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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#5317_05_2014_Final INSPECTION REPORT ROUTING SHEET To be attached to all inspection reports in-house only. Laboratory Cert. #: 5317 Laboratory Name: Town of Rose Hill WWTP Inspection Type: Field Maintenance Inspector Name(s): Todd Crawford Inspection Date: May 8, 2014 Date Report Completed: May 23, 2014 Date Forwarded to Reviewer: May 23, 2014 Reviewed by: Nick Jones Date Review Completed: May 27, 2014 Cover Letter to use: Insp. Initial Insp. Reg. Insp. No Finding Insp. CP Corrected Unit Supervisor/Chemist III: Dana Satterwhite Date Received: May 29, 2014 Date Forwarded to Linda: June 16, 2014 Date Mailed: June 16, 2014 _____________________________________________________________________ On-Site Inspection Report LABORATORY NAME: Town of Rose Hill WWTP NPDES PERMIT #: NC0056863 ADDRESS: PO Box 8 Rose Hill, NC 28458 CERTIFICATE #: 5317 DATE OF INSPECTION: May 8, 2014 TYPE OF INSPECTION: Field Maintenance AUDITOR(S): Todd Crawford LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED: Ben Hilliard I. INTRODUCTION: 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 laboratory was clean and well organized. The facility has all the equipment necessary to perform the analyses. Records were also well organized and quickly retrieved upon request. Proficiency Testing (PT) samples for the 2014 proficiency testing calendar year have not yet been analyzed. The laboratory is reminded that these results must be submitted to this office directly from the vendor by September 30, 2014. Current quality assurance policies for Field Laboratories and approved procedures for the analysis of the facility’s currently certified parameters were provided at the time of the inspection. The requirements associated with Findings B through K have been implemented by our program since the last inspection. Contracted analyses are performed by Vann Labs (Certification #22) and Environmental Chemists, Inc. (Certification #94). III. FINDINGS, REQUIREMENTS, COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Equipment Comment: The pH meter manual has been lost and it could not be confirmed that the calibration was being performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the absence of the manufacturer’s instructions, Standard Methods 4500 H+ B-2000 states: Although manufacturers provide operating instructions, the use of different descriptive terms may be confusing. For most instruments, there are two controls: intercept (set buffer, asymmetry, standardize) and slope (temperature, offset): their functions are Page 2 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP shown diagrammatically in Figures 4500-H’:1 and 2. The intercept control shifts the response curve laterally to pass through the isopotential point with no change in slope. This permits bringing the instrument on scale (0 mV) with a pl-l 7 buffer that has no change in potential with temperature. The slope control rotates the emf/pH slope about the isopotential point (0 mV/pH 7). To adjust slope for temperature without disturbing the intercept. select a buffer that brackets the sample with pH 7 buffer and adjust slope control to pH of this buffer. The instrument will indicate correct millivolt change per unit pH at the test temperature. The calibration procedure that was in place did not satisfy the method requirements. Until such time that a manual can be produced or a new meter can be purchased, the calibration procedure will be performed as was agreed to by the analyst in a phone conversation on June 9, 2014. That procedure is as follows: 1. Set meter setting to “pH”. 2. Place probe in the pH 7 buffer and allow reading to stabilize. 3. Adjust the reading to 7.00 with the “calibration” knob. 4. Rinse probe and place in the pH 10.00 buffer. 5. Allow meter to stabilize and adjust reading to 10.00 with the “temperature” knob. 6. Set meter setting to “ATC”. 7. Rinse probe and place in the pH 4.00 buffer and allow reading to stabilize. 8. pH 4.00 buffer must read between 3.9 and 4.1 with no adjustment. 9. It is also recommended to check the 7.00 buffer again and make sure it reads between 6.9 and 7.1 with no adjustment. Requirement: Please provide copies of the benchsheets from June 9th through the date of the response to this report as documentation of the acceptability of the calibration procedure as it is described above. Documentation A. Finding: The laboratory needs to increase the documentation of purchased reagents. Requirement: 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. A system (e.g., traceable identifiers) must be in place that links standard/reagent preparation information to analytical batches in which the solutions are used. Documentation of solution preparation must include the analyst’s initials, date of preparation, the volume or weight of standard(s) used, the