Document 5dRZbLqo5y3V8QJdEkG64LO8

United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Water Enforcement Branch 61 Forsyth Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Compliance Evaluation Inspection Report Project No.: CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 Pearl River Wastewater Treatment Plant James Billy Road Choctaw, Neshoba County, Mississippi 39350 NPDES Permit No.: MS0053503 Date of Inspection: June 4, 2024 Project ID: CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 Title and Approval Sheet Title: Pearl River WWTP Compliance Evaluation Inspection Approving Official: ___________________________________ Jairo Castillo, P.E., Chief Wastewater Enforcement Section Water Enforcement Branch Inspector: ___________________________________ Tristan Odekirk, Environmental Engineer Wastewater Enforcement Section Water Enforcement Branch Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1 II. PARTICIPANTS ........................................................................................................................................ 1 III. INSPECTION PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................... 1 IV. FACILITY DESCRIPTION.......................................................................................................................... 1 V. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................... 2 1. Permit............................................................................................................................................... 2 2. Records/Reports Review ................................................................................................................. 2 3. Operation & Maintenance .............................................................................................................. 2 4. Sludge Handling ............................................................................................................................... 2 5. Sampling/Laboratory....................................................................................................................... 2 6. Flow Measurement.......................................................................................................................... 3 7. Effluent and Receiving Waters ........................................................................................................ 3 VI. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................. 3 Appendices: ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Appendix 1: DMR violation tables........................................................................................................... 4 Appendix 2: Photo Log ............................................................................................................................ 6 I. INTRODUCTION Representatives of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 4 conducted a Compliance Evaluation Inspection (CEI) of the Pearl River Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), owned by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and operated by Inframark. The EPA issued NPDES permit number MS0053503 (Permit) to the facility for the discharge of treated municipal wastewater into navigable waters, subject to specific terms and conditions. The inspection was conducted under the authority of Section 308 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), as amended. II. PARTICIPANTS An opening conference was held on June 4, 2024, at the Choctaw Public Works Department. Participants in the inspections included: Name Tristan Odekirk Mel-Chilecee Taylor Stacey Wix Reggie Shumaker Doug Upton John Stallard John Caffey Aaron Moines Position EPA, Region 4, Inspector EPA, Region 4, Inspector EPA, Region 4, Inspector MBCI, Public Works Department, Director MBCI, Office of Environmental Protection, Environmental Science Supervisor Inframark, Vice President, South Region Inframark, Regional H&S Advisor Inframark, Operator III. INSPECTION PROCEDURES E mail Odekirk.Tristan@epa.gov Taylor.Melchilecee@epa.gov Wix.Stacey@epa.gov rshumaker@choctaw.org Doug.Upton@choctaw.org John.Stallard@inframark.com John.Caffey@inframark.com The overall objective of this CEI was to evaluate the conditions and operational performance of the Pearl River WWTP and offer compliance assistance as needed. Specific tasks included conducting an opening conference, interviews with staff, reviewing Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) and other facility records, conducting a walkthrough to the WWTP, and a closing conference. IV. FACILITY DESCRIPTION Wastewater enters the facility through the headworks. Grit is removed from the influent via a comminutor. Following screening three pumps convey wastewater to the rest of the plant. The three pumps alternate on a 24-hour cycle to lessen wear on any individual unit. Pumped water passes through an influent flow meter. A splitter box divides water between three aeration basins. Each aeration basin has three aerators. All aerators were operational. Following aeration wastewater is sent through three in-series clarifiers. Clarifier sludge is sent back to the aerators. Clarified water is disinfected with ultraviolet light before discharging to Wolf Creek, a tributary to Pearl River. Page 1 of 14 COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION REPORT Pearl River WWTP - CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 V. