Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0020290_Other Agency Documents_20211209NORTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION COUNTY OF YANCEY IN THE MATTER OF ) NORTH CAROLINA ) SPECIAL ORDER BY CONSENT NPDES PERMIT NC0020290 and ) EMC SOC S21-003 COLLECTION SYSTEM PERMIT WQCS00143 ) HELD BY THE TOWN OF BURNSVILLE ) Pursuant to provisions of North Carolina General Statute (G.S.) 143-215.2 and G.S. 143-215.67, this Special Order by Consent is entered into by the Town of Burnsville, hereinafter referred to as the Town, and the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, an agency of the State of North Carolina created by G.S. 143B-282, and hereinafter referred to as the Commission: 1. The Town and the Commission hereby stipulate the following: (a) The Town holds North Carolina Permit WQCS00143 for operation of an existing wastewater collection system but is unable to consistently comply with Condition 1.2., regarding sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) as set forth in Collection System Permit WQCS00143, and Bypasses and Flow limits as set forth in NPDES Permit NC0020290. Specifically, frequent and repetitive SSOs and flow permit limit exceedances have occurred in the Town's Collection System and at the Wastewater Treatment Plant itself. Compliance will require preparation of plans and specifications for collection system upgrades including, but not limited to, sewer system rehabilitation between Town Hall and the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and pump station upgrades at the OMC Pump Station. Noncompliance with final conditions constitutes causing and contributing to pollution of the waters of this State, and the Town is within the jurisdiction of the Commission as set forth in G.S. Chapter 143, Article 21. The Town has secured or will secure fmancing for planning, design, or construction of a new or improved wastewater collection system which, once constructed and operated, will be sufficient to adequately collect wastewater presently being made tributary to the collection system, such that the Town will be able to comply with final permit conditions in Collection System Permit WQCS00143 and NPDES Permit NC0020290. (b) (c) (d) Since this Special Order is by Consent (SOC), neither party will file a petition for a contested case or for judicial review concerning its terms. 2. The Town, desiring to comply with the Permits identified in paragraph 1. (a) above, hereby agrees to do the following: (a) As settlement of all alleged violations of Collection System Permit WQCS00143 and NPDES Permit NC0020290 currently outstanding that total $55,805, prior to entering into this Special Order by Consent, the Town of Burnsville agrees to pay the sum of $5,580 and provide documentation that the sum of the penalties reduced by ($50,225) has been spent or currently encumbered specifically for sewer infrastructure projects. There may be other flow violations that have not been assessed but should be coded as "No Action, SOC Pending" in BIMS. A certified check must be made payable to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and forwarded to the Director of the Division of Water Resources at 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 by no later than fifteen days following the date on which this Order is approved and executed by the Commission and received by the Town of Burnsville. Town of Burnsville — Burnsville Collection System and WWTP EMC SOC S21-003 p. 2 (b) Provide the Division of Water Resources (Division) staff of the NC DEO Asheville Regional Office (ARO), located at 2090 U.S. 70 Highway, Swannanoa, NC 28778-8211, with a list of all additions of flow (see paragraph 6) under the Town's SOC, and update this list each time flow is added to the collection system. (c) Undertake or continue to perform following activities in accordance with the indicated time schedule: I. Operation and Maintenance recommendations: a. Continue to respond to all SSOs and Bypasses as per conditions found in Collections System Permit WQCS00143 and NPDES Permit NC0020290. II. Schedules (engineering, construction & compliance): a. Project 1 - Burnsville WWTP Improvements: i. Rehabilitation of 0.3 MGD treatment train at the Burnsville WWTP- repair of tank, replacement of all mechanical components, replacement of diffusers; new steel walkways. ii. Operate in compliance with NPDES Permit NC0020290 for a period of 6 months after completing rehabilitation. iii. Funding Source - Rates, $520,000.00 iv. COMPLETED November 2020, Compliant Operation Milestone: April 30, 2021 b. Project 2 - Meadow Road