solvent and final volume of the solution. This information as well as the vendor and/or manufacturer, lot number, and expiration date must be retained for chemicals, reagents, standards and consumables used for a period of five years. Consumable materials such as pH buffers and lots of pre-made standards are included in this requirement. Ref: Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories. Comment: Dates received and opened were written on the pH buffer bottles and Total Residual Chlorine reagent packages. While this can provide a traceability link to analyses by looking at the dates that the chemicals were in use, that link is lost once the bottles/packages are discarded. Comment: A form was provided during the inspection that could be used to satisfy this requirement. B. Finding: The meters used for Temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen and Total Residual Chlorine were not identified on the benchsheets. Page 3 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP Requirement: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Instrument identification. Ref: 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. C. Finding: The facility was not identified on the benchsheets for Temperature, pH, and Dissolved Oxygen. Requirement: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Sample site including facility name and location, ID, etc. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Temperature, NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH and NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen. D. Finding: Error corrections are not performed properly. Requirement: All documentation errors must be corrected by drawing a single line through the error so that the original entry remains legible. Entries shall not be obliterated by erasures or markings. Wite-Out®, correction tape or similar products designed to obliterate documentation are not to be used. Write the correction adjacent to the error. The correction must be initialed by the responsible individual and the date of change documented. All data and log entries must be written in indelible ink. Pencil entries are not acceptable. Ref: Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories. Comment: The use of Wite-Out® was observed. Proficiency Testing E. Finding: The preparation of the Total Residual Chlorine Proficiency Testing (PT) sample is not documented. Requirement: 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. Ref: Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2. Comment: Dating and initialing the instruction sheet for the preparation of the Total Residual Chlorine PT would satisfy the documentation requirement. F. Finding: The laboratory is not analyzing Proficiency Testing (PT) samples in the same manner as environmental samples. Requirement: 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. Ref: Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2. Comment: The laboratory was analyzing pH PT samples multiple times and reporting an average of all results. Environmental samples are not analyzed and reported in this manner. Comment: The laboratory’s common practice was to analyze a known standard along with the PT sample as additional quality control. Since this is not performed with all environmental Page 4 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP samples, it is considered additional quality control. However, known samples are recommended when analyzing remedial PT samples as part of the troubleshooting and corrective action process. G. Finding: The laboratory is not documenting Proficiency Testing (PT) sample analyses in the same manner as environmental samples. Requirement: All PT sample analyses must be recorded in the daily analysis records as for any environmental sample. This serves as the permanent laboratory record. Ref: Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2. Comment: The analysis of PT samples is designed to evaluate the entire process used to routinely report environmental analytical results; therefore, PT samples must be analyzed and the process documented in the same manner as environmental samples. Total Residual Chlorine – Standard Methods, 4500 Cl G-2000 H. Finding: Two of the five standards used in the calibration curve verification did not meet the required acceptance criteria. Requirement: The values obtained must not vary by more than 10% of the known value for standard concentrations greater than or equal to 50 g/L and must not vary by more than 25% of the known value for standard concentrations less than 50 g/L. The overall correlation coefficient of the curve must be ≥0.995. