9/3/09 - COMPLIANCE ORDER ISSUED.
THE DMRs SUBMIT TO NCDENR BY WHITEVILLE INDICATE THAT THE WHITEMARSH WWTP HAS DISCHARGED POLLUTANTS IN VIOLATION OF EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS ESTABLISHED IN ITS PERMIT. THE SPECIFIC VIOLATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
A. BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAN, 5 DAY (BOD5), WEEKLY AND/OR MONTHLY AVERAGE: JUNE, JULY AND AUG 2006; APR AND SEPT 2007; JAN AND APR 2008.
B. TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS, WEEKLY AND/OR MONTHLY AVERAGE: APR, SEPT, AND OCT 2007; JAN AND MAR 2008.
C. TOTAL ZINC, DAILY MAXIMUM: NOV AND DEC 2005; JAN 2006; SEPT 2007.
D. TOTAL RESIDUAL CHLORINE, DAILY MAXIMUM: DEC 2007.
E. TOTAL MERCURY, DAILY MAXIMUM: APR AND OCT 2007; JAN AND MAR 2008.
F. TOTAL MERCURY MASS LOADING, DAILY MAXIMUM: JAN THRU DEC 2008; JAN THRU JUNE 2009.
ON FEB 2, 2009, EPA SENT AN NOV LETTER TO WHITEVILLE FOR THE VIOLATIONS. WHITEVILLE COMPLETED UPGRADES TO THE WHITEMARSH WWTP IN DEC 2008. FURTHER EPA REVIEW OF WHITEVILLE'S 2009 DMRs INDICATES THAT PLANT UPGRADES HAVE ADDRESSED ALL PERMIT VIOLATIONS ISSUES WITH EXCEPTION OF MERCURY. AS A RESULT, REPs OF EPA AND WHITEVILLE HELD A SHOW CAUSE MEETING TO DISCUSS CHRONIC MERCURY VIOLATIONS ON JUNE 2, 2009.
VIOLATION: WHITEVILLE HAS VIOLATED CWA SEC 301(a) AND THE PERMIT IN THAT WHITEVILLE FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE MERCURY LIMITS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE PERMIT.
ORDER REQUIRES: DEVELOP A MERCURY MINIMIZATION PLAN TO ELIMINATE MERCURY PERMIT LIMIT VIOLATIONS FOR TOTAL MERCURY (AS Hg) AND TOTAL MERCURY MASS LOADING.