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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#5251_2017_0308_TS_FINALINSPECTION REPORT ROUTING SHEET To be attached to all inspection reports in-house only. Laboratory Cert. #: 5251 Laboratory Name: Town of Robbins WWTP Inspection Type: Field Municipal Maintenance Inspector Name(s): Tonja Springer Inspection Date: March 8, 2017 Date Forwarded for Initial Review: April 6, 2017 Initial Review by: Anna Ostendorff Date Initial Review Completed: April 7, 2017 Cover Letter to use: ❑ Insp. Initial ❑Insp. No Finding ®Corrected ❑ Insp. Reg ❑Insp. CP ❑Insp. Reg. Delay Unit Supervisor/Chemist III: Todd Crawford Date Received: April 11, 2017 Date Forwarded to Admin.: May 3, 2017 Date Mailed: May 5, 2017 Special Mailing Instructions: Water Resourres May 5, 2017 5251 Mr. Tommy Gibbons Town of Robbins WWTP P.O. Box 296 Robbins, NC 27325 MICHEAL S. REGAN S. JAI' ZIMMERMAN SUBJECT: North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC) Maintenance Inspection Dear Mr. Gibbons: Enclosed is a report for the inspection performed on March 8, 2017 by Tonja Springer. Since the Finding(s) cited during the inspection were all corrected prior to the completion of the enclosed report, a response is not required. The staff is commended for taking the initiative in correcting the Findings in such a timely manner. For Certification maintenance, your laboratory must continue to carry out the requirements set forth in 15A NCAC 2H .0800. A copy of the laboratory's Certified Parameter List at the time of the audit is attached. This list will reflect any changes made during the audit. Copies of the checklists completed during the inspection may be requested from this office. Thank you for your cooperation during the inspection. If you wish to obtain an electronic copy of this report by electronic mail, or if you have questions or need additional information, please contact me at (919) 733-3908 ext. 251. Sincerely, Todd Crawford Technical Assistance & Compliance Specialist NC WW/GW Laboratory Certification Branch Attachment cc: Dana Satterwhite, Tonja Springer, Master File 5251 LABORATORY NAME: NPDES PERMIT #: ADDRESS: CERTIFICATE #: DATE OF INSPECTION: TYPE OF INSPECTION: AUDITOR(S): LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED: I. INTRODUCTION: Town of Robbins WWTP NC0062855 256 Bear Ridge Road Robbins, NC 27325 5251 March 8, 2017 Field Municipal Maintenance Tonja Springer Tommy Gibbons This laboratory was inspected by a representative of the North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC) program to verify its compliance with the requirements of 15A NCAC 2H .0800 for the analysis of environmental samples. II. GENERAL COMMENTS: The facility has all the equipment necessary to perform the analyses. The laboratory analyst was very forthcoming and receptive to implementing the necessary changes in response to the Findings and Recommendations made during the inspection. All required Proficiency Testing (PT) samples for the 2017 PT calendar year have not yet been analyzed. The laboratory is reminded that results must be received by this office directly from the vendor by September 30, 2017. Contracted analyses are performed by Pace Analytical Services LLC - Raleigh NC (Certification # 67). Current Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories and Approved Procedure documents for the analysis of the facility's currently certified Field Parameters were provided at the time of the inspection. III. FINDINGS, REQUIREMENTS, COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Documentation Comment: The laboratory benchsheet was lacking pertinent data: instrument identification. The NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Temperature, NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH, NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen and NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine documents state: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Instrument identification. Notification of acceptable corrective action #5251 Town of Robbins WWTP (i.e., an updated benchsheet which includes instrument identification with an implementation date of March 17, 2017) was received by email on April 5, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: Date Received, Date Opened (in use), Vendor, Lot Number and Expiration Dates are not being documented for pH buffers and Total Residual Chlorine (TRC) DPD powder reagents. The NC WW/GW LC Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories document states: All chemicals, reagents, standards and consumables used by the laboratory must have the following information documented: Date Received, Date Opened (in use), Vendor, Lot Number, and Expiration Date. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., an updated benchsheet that included the documentation of the date received, date opened, vendor, lot number and expiration dates with an implementation date of March 17, 2017) was received by email on March 17, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Proficiencv Testin Comment: The laboratory is not analyzing PT samples in the same manner as compliance samples. The laboratory's common practice was to analyze a known standard along with the PT sample as additional QC. Since this is not performed with all compliance samples, it is considered additional QC. However, known samples are recommended when analyzing remedial PT samples as part of the troubleshooting and corrective action process. The Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2. document states: All PT samples are to be analyzed and the results reported in a manner consistent with the routine analysis and reporting requirements of compliance samples and any other samples analyzed according to the requirements of 15A NCAC 2H .0800. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that beginning with the 2017 PTs, a known standard will not be analyzed with the unknown PT sample) was received by email on March 16, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The preparation of TRC PT samples is not documented._ The TRC vendor preparation instructions are being kept on file but they are not initialed and dated. The Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2. document states: PT samples received as ampules must be diluted according to the PT provider's instructions. The preparation of PT samples must be documented in a traceable log or other traceable format. The diluted PT sample becomes a routine environmental sample and is added to a routine sample batch for analysis. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that beginning with the 2017 PT samples the PT vendor's preparation instructions will be initialed and dated and kept as a permanent record for five years) was received by email on April 5, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The laboratory is not documenting TRC and pH PT sample analyses in the same manner as environmental samples. PT sample results are documented directly on the vendor report form and not on the benchsheet. The Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2. document states: All PT sample analyses must be recorded in the daily analysis records as for any environmental sample. This serves as the permanent laboratory record. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that beginning in 2017, all PT samples will be documented in the same manner as environmental samples on the benchsheet) was received by email on March 16, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. #5251 Town of Robbins WWTP Dissolved OMen — Hach 10360-2011, Rev. 1.2 (LDO) (Aqueous) Comment: The laboratory is using a Luminescent Dissolved Oxygen (LDO) probe, but was not aware that NC WW/GW LC program grants Certification for this technology based upon Hach Method 10360 or ASTM Method D 888-09 C. Standard Methods 4500 O G-2000 is specifically for analysis by membrane electrode. The laboratory's Certified Parameter Listing (CPL) was amended with an effective date of April 5, 2017 with Hach Method 10360 added and SM 4500 O G-2000 deleted. pH — Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000 (Aqueous) Comment: The check standard buffer is not analyzed after calibration and prior to sample analysis. The 7.0 S.U. check standard buffer is being analyzed after samples are analyzed. The NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH document states: The check standard buffer must read within ±0.1 S.U. to be acceptable. If the meter verification does not read within ±0.1 S.U., the meter must be recalibrated before any samples are analyzed. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that the check buffer will be analyzed after calibration and prior to sample analysis with an implementation date of March 9, 2017) was received by email on March 16, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: Values were reported that exceed the method specified accuracy of 0.1 units. Standards Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000. (6) states: By careful use of a laboratory pH meter with good electrodes, a precision of ±0.02 unit and an accuracy of ±0.05 unit can be achieved. However, ± 0.1 pH unit represents the limit of accuracy under normal conditions, especially for measurement of water and poorly buffered solutions. For this reason, report pH values to the nearest 0.1 pH unit. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that pH results are now being reported on the eDMR to the nearest 0.1 pH units with an implementation date of March 17, 2017 and changes on the eDMR will be effective on the next eDMR submittal before March 30, 2017) was received by email on March 16, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. Comment: The laboratory benchsheet was lacking pertinent data: units of measure. The NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH document states: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Units of measure. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., an updated benchsheet that included units of measure with an implementation date of March 9, 2017) was received by email on March 16, 2017. No further response is necessary for this Finding. IV. PAPER TRAIL INVESTIGATION: The paper trail consisted of comparing original records (e.g., laboratory benchsheets, logbooks, etc.) and contract lab reports to eDMRs submitted to the North Carolina Division of Water Resources. Data were reviewed for Town of Robbins WWTP (NPDES # NC0062855) for February and December 2016. The following errors were noted: #5251 Town of Robbins VWVfP Value on Benchsheet Date Parameter Location Value on eDMR *Contract Lab Data 2/17/2016 BOD Influent *39.9 mg/L 23.1 mg/L 2/17/2016 TSS Influent *23.1 mg/L 39.9 mg/L To avoid questions of legality, it is recommended that you contact the appropriate Regional Office for guidance as to whether an amended eDMR will be required. A copy of this report will be made available to the Regional Office. V. CONCLUSIONS: All Findings noted during the inspection were adequately addressed prior to the completion of this report. The inspector would like to thank the staff for its assistance during the inspection and data review process. No response is required. 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