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine. Submit all documentation with your response to this report. Comment: The 10 µg/L standard had a percent recovery of 140 and the 30 µg/L standard had a percent recovery of 133. Recommendation: Since the permitted discharge limit is 17µg/L, it is recommended that the lowest concentration standard in the five-standard annual standard curve verification be 15 µg/L I. Finding: A check standard is not analyzed each day that samples are analyzed. Requirement: When a five-standard annual standard curve verification is used, the laboratory must check the calibration curve each analysis day. To do this, the laboratory must analyze a calibration blank to zero the instrument and analyze a check standard each day that samples are analyzed. The value obtained for the check standard must read within 10% of the true value of the check standard. If the obtained value is outside of the ±10% range, corrective action must be taken. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine. Comment: Purchased “Gel-type” or sealed liquid ampoule standards may be used for daily standard curve verification only. These standards must be verified initially and every 12 months thereafter, with the standard curve. When gel standard concentrations are verified every 12 months with five-standard curve verification, they may be used after the manufacturer’s expiration date. It is only necessary to verify the gel standard which falls within the concentration range of the curve used to measure sample concentrations. For example, if you are measuring samples against a low range curve, a 200 g/L standard would be verified, and not the 800 g/L standard since the 800 g/L standard would be outside of the low level curve concentration range. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine. Page 5 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP J. Finding: The analyst’s signature or initials are not documented on the benchsheet. Requirement: Data pertinent to each analysis must be maintained for five years. Certified Data must consist of date collected, time collected, sample site, sample collector, and sample analysis time. The field bench sheets must provide a space for the signature or initials of the analyst, and proper units of measure for all analyses. Ref: 15A NCAC 02H .0805 (g) (1) and NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine. K. Finding: Results below the reporting limit of 10 µg/L are routinely reported in the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR). Requirement: One of the standards must have a concentration equal to or below the lower reporting concentration for Total Residual Chlorine. Example: If the laboratory chooses to have a 10 μg/L residual chlorine lower reporting limit, then you must analyze at least a 10 µg/L or lower standard and report lower concentrations as “< 10 μg/L” or less than the concentration of the chosen standard. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine. Comment: Values should be documented on the benchsheet exactly as they are displayed on the meter. However, if that value is less than lowest standard concentration in the 5-point curve verification (10 µg/L), then it must be documented as “<10 µg/L” in the daily cell on the DMR. When calculating an arithmetic mean for the monthly average, you may consider a "less than" value as equal to zero. pH - Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000 L. Finding: Values were reported that exceed the method specified accuracy of 0.1 units. Requirement: 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. Ref: Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000, (6). IV. PAPER TRAIL INVESTIGATION: The paper trail consisted of comparing laboratory benchsheets and contract lab reports to Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) submitted to the North Carolina Division of Water Resources. Data were reviewed for December, 2013 and January and February, 2014. The following errors were noted: Date Parameter Location Value on Benchsheet *Contract Lab Data Value on DMR 01/15/14 pH Effluent 7.69 S. U.# 7.50 S. U. 02/05/14 Fecal Coliform Effluent * <1 col/100 ml 0.5 col/100 ml## # Following the requirement cited in Finding L, this value should have been reported as 7.7 S.U. on the DMR. ## This value should have been reported as <1 col/100 ml in the daily cell of the DMR. When calculating a geometric mean for fecal coliform, you may consider a “less than” value as equal to “one”. It was also noted that all values for samples collected on January 27th were report as being collected on January 28th and all values for samples collected on January 28th were report as being collected on January 29th. Page 6 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP In addition, it was also noted that values with a “less than” sign were reported in the “average” field on the DMR. When calculating an arithmetic mean, you may consider a "less than" value as equal to zero. Therefore, if all monthly values are “less than” values, the monthly arithmetic average would be “zero”. Please see the attached documents (i.e., NC DWQ NPDES Permitting