NC0022900_Draft Permit_20230710

ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S. BISER
Secretary
RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR.
Director
Carolina Water Service, Inc. of North Carolina
Attn: Tony Konsul, Director
P.O Box 240908
Charlotte, NC 28224
Dear Pennittee,
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
7/11/2023
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NCO022900
Sugar Mountain WWTP
Grade III Biological WPCS
Avery County
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Please review this draft carefully to ensure a
thorough understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
• Section A. (3.) has been updated to require electronic submission of effluent data reports
(DMRs). Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring.
• An updated outfall map has been included.
• In July 2016 the NPDES program began implementation of revised ammonia criteria based
upon the potential for toxic impacts from ammonia [see attached memorandum]. Previously,
some 100% domestic discharges were allowed to choose an effluent toxicity test instead of an
ammonia limit. That option is no longer available. As those permits are received for renewal
(or major modification), ammonia limits will be calculated as per the 2016 memo and
implemented. The effluent toxicity test will be removed, as it was only in those permits in lieu
of an ammonia limit. The ammonia limits will take effect in 2028 to allow your facility time to
make any necessary modifications to meet the limits.
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 Avery 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.
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
[phone] or via e-mail at kate.shadwell(a deq.nc.gov.
Sincerely
Catherine Shadwell
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting
cc: NPDES File [Laseifche]
Asheville Regional Office [Laserfiche]
gifZ00— EQNorth Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources512 North Salisbury Street 11617 Mail Senice Center I Raleigh. North Carolina 27699-1617
\ �/ 919.70Z9000

Permit NC0022900
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
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,
Carolina Water Service, Inc. of North Carolina
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
4
Sugar Mountain WWTP
291 Norwood Hollow Road
Sugar Mountain
Avery County
to receiving waters designated as of Flattop Creek in the Watauga 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 September 30, 2027
Signed this day
Richard E. Rogers Jr.
Director, Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 7

Permit NCO022900
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, terns, and provisions described herein.
Carolina Water Service, Inc. of North Carolina
is hereby authorized to:
1. Continue to operate an existing 0.50 MGD wastewater treatment facility that includes the following
components:
• One common equalization basin
• Three separate plants operating in parallel.
0 1 — 0.3 MGD plant
0 2 — 0.1 MGD plants
• Each plant has
o Aeration Basin
o Clarifier
o Sludge holding tank-'
o Liquid sodium h+pochlorite disinfection
o Liquid sodium bisulfite Dechlorinon, and
o Post aeration
• One common, combined flow meter
The facility is located at the Sjigar Mountain WWTP, 291 Norwood Hollow Rd, Sugar Mountain in
Avery County.
2. After receiving an Authorization to Construct from the Division of Water Quality, construct the
necessary facilities to increase the plant capacity to 1.0 MGD.
3. Discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001, at the location specified on the attached
map, into Flattop Creek, a waterbody currently classified C [Stream Index: 8-22-2] within
subbasin 04-02-01 [HUC: 060101030201 ] of the Watauga River Basin.
Page 2 of 7

Permit NCO022900
PART I.
A. (L) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS — 0.5 MGD
[I 5A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade III Biological Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this pen -nit and lasting until expansion above 0.5 MGD or
expiration, the Permittee is authorized to discharge from outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited and
monitored' by the Permittee as specified below:
PARAMETERS
Limits
Monitoring Requirements
Monthly
Daily
Measurement
Sample
Sample
eDMR Code
Average
Maximum
Frequency
Type
Location
Flow
50050
0.50 MGD
Continuous
Recording
Influent
BOD, 5-day (20°C)
C0310
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
3/Week
Composite
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids
C0530
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
3Meek
Composite
Effluent
NH3 as N
C0610
12.0 mg/L
35.0 mg/L
3Meek
Composite
Effluent
(April 1 —October 31
NH3 as N
C0610
Monitor and Report
3Meek
Composite
Effluent
November 1 — March 31
NH3 as N
C0610
2 mg/L
10 mg/L
3/Week
Composite
Effluent
(April 1 —October 316
NH3 as N 6
November 1 — March 31
C0610
2.6 mg/L
13 mg/L
3NI/eek
Composite
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen3
00300
See footnote 3
3Meek
Grab
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen3
00300
Monitor and Report
Variable
Grab
Upstream &
Downstream
Fecal Coliform (geometric
mean)
31616
200/100 mL
400/100 mL
3Meek
Grab
Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine
50060
24 ug/L
3Meek
Grab
Effluent
TRC 4
Temperature (°C)
00010
Monitor and Report
Daily
Grab
Effluent
Temperature (°C)
00010
Monitor and Report
Variable
Grab
Upstream &
Downstream
Total Nitrogen
CO600
Monitor and Report
Semi -Annually
Composite
Effluent
NO2+NO3+TKN
Total Phosphorus
C0665
Monitor and Report
Semi -Annually
Composite
Effluent
pHs
1 00400
1 Monitor and Report
3Meek
Grab
Effluent
Footnotes:
1. The Pennittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the NC DWR's eDMR
system [see A. (3.)].
2. Upstream = 100 feet above discharge location; Downstream = at NC Highway 194. Upstream and downstream sampling
are to be performed 3/Week during the months of June. July, August and September and once/week during the rest of the
year.
Page 3 of 7

