIT (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B.0200 et seq.]
The effluent discharge shall at no time exhibit observable inhibition of reproduction or significant
g � �
mortality to Ceriodaphnia dubia at an effluent concentration of 90%.
The permit holder shall perform at a minimum, quarterly monitoring using test procedures outlined in
the"North Carolina Ceriodaphnia Chronic Effluent Bioassay Procedure,"Revised December 2010, or
subsequent versions or"North Carolina Phase II Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Test Procedure"
(Revised-December 2010) or subsequent versions. The tests will be performed during the months of
March,June, September and December. 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.
If the test procedure performed as the first test of any single quarter results in a failure or ChV
below the permit limit, then multiple-concentration testing shall be performed at a minimum, in
each of the two following months as described in "North Carolina Phase II Chronic Whole
Effluent Toxicity Test Procedure" (Revised-December 2010) or subsequent versions.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent
Discharge Monitoring Form(MR-1) for the months in which tests were performed,using the parameter
code TGP3B for the pass/fail results and THP3B for the Chronic Value. Additionally, DWR Form AT-
3 (original) is to be sent to the following address:
Attention: NC DEQ/DWR/WSS /Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 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, accurate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all
concentration/response data, and be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved designate
signature. 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, monitoring
will be required during the following month. Assessment of toxicity compliance is based on the toxicity
testing quarter,which is the three month time interval that begins on the first day of the month in which
toxicity testing is required by this permit and continues until the final day of the third month.
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.
4of8

Permit NC0021881
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.
A. (3) DREDGING OF SETTLING PONDS
[G.S. 143-215.1 (b)]
The permittee shall routinely dredge the treatment system settling ponds to remove solids and sediment.
Pond bottom dredging is required at a frequency and to a depth sufficient to avoid carryover of solids
and nitrogen to the effluent.
A. (4) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF 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
5 of 8

Permit NC0021881
access,then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted
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"How 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/national-pol l utant-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
6 of 8

Permit NC0021881
submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved
reporting waiver request is effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on
pp p
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)l
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.)l
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) TOTAL MERCURY MONITORING
[G.S. 143-215.1 (a) (2)]
The Permittee shall provide one effluent analysis for Total Mercury using EPA method 1631 E.
Sampling should be conducted during 2023. Results of the analysis shall be submitted with the permit
renewal application due no later than February 2, 2024.
Results from any other effluent mercury analyses shall also be submitted with the permit renewal
application. Failure to submit the 1631E results would be considered a permit violation.
7 of 8

.- p a.. +.- Ir
f._ If
•1 o • ''r` ... ;.�
�._ 6' l .. I•
. The Cote
nr. . -___. _ ' il ..., -
____.
• . . ia in is 1 vi,—,,,k.:,.:4:- -
•b0
\ —di.,--,.....rit ,‘ ,
•
f - 4 ,
. • CA ' jr G i
/---
n it
1,
.. \. A ‘,..„. -�ry
/ 1 Dupree
IF 111" 0 • •
PIP' 1111 r
4e ;;\
44- -- , -._— - .
�. -, 4, ..� _ ,tee
-.,• ,� ._ Betsy Burgh Island �'
-..., 4. — -a- . _..:: -4" -4` • - 141\
` .- .,,`Vag- 44 ^�_ k 4 •
4� ,,4 ,.
-----�- .._ .,,a-- .4•.
0O - .4_ lit ...- .. -_- _
--t -4` -c.'.`"44. - -- .
.,. - 4r; - -..r - _ — r
_ ..- _
Jj.. # ..yy.-4e - -.l. AI. -*-- .W.^l-'". - o.-_ ' -Br .o-` 4.- -a•- ..._ .4..-4W_4— -.=- -...
- -..-— +s — —4 ._ . .— .,o.— „. _ �,.. ..—.r-,r_ .�- +- „..y -«r — ,.. _ -Yw ,,._.
•
- — .a.. -4— - - _:- • - .w—.4. "'_ r r .414 . .. - e` -'". er
4- . � ;�.. ...'.4 Z.Z.- - -4- -a' 4+"._ -4-
OUTFALL 001 '-. "` —' -.
(Drains to Bogue Swamp under zero-flow conditions) ,,. w-
_ ti m- - Islay . - .er"„c,-"r."_'` --. -
.._
- - -0-._- . -4- 4.e--— -0-_. ._ - °- gig W — - - _;.. -,- -..-4. -
4� 44- 4 - _4.-- -.._ ar . - 4' a• - . _ ,� - '.-
-r!, iM- J1.-.Y- -L. -4-. �`- " - - II..- -�- - ..
•
41M-_4- ..w. !r -,C. - _wu- .Wo. .A. .AP-- -4- -�'B- ew F - - - �� _
NC0021881 / Lake Waccamaw WWTP Facility
Location
County: Columbus Stream Class: C-Swamp (not to scale)
Receiving Stream: UT to Bogue Swamp
USGS Quad: Lake Waccamaw West
Latitude: 34°16'57" Longitude: 78°33'24" Columbus County
Sub-Basin: 03-07-56 NoldliMap not to scale
8 of 8