Guidance for DMR Calculations and Directions for Completing Monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports) for additional guidance. In order to avoid questions of legality, it is recommended that you contact the appropriate Regional Office for guidance as to whether an amended Discharge Monitoring Report will be required. A copy of this report will be made available to the Regional Office V. CONCLUSIONS: Correcting the above-cited findings will help this lab to produce quality data and meet certification requirements. The inspector would like to thank the staff for its assistance during t he inspection and data review process. Please respond to all findings. Report prepared by: Todd Crawford Date: May 23, 2014 Report reviewed by: Nick Jones Date: May 27, 2014 Page 7 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP NC DWQ NPDES Permitting Guidance for DMR Calculations Averages Data “averages” recorded on DMRs should produce the arithmetic mean for all parameters with the exception of Fecal Coliform. The average for Fecal Coliform should be calculated as the geometric mean of the values. Arithmetic Mean This is the simple, common averaging of a series of numbers. You add a group of numbers together to get the sum. Then you divide the sum by the number of values you added to get the sum. The result is the arithmetic mean or average of the series of numbers. Example: 5.30 6.21 4.00 5.25 + 8.72 ______________ 29.48 29.48 / 5 = 5.896 (round off to 5.90 = average) This calculation is used for averaging of all parameters except for Fecal Coliform (code number 31616). Geometric Mean There are two ways to go about calculating the geometric mean. The two procedures are really just different ways of doing the same thing and either way yields the same result, but both require the use of a scientific calculator. Calculators adequate for performing such operations as the geometric mean can probably be purchased for less than $15.00. With the calculator, follow these steps: PROCEDURE 1 (we think this is the easier of the two) 1. Multiply all the data values together. 2. Take the "nth" root of the product of the multiplication, where "n" is the number of values multiplied. In other words, if you multiply 4 values and get a result, take the 4th root of the product. This is the geometric mean. To do this on the calculator, get the product of multiplication, then press (1) the "INV" k ey, (2) the "yx" key, and (3) the "nth" root number. Labeling of keys and functions will vary with different brands of calculators. Consult your calculator’s user’s manual for the specific procedure to perform these functions. Example: (Using as data the numbers: 50, 100, 150 and 200) 50 x 100 x 150 x 200 = 150,000,000 (1.5x108) Page 8 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP 4th root of 150,000,000 = 111 (rounded from 110.66819 - value on calculator) use only whole numbers when reporting fecal coliform back to top PROCEDURE 2 1. Add together the base 10 logarithms for the data values. 2. Divide the sum by the number of values added. 3. Take the antilog of the result of step 2. This will again be the geometric mean. To do this on the calculator, key the data value and press the "log" key. Then press "+" and repeat for all values. After the last logarithm is entered, press "=" to get the sum. Divide by the number of values that were added. Press the "INV"key and then press the "log" key. Example: (again, using 50, 100, 150 and 200 as data values) Base 10 logarithm of: 50 is 1.69897 100 is 2.0 150 is 2.1760913 200 is + 2.30103 Sum = 8.1760913 8.1760613 / 4 = 2.0440228 Antilog of 2.0440228 = 111 (rounded from 110.66819 - value on calculator) * Calculation may be performed in the same manner (although calculation values will be different) using natural logarithms (lnx). Use of "Less Than" Values Complications may arise in calculations when dealing with testing results showing values of less than a minimum detection level for the testing method. Current Division policy gives permittees the benefit of doubt all the way to the lowest levels when performing calculations using such "less than" values. When calculating an arithmetic mean, you may consider a "less than" value as equal to zero. For the calculation of a geometric mean, a "less than" value may be considered to be equal to one. Remember, this procedure pertains only to the calculation of an average. You must report individual data values on the DMR exactly as reported to you by your laboratory. If you are doing calculations with "less than" (<) values, here is how they should be handled: a) Calculating an arithmetic mean In calculating the arithmetic mean, "less than" values may be considered to equal zero (0). If all results for a particular parameter during the month are "less than," the average for the month would be zero. The maximum and minimum, however, should be recorded as the "less than" values. Example: (using 10, 15, 20 and <5 as data values) Page 9 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP 10 15 20 + 0 (<5) _________________ 45 45 / 4 = 11.25 (round off to 11 b) Calculating a geometric mean In calculating the geometric mean, all "less than" values may be considered to equal one (1). This is due to the nature of the calculation; zeros may not be used in the calculation of the geometric mean. If all testing results for Fecal Coliform during a particular month came back as "less than" values, the geometric mean for the month would be one (1). The maximum and minimum for the month, however, should be recorded as the "less than" values. Example: (using Procedure 1 noted above and 10, 15, 20 and <5 as data) 10 15 20 x 1 (<5) _________________ 3000 4th root of 3000 = 7.400828 (record on DMR as 7) If these procedures are followed, there is never an instance when a "less than" value should be reported as a monthly average. Using these procedures, a discreet value can always be obtained for either the arithmetic or geometric mean. We (the compliance staff) realize that this policy does not necessarily represent good chemistry, but it allows for a standard practice in dealing with this type of data. Please note that it is a requirement of your permit that you utilize testing methods that can evaluate the discharge to levels low enough so as to demonstrate compliance with permit limits. For example, if you are required to monitor for a parameter with a limit of 50 m g/L, you must utilize a test that can analyze to at least that level. If current laboratory technology will not allow for a parameter to be analyzed to the permit limit, you must utilize the best available method for that parameter. If the analyses using that method show no detection of the parameter in question, you will be considered in compliance. Questions regarding laboratory methods and practices can be answered by the staff of the Division of Water Quality’s Laboratory Section, by calling (919) 733-3908. Page 10 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP Use of "Greater Than" Values Such values are only expected (infrequently) in the reporting of Fecal Coliform and (even less frequently) BOD. It is a violation of reporting rules to report a Fecal Coliform value of "Too Numerous To Count" (TNTC). For fecal coliform, "greater than" (> ##,###) values denote at least one, and possibly all volumes of the evaluated sample yielded results outside the method range for accurate counting of the colonies of bacteria (or TNTC). Laboratories should perform enough dilutions to the sample to produce a discreet number as the result of testing. If a "greater than" value is reported, the numeric portion of the value should be sufficiently high so as to make the facility aware of the extent of any problems with disinfection. For both fecal coliform and BOD, the generation of a "greater than" value usually occurs when characteristics of the effluent differ from what is normally discharged. If laboratories "set up" the test procedures based upon normal conditions, they may not have the capacity to get an accurate measurement of higher fecal coliform or BOD concentrations, hence the reported "greater than" value. If you are suspicious or aware of conditions at your plant that cause you to believe effluent pollutant concentrations are beyond their normal levels, you should inform your laboratory of your concern so modifications to testing procedures can be made. For calculation purposes only, when you report a "greater than" value, the numeric portion of the value must be used to calculate the average (arithmetic or geometric mean). The actual result of testing must be reported in the daily cell on the DMR. Conversion from mg/L to lbs/day Some permits have parameters limited in units of pounds per day (lbs/day). Laboratories report the concentrations (such as mg/L) of sample characteristics as a result of testing. They cannot report the daily load in lbs/day because that total is dependent upon the amount of flow carrying a known concentration. But if the concentration of a pollutant and the daily flow from the facility are known, the daily load in lbs/day can be calculated: Multiply the concentration (in mg/L) x daily flow (in MGD) x 8.34 (a constant). This formula will yield the result in units of lbs/day. You must be certain to use data values with the noted units of measurement to get the proper result from this particular formula. Other units of measurement (like m g/L or GPD) may be used, but you will need to modify the constant (which is a composite number representing all the unit conversions). Estimated Results “Estimated” results should be reported as the number with the “estimated” qualifier. When averaging results with estimated values, use the estimated number and report the average as “estimated”. Example: (using 10, 15, 20 and e5 as