Permit NCO022900
3. The daily average dissolved oxygen effluent concentration shall not be less than 6.0 mg/L from April 1 — October and not
less than 5.0 mg/L from November 1 — March 31.
4. 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.
5. The pH shall not be less than 6.0 standard units nor greater than 9.0 standard units.
6. NH3 effluent limits take effect I/1/2028. Until then, the pennittee shall monitor NH3 with previous
effluent limits.
THERE SHALL BE NO DISCHARGE OF FLOATING SOLIDS OR VISIBLE FOAM IN
OTHER THAN TRACE AMOUNTS
A. (2.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS — 1.0 MGD
[I 5A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade III Biological Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
During the period beginning upon expansion above 0.5 MGD 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:
PARAMETERS
Limits
Monitoring Requirements
Monthly
Daily
Measurement
Sample
Sample
eDMR Code
Average
Maximum
Frequency
Type
2
Location
Flow
50050
1.0 MGD
Continuous
Recording
Influent
BOD, 5-day (20°C)
C0310
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
3Meek
Composite
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids
C0530
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
3/Week
Composite
Effluent
NH3 as N
(April 1 —October 31
C0610
1.2 mg/L
6.0 mg/L
3Meek
Composite
Effluent
NH3 as N
C0610
2.2 mg/L
11.0 mg/L
3Meek
Composite
Effluent
November 1 — March 31
Dissolved Oxygen3
00300
See footnote 3
3/Week
Grab
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen
00300
Monitor and Report
Variable
Grab
Upstream &
Downstream
Fecal Coliform (geometric
mean)
31616
200/100 mL
400/100 mL
3/Week
Grab
Effluent
Total Residual Chlorine
50060
20 ug/L
3Meek
Grab
Effluent
TRC
Temperature (°C)
00010
Monitor and Report
Daily
Grab
Effluent
Temperature (°C)
00010
Monitor and Report
Variable
Grab
Upstream &
Downstream
Total Nitrogen
C0600
Monitor and Report
Semi -Annually
Composite
Effluent
NO2+NO3+TKN
Total Phosphorus
C0665
Monitor and Report
Semi -Annually
Composite
Effluent
pH5
00400
Monitor and Report
3Meek
Grab
Effluent
Page 4 of 7

Permit NCO022900
Footnotes:
1. The Permittee shall submit discharge monitoring reports electronically using the Division's eDMR system
[see A.(3.)].
2. Upstream = 50 feet above discharge location. Downstream = 2 miles below discharge location at NCSR
194. Upstream and downstream sampling are to be performed 3/Week during the months of June, July,
August and September and once/week during the rest of the year.
3. The daily average dissolved oxygen effluent concentration shall not be less than 6.0 mg/L from April 1 —
October and not less than 5.0 mg/L from November 1 — March 31.
4. 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.
5. The pH shall not be less than 6.0 standard units nor greater than 9.0 standard units.
THERE SHALL BE NO DISCHARGE OF FLOATING SOLIDS OR VISIBLE FOAM IN
OTHER THAN TRACE AMOUNTS
A.(3.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING - 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
Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)1
The permittee shall report discharge nitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic
Discharge Monitoring Report (eD internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and submitted
monthly 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:
https://deq.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
Page 5 of 7

Permit NC0022900
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; and
• 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).
a. 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.federalregia-; .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.
b. 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 pennittees 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:
Page 6 of 7

Permit NC0022900
http://dcq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
c. SiLynatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d
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. (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 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:
V certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were palpared under my direction or
supervision in accordance with a system designed to asyure 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 possiA#t of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations. "
11:
d. Records Retention [Supplements Section D. (6.)]
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Mopitoring 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 7 of 7

Ile
out j j
. r
'U -)O'U
j
off
"IX
Outfall 001 olf
- 4000 -00
K
ke
Carolina Water Service, Inc. of North Carolina Facility X
Sugar Mountain WWTP Location
Receiving Stream: Flattop Creek Stream Index: 8-22-2 [not to scale]
Sub -Basin: 04-02-01 HUC: 060101030201
Drainage Basin: Watauga River Basin Stream Class: C NPDES Permit No. NC0022900
360 07' 56" N Longitude: 810 51'0 I'll North Latitude: J1 Avery County