Sewer Rehabilitation: i. I&I Reduction: Replacement of 4,000 linear feet of existing four (4) inch and six (6) inch sewer line with 8-inch ductile iron sewer line, 20 manholes and 40 service taps on Indian Trail and Meadow Road, Burnsville NC ii. Demonstrate significant reduction in I&I in the collection system consistent with this project for a period of 6 months after completion. iii. Funding Source - CDBG-I $1.1 million iv. COMPLETED: October 2020, Operation Milestone: March 31, 2021 c. Project 3a — OMC Pump Station Rehabilitation i. Replacement of 1000 linear feet of 8-inch C-900 PVC Force Main to OMC Pump Station and Rehabilitation of the OMC Pump Station to include new pumps and generator. ii. Operate in compliance with Collections System Permit WQCS00143 for a period of 6 months after completing rehabilitation. iii. Funding Source - North Carolina State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan $1.14 million iv. COMPLETED November 2020 (FORCE MAIN PROJECT), Compliant Operation Milestone: April 30, 2021 d. Project 3b — OMC Pump Station Flow Reduction i. Addition of Splitter Box at OMC Pump Station and Connection to East Yancey Sewer Treatment Plant Collection System ii. Funding Source — Included with SRF loan of $1.14 million iii. Construction currently being initiated, expected completion date March, 2022 e. Project 4 — Baker's Creek Pump Station Rehabilitation Town of Burnsville — Burnsville Collection System and WWTP EMC SOC S21-003 p. 3 i. Rehabilitation of Baker's Creek Pump Station to include new pumps. Generator will be replaced/upgraded if necessary. ii. Operate in compliance with Collection System Permit WQCS00143 for a period of 6 months after completing rehabilitation. iii. Funding Source-ARPA funds, or loans/grants from State of North Carolina Division of Water Infrastructure. iv. Project to be completed by December 31, 2024. I. Project 5: West Main Sewer Interceptor Improvements i. I&I Reduction Sewer System Rehabilitation between Town Hall and the Wastewater Treatment Plant West Main Sewer Interceptor Project ii. Funding Source - CDBG-I project • Projected Schedule Funding Approval: Submit Engineering Report: Engineering Report Approval: Bid and Design Package Submittal: Bid and Design Package Approval: Complete Construction: April, 2021 October, 2021 March, 2022 August, 2022 December, 2022 May, 2024 g. Project 6: GIS Stormwater mapping project i. I&I Reduction efforts aimed to locate all stormwater infrastructure. It is expected that this effort will identify and any possible cross -connections into the sanitary sewer system and/or identify areas of the storm sewer system that impact the sanitary sewer system. ii. Funding Source -Town rates & 205(j}Water Quality Management Planning Grant iii. COMPLETED: November 2021, Operation Milestone: April 29, 2022 h. Project 7: Burnsville WWTP Rehabilitation Funding and Design i. Overhaul and rehabilitation of the 0.5 MGD Burnsville Waste Water Treatment Plant. Work shall include replacing air diffusers, rehabilitation of the plant headworks, replacing the disinfection treatment from gaseous chlorine to liquid chlorine, repair/replacement of the blower system, and construction of a new lab building. • Projected Schedule Secure Funding Source — May 2024 Initiate Engineering Services Contact — July 2024 Town of Burnsville — Burnsville Collection System and WWTP EMC SOC S21-003 p. 4 If insufficient bidders prevent the Town from lawfully awarding a contract or legal action by prospective bidders prevents the Town from lawfully awarding contracts within the time frame stated in paragraph 2 (c) (II) above, the Town shall notify the ARO and this Order shall be amended to accommodate any such delays that are beyond the control of the Town. (d) The Town shall comply with all terms and conditions of Collection System Permit WQCS00143 and NPDES Permit NC0020290. The Permittee may also be required to monitor for other parameters as deemed necessary by the Director in future permits or administrative letters. (e) No later than thirty (30) calendar days after any date identified for accomplishment of any activity listed in 2(c) above, the Town shall submit to the ARO a written notice of compliance or noncompliance therewith. In the case of noncompliance, the notice shall include a statement of the reasons(s) for noncompliance, remedial actions(s) taken, and a statement identifying the extent to which subsequent dates or times for accomplishment of listed activities may be affected. (f) No later than fifteen (15) calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter stipulated in the schedule