data values) 10 15 20 + 5 (e5) _________________ 50 50 / 4 = 12.5 Round the result to 12 and report as “estimated” Page 11 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP * Remember when rounding numbers that end 5, to round off the preceding digit to the nearest even number: thus 2.25 becomes 2.2 and 2.35 becomes 2.4, as described in Standard Methods 1050 B. (2) Page 12 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP DIRECTIONS FOR COMPLETING MONTHLY DISCHARGE MONITORING REPORTS Revised 3/2009 (Forms MR-1, MR-1.1, MR-2 & MR-3) I: FACILITY INFORMATION 1. NPDES Permit No. Operator In Responsible Charge 2. Discharge No. Grade 3. Facility Name Certified Laboratory 4. Class Person(s) Collecting Samples 5. County Signature Of Operator In Responsible Charge II: DATA REPORTING 1. Operator Arrival Time Units of Measurement 2. Operator Time On Site Additional Parameters 3. ORC on Site? Average, Maximum, Minimum 4. Data Sample Type 5. Flow Monthly Limit 6. Parameter Codes III: FACILITY STATUS INFORMATION 1. Status Information 2. Signature of Permittee IV: STREAM MONITORING INFORMATION 1. Stream 2. Location V: GENERAL 1. Submitting Reports Calculations 2. Appearance Enforcement 3. Order of Report Forms Number of Reports 4. Multiple Submittals Permits for Other Program Areas 5. Toxicity Reporting Corrected or Amended Reports 6. Contacts I. FACILITY INFORMATION 1. NPDES Permit No. - Number issued by the Division of Water Quality consisting of the letters "NC" followed by a seven digit number. Information from non-discharge facilities should not be reported on the MR series of forms. 2. Discharge No. - Three-digit number which corresponds to the effluent pipe for which the data are being reported (i.e., 001, 002, 003, etc.). Numbers are found within the NPDES permit. 3. Facility Name - Name of the facility as it appears on the NPDES permit. 4. Class - The class of the facility as designated by the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission. The rating will be either 0, I, II, III or IV. You should enter the water quality classification of the receiving stream in this space. Revised 3/2009 5. County - County in which the discharge outfall is located. 6. Operator In Responsible Charge -The printed name of the certified WWTP operator designated as operator in responsible charge. Unrated (class 0) facilities do not require an operator in responsible charge. Page 13 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP 7. Grade - Certificate grade of the operator in responsible charge as awarded by the Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission. 8. Certified Laboratory - Name of the certified laboratory (-ies) performing analyses (if applicable). 9. Person(s) Collecting Samples - Printed name of the individual who collected the sample for which the data was reported. In the case of several individuals, please specify as a group name, such as "operators" or "staff," etc. 10. Signature Of Operator In Responsible Charge - Dated signature of the operator in responsible charge. Each month’s report must include an original signature in ink. Copies are not acceptable. II. DATA REPORTING 1. Operator Arrival Time -Record the time of arrival of a certified operator using a 2400 clock value. If the facility is staffed by operators 24 hours a day, record the arrival time of the 1st shift operator. 2. Operator Time On Site - Record the number of hours spent by certified operators at the facility. If the facility is staffed on all three shifts, enter "24." If more than one operator is on duty at the same time, this value is not the sum of all hours worked by the operators, but the total number of hours the facility was staffed. 3. ORC On Site? - Record yes (Y) or no (N) as to whether the designated ORC visited the site on that date. If the designated backup operator served as ORC on a particular day, record "B" in this column for that date. It is also appropriate to record "H" in the cell if the date is a legal holiday. 4. Data - Enter the analytical results for each sample under the appropriate parameter code in the row that corresponds to the day upon which the sample was taken. Please note that Flow should always be reported as a decimal number (do not use scientific notation) in units of millions of gallons per day (MGD), unless the permit states otherwise. 5. Parameter Codes - Codes for the more commonly monitored parameters can be found on the back of form MR-1 or MR-1.1. A complete list of parameter codes can be found on the NPDES website. 6. Units of Measurement - All data values must be accompanied by corresponding units of measurement, noted at the top of the data column for the particular parameter. If your permit contains a numeric limit for any parameter, then the reporting units must be the same units of measurement of that limit. If your reporting units are other than those on Revised 3/2009 the pre-printed form, the printed units should be marked out and the reporting units be clearly designated at the top of the column. 