NC0023281_Draft Permit_20230417

E,,,STATE aF�
ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S.BISER
Secretary *�`QUAM N°`�'*
RICHAM E.ROGERS,JR. NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
May 2, 2023
Tapoco Partners, LLC
Attn: Kevin Bailey, President
14981 Tapoco Rd
Robbinsville,NC 28771
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NCO023281
Tapoco Lodge &Village WWTP
Grade II Biological WPCS
Graham County
Dear Permittee:
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Enclosed with this letter is a
copy of the draft permit for your facility. Please review this draft carefully to ensure your
thorough understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
1. Language has been updated in Section A. (1) and Section A. (2) to require electronic
submission of effluent data. Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all
discharge monitoring reports (DMRs).
2. The facility grade has been added in Section A. (1).
3. Instream monitoring for temperature has been added in Section A. (1)per 15A NCAC
0213.0211 (18).
4. Effluent monitoring for turbidity has been added in Section A. (1)per 15A NCAC
02B.0211 (21).
5. Effluent monitoring for dissolved oxygen has been added in Section A. (1) per 15A
NCAC 0213.0211 (6).
6. Footnote clarifying instream sampling locations has been added in Section A. (1).
7. An updated outfall map has been included.
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 except that agency and division names have been updated. The latest version is
available at https://bit.ly/3k5NFaL and can be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF file.
With this notification, the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing
a notice in newspapers having circulation in the general Graham County area, per EPA
requirements. Please provide your comments,if any, to me at the address below no later
than 30 days after receiving this draft permit.
D E Q�� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 1 1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
NORTH CAROLINA 919.707.9000
Uapad—t of E,,kon—tal Quay

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 the
draft,please contact me at 919-707-3619, or via e-mail at siyin_.chenkncdenr.gov.
Sincerely,
l -�
�Tj
Siying Chen
Environmental Specialist
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting Unit
cc: NPDES File [Laserfiche]
NC DEQ Asheville Regional Office [email]
Operator Certification Program [email]
D E Q North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
vvv512 North Salisbury Street 1 1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
NORTH CAROLINA 919.707.9000
Depa"mem of Environmental Duality

Permit NCO023281
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
PDES
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,
Tapoco Partners, LLC
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Tapoco Lodge & Village WWTP
14981 Tapoco Rd, Robbinsville
Graham County
to receiving waters designated as the Little Tennessee River(Cheoah Lake, Calderwood Lake) in
subbasin 04-04-02 of the Little Tennessee 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 October 31, 2027.
If the permittee intends to continue to discharge at the facility beyond the term of this permit, a renewal
application must be submitted no later than May 4, 2027(180 days before the expiration of this permit).
Signed this day
Richard E. Rogers, Jr.
Director, Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 6

Permit NC0023281
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 included herein.
Tapoco Partners, LLC
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate an existing 0.02 MGD wastewater treatment facility with the following
components:
♦ Aeration
♦ Clarifier
♦ Sludge and skimmer returns
♦ Aerated sludge holding
♦ Continuous flow monitoring
The facility is located at the Tapoco Lodge & Village WWTP off Tapoco Rd, Robbinsville in
Graham County.
2. Discharge from said treatment works at the location specified on the attached map into the Little
Tennessee River(Cheoah Lake, Calderwood Lake) [Stream Segment: 2-(167)], currently classified
C; Trout waters in subbasin 04-04-02 [HUC: 060102040107] in the Little Tennessee River Basin.
Page 2 of 6

Permit NCO023281
PART I.
A. (1) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade WW-2 Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G.0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this 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 CHARACTERISTIC LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
Parameter Code Monthly Daily Measurement Sample Sample Location
Average Maximum Fre uenc Type
Flow 50050 0.02 MGD Continuous Recorder Influent or Effluent
BOD, 5-day 20°C C0310 30.0 m /L 45.0 m /L Weekly Grab Effluent
Total Suspended Solids C0530 30.0 m /L 45.0 m /L Weekly Grab Effluent
Temperature(°C) 00010 Weekly Grab Effluent, U & D 2
Turbidity 00070 1 1 1 Weekly Grab Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen 50050 Weekly Grab Effluent
Footnotes:
1. The Permittee shall submit discharge Monitoring Reports electronically using the Division's eDMR submittal
system [see A. (2)].
2. U=Upstream—50 feet above the discharge; D—Downstream—100 feet below the discharge.
There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.
Page 3 of 6

Permit NCO023281
A. (2) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF MONITORING REPORTS
[NCGS 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. The eDMR system may be
accessed at: hM2s:Hdeq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr.
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
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
following address:
NC DEQ/Division of Water Resources/Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
See "How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
reported via the eDMR system no later than the last calendar day of the month following the
completed reporting period. 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, 2025, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports, when applicable:
• Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
Page 4 of 6

Permit NC0023281
• 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-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.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on
the following web page:
hltp:Hdeq.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. (I 1.)(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II,
Section B. (I 1.)(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
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Permit NC0023281
Carolina's eDMR system, registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit
the following web page:
hqp:Hdeq.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:
7 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.)]
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].
Page 6 of 6

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Tapoco Partners, LLC N
Tapoco Lodge &Village WWTP ' v
NPDES Permit NCO023281
14981 Tapoco Rd, Robbinsville
Receiving Stream: Little Tennessee River Stream Class: C-Trout
(Cheoah Lake, Calderwood Lake) Sub-Basin #: 04-04-02 Facility Location
Stream Segment: 2-(167) HUC: 0601020404 Scale Graham County
River Basin: Little Tennessee 1:24,000 Outfall 001:350 26'59"N,830 56'33"w
County: Graham USGS Quad:Tapoco