below, quarterly reports will be due to the ARO Regional Supervisor. Quarterly Report Report Due Date January — March April 15 April — June July 15 July — September October 15 October - December January 15 3. The Town agrees that unless excused under paragraph 4, the Town will pay the Director of DWR, by check payable to the NC DEQ, stipulated penalties according to the following schedule for failure to meet the deadlines set out in paragraphs 2(c) and 2(0. Violation Description Stipulated Penalty Failure to meet any milestone date identified in paragraph 2(c) above. $250/day Failure to submit any report required by paragraph 2(0 above. $250/day Any reportable spill (SSO or Bypass) $250/event 4. The Town and the Commission agree stipulated penalties are not due if the Town satisfies the Division of Water Resources that noncompliance was caused by extraordinary circumstances: (a) An act of God; (b) An act of war; (c) An intentional act or omission of a third party, but this defense shall not be available if the act or omission is that of an employee or agent of the defendant or if the act or omission occurs in connection with a contractual relationship with the Town; (d) An extraordinary event beyond the Town's control. Contractor delays or failure to obtain funding will not be considered as events beyond the Town's control; or (e) Any combination of the above causes. Town of Burnsville — Burnsville Collection System and WWTP EMC SOC S21-003 P. 5 Failure within thirty (30) days of receipt of written demand to pay the penalties or challenge them by a contested case petition pursuant to G.S. 150B-23, will be grounds for a collections action, which the Attorney General is hereby authorized to initiate. The only issue in such an action will be whether the thirty (30) days has elapsed. 5. In recognition of the rehabilitation work already completed, the Division is provisionally waiving the existing sewer tap moratorium. So long as continued progress is made regarding reduction of I&I, the tap moratorium will remain waived. The Division reserves the right to reinstate the moratorium if conditions at the facility deteriorate_ 6. The nature of the additional flows is such that the waste characteristics do not exceed those generally associated with domestic waste or are pretreated to domestic strengths. Waste of greater than normal domestic strength may be accepted if the parameter(s) that exceed normal domestic strength wastewater are not those for which interim limitations have been developed and it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Director the additional waste will not adversely affect the treatment efficiency of the treatment system for any modified parameter or result in the violation of any other permit limitation. All new and proposed industrial waste tributary to the system must be controlled using all needed mechanisms including but not limited to adoption and implementation of industrial waste control and pretreatment ordinances. No wastewater can be accepted which will add toxic pollutants in quantities not generally associated with domestic wastewater characteristics, unless the acceptance of the additional wastewater can be supported through appropriate analyses acceptable to the Director. 7. This SOC and any terms and conditions contained herein, hereby supersede any and all previous Special Orders, Enforcement Compliance Schedule Letters, terms and conditions contained therein issued in connection with Collection System Permit WQCS00143 and NPDES Permit NC0020290. In the event of a Permit modification or renewal, requirements contained therein shall supersede those contained in this SOC, except as modified and contained herein. 8. Any violation of the terms of this SOC, including paragraphs 2 (c) and 2 (e) above may, upon the discretion of the Director, terminate paragraph five (5) of this Order. 9. Noncompliance with the terms of this SOC are subject to enforcement action in addition to the above stipulations, including injunctive relief pursuant to G.S. 143-215.6(C). 10. The Town, upon signature of this SOC, will be expected to comply with all schedule dates, terms, and conditions of this document. 11. This SOC shall expire 90 days after completion of the work listed above. ignature of Signing Official For the Town of Burnsville: l-IeAfL - /1 ka_cit , Actnq Print Name and Title of gning Official WlAt. Town of Burnsville — Burnsville Collection System and WWTP EMC SOC S21-003 p. 6 I„.- ava.1 Date For the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission: S. Daniel Smith, P.G. Date Director, Division of Water Resources