7. Additional Parameters - Enter the appropriate parameter code, name of the parameter and units of measurement in the space provided. 8. Average, Maximum, Minimum - Enter the average, maximum and minimum values for the results recorded in the data column. Please note no average is to be calculated for Page 14 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP pH. Any average for Fecal Coliform is to be calculated as a geometric mean. If you are uncertain about how to calculate the geometric mean, please contact your local DWQ Regional Office or a member of the NPDES Compliance/Enforcement Unit staff at (919) 807-6300. If only one value is reported for a parameter during the reporting month, that value should be reported as the average, maximum and minimum. 9. Sample Type - Enter the sample description in each column for which data is being reported. Enter the letter "C" for composite or the letter "G" for grab. 10. Monthly Limit - Enter the monthly limit for each parameter as found in the current NPDES permit, Special Order by Consent or Judicial Order by Consent. III. FACILITY STATUS INFORMATION 1. Facility Status - Mark the appropriate box to show whether facility was compliant or noncompliant with regard to permit, SOC or JOC requirements. If noncompliant, use the comment section to explain in detail the course of action taken or to be taken to achieve compliance. 2. Signature of Permittee - Record the name of the permittee or his or her authorized agent (printed or typed), the dated signature of that person and a mailing address and phone number at which he or she may be reached during working hours. If someone other than the permittee is to be the signatory, the requirement noted by the double asterisk "**" must be met. Also record the expiration date of the current permit in this section. While this is not on the form, you may also wish to provide an e-mail address in this space that can provide the Division with another avenue of communication. IV. STREAM MONITORING INFORMATION 1. Stream - Name of the stream from which the upstream or downstream monitoring samples are taken. 2. Location - Location of the site on the stream from which the sample was taken. This may be recorded as a distance (e.g. "100 feet upstream of outfall") or a specific location (e.g. "S.R. 1111"). V. GENERAL 1. Submitting Reports - An original and one copy of each month’s monitoring report is required to be submitted to the Division of Water Quality’s Central Files office (address Revised 3/2009 listed on form MR-1) and must be received by the Division within thirty (30) days after the end of the month for which the report is made. 2. Appearance - Forms must be completed in ink. Please make all entries on forms legible. All information other than signatures must be printed or typed. If you fill out forms by hand, please make sure the originals are completed in ink and that all entries are legible. Copies of the original report must also be readable and must include a reproduction of the backside of the effluent reporting form containing the permittee’s certification. If you utilize a computer-generated report, you must also ensure that the report is legible and that proper copies are made. DWQ will notify if you are the user of a form that is deemed deficient and will advise you of what modifications need to be made. Page 15 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP 3. Calculations (a) Averages. All averages are to be calculated as the arithmetic mean of the recorded values with the exception of that of Fecal Coliform, which is to be calculated as a geometric mean. If you are uncertain about how to calculate the geometric mean, please contact your local DWQ Regional Office or a member of the NPDES Compliance/Enforcement Unit staff at (919) 807-6300. (b) Use of "less than" values. For calculation purposes only, recorded values of less than a detectable limit (< #.##) may be considered to equal zero (0) for all parameters except Fecal Coliform, for which values of "less than" may be considered to be equal to one (1). Values of results which are less than a detectable limit should be reported in the daily cells using the "less than" symbol (<) and the detectable limit used during the testing (or the value with appropriate unit conversion). Please note there is never a case when an average would need to be recorded along with a "less than" symbol. (c) Use of "greater than" values. Such values are only expected (and then only infrequently) in the reporting of Fecal Coliform and BOD. If a "greater than" value is reported, the numeric portion of the value should be sufficiently high so as to make the facility aware of the extent of any problems with treatment efficiency. Upon receipt of "greater than" testing results, a facility should consult its laboratory to see if changes in testing procedure need to be made in order to get discreet values from the analysis. For calculation purposes only, the numeric portion of the value must be used to calculate either an arithmetic or geometric mean. 4. Enforcement - Failure to comply with any of the requirements listed above may result in the facility being issued a Notice of Violation or being subject to other appropriate enforcement action. 5. Order of Report Forms - DMR submittals typically include the results of monitoring of the facility’s effluent, its influent and its receiving stream. It is requested that for any DMR, the report be bound with the Effluent page(s) (DWQ form MR-1 or MR-1.1) on top, followed by the Influent page (form MR-2, if influent monitoring is required) and finally the Upstream/Downstream page (form MR-3). 6. Number of Reports - You are required to submit the original and one copy of the report to DWQ. Each copy should be a discreet report for the month, put together in the order described above. 7. Multiple Submittals - School systems and contract operations, please take note of this request. If you submit reports for multiple permits within one mailing, please bind together the submittals (original and one copy) for the various facilities. Please do not segregate the reports into any other type of organization (e.g., binding together all effluent or stream monitoring pages). To do so will cause reports to be taken apart and placed together properly, which slows processing and introduces opportunity for mistakes to be made. If you send many DMRs in one envelope, it is advisable that you send a summary sheet along with the DMRs that lists what reports are contained in the package. 8. Permits for Other Program Areas - Please note that this discussion pertains to submittal of DMRs required of NPDES permittees (point source discharge pipes to Page 16 #5317 Town of Rose Hill WWTP streams). You may have permits for activities in other program areas such as DWQ’s non discharge program (wastewater spray irrigation or land application of residuals) or the Division of Environmental Health’s public water supply program (drinking water). Please consult those permits for instructions for their submittal. It is not advisable to submit any other reports along with your DMR submittals. 9. Toxicity Reporting - Some permittees will have monitoring requirements for Toxicity within their permits. Please be aware that this parameter has a dual reporting requirement. Results of toxicity testing should be reported on DMR forms, but the toxicity testing results forms must be submitted to the Aquatic Toxicity Unit at the address listed below. Aquatic Toxicology Unit DWQ Environmental Sciences Branch 1621 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1621 10. Corrected or Amended Reports - In the event that you omit or erroneously report data on a DMR, the information should be updated with the submittal of an amended report. To best handle the amended data, the following procedure is recommended: 1. Regenerate or make a copy from your files of the DMR previously submitted to DWQ. 2. Make changes to the individual data points on the form, including updated summary information. 3. Initial and highlight changes to the original submittal. 4. At the top of the reporting page, write very conspicuously: "Amended Report" or "Corrected Report." 5. Provide a short cover page describing the changes to the DMR or note changes in the comment area on the back of the MR-1 form. Use of this procedure will be a great help to DWQ’s data entry staff. Without specifically identifying changes on the DMR, each data point must be evaluated between the original and amended reports to ensure the values in our database are correct. Calling attention to just those values that are changed both speeds up our processes and decreases the possibility for errors to be made. Revised 3/2009 11. Contacts - DWQ deals with a tremendous number of permitted entities that may be experiencing their own changes involving administration and personnel. In dealing with NPDES permit matters, DWQ must deal with only one representative of the permitted facility (someone with authority to see that changes are made at the facility if they are necessary) in order to be effective. You are encouraged to keep DWQ informed of any updates as to the person responsible for the permit, addresses or phone numbers in order to facilitate the best possible communication between our two organizations. This can be done by sending an e-mail to our Unit or by using the back of the MR-1 form under the permittee certification section. Regulations regarding who may be deemed responsible for a permit and who may sign as the "permittee" on the DMR can be found (respectively) in the North Carolina Administrative Code in sections 15A NCAC 2H .106(e) and 15A NCAC 2B .0506 (b) (2).