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 1. Permit NPDES Permit No. MS0053503 became effective on July 1, 2019, and will expire June 30, 2024. A copy of the permit was available at the facility offices. 2. Records/Reports Review The EPA evaluated monthly submitted DMR data submitted by MBCI Utilities for the years of 2021 through 2024. A review of EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) database shows that the Pearl River WWTP reported several effluent exceedances for copper, E. coli, pH, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), 5-day Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD5), and ammonia-nitrogen. A summary of DMR effluent limit exceedances is listed in Appendix 1, Table 1. DMRs and contract lab reports were available at the facility. EPA reviewed the DMRs and lab reports and found no discrepancies. 3. Operation & Maintenance The Pearl River WWTP is operated by a level 4 operator. The following observations were made during the inspection: The headworks comminutor was non-operational. Facility personnel stated that the headworks flow measurement was inaccurate. The composite sampler located at the headworks did not have a functioning thermometer. Heavy persistent foaming was observed in the aeration chamber (Photo 1). Empty barrels that previously held sludge conditioning polymers were stored outside without caps. Dried sludge was stored in an exposed, albeit tarp lined, dumpster. This would allow rainwater to enter the dried sludge. 4. Sludge Handling Wasted sludge is sent to a bioreactor to be thickened. Polymer is added to thickened sludge before it is sent through a press to dewater. Dewatered sludge is dried and hauled to the Pine Ridge Landfill. 5. Sampling/Laboratory In situ measurements, most laboratory analysis, and sample collection are performed by the facility. Field measurements include pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature. Laboratory analysis conducted by the MBCI include CBOD5, TSS, Ammonia-Nitrogen, and E. coli. Contract laboratories are used for Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) testing, copper, hardness, and metals. WET testing is performed by Element Labs in Louisiana. Copper, hardness, and metals are analyzed by 2 of 7 COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION REPORT Pearl River WWTP - CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 Waypoint Analytics in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Samples collected by the facility are immediately brought to the MBCI laboratory. Samples are transported in designated coolers and stored in a specified refrigerator. The sample refrigerator did not have a thermometer. Stock calibration solutions were up to date and not expired. Chain of custody forms were reviewed and showed no discrepancies and had all appropriate signatures. The commercial laboratories were not evaluated. 6. Flow Measurement Final effluent flow is measured by an ultrasonic flow meter at a V-notch weir (Photo 2). The flow meter was calibrated on 3/6/2024. 7. Effluent and Receiving Waters Receiving waters were not inspected due to lack of access. VI. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The EPA makes the following recommendations: a. The permittee should have a functioning headworks to effectively remove larger solids from the treatment processes. b. The influent flow meter should be regularly calibrated to reflect accurate flow readings. c. The influent composite sampler should have a functioning thermometer and climate control system to ensure proper storage of samples. d. Barrels that contain or have contained chemicals should be stored with lids on where rainwater cannot enter them. e. The permittee should monitor the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) levels in the aeration basin to adequately control foaming and solids content. f. Dried sludge should not come into contact with rainwater. Appendices: 3 of 7 COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION REPORT Pearl River WWTP - CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 Appendix 1: DMR violation tables Table 1: DMR Effluent Violations Monitoring Period End Date 7/31/2021 8/31/2021 8/31/2021 11/30/2021 Parameter Copper, total recoverable E. coli E. coli pH DMR Value 19 2419 163 6.2 Permit Limit Value 18.76 410 126 6.5 Units ug/L #/100mL #/100mL SU 6/30/2022 8/31/2022 8/31/2022 8/31/2022 9/30/2022 9/30/2022 10/31/2022 12/31/2022 12/31/2022 pH E. coli E. coli Solids, suspended percent removal E. coli E. coli pH E. coli pH 6.3 2420 620 79.3 2420 846 5.8 461 5.7 6.5 SU 410 #/100mL 126 #/100mL 85 % 410 #/100mL 126 #/100mL 6.5 SU 410 #/100mL 6.5 SU 6/30/2023 6/30/2023 6/30/2023 6/30/2023 6/30/2023 6/30/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 7/31/2023 8/31/2023 9/30/2023 BOD, carb-5 day, 20 deg C, percent removal BOD, carb-5 day, 20 deg C, percent removal E. coli E. coli E. coli E. coli BOD, carb-5 day, 20 deg C, percent removal BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C] BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C] BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C] BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C] Copper, total recoverable E. coli E. coli Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] Solids, suspended percent removal Solids, total suspended Solids, total suspended Solids, total suspended E. coli Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] 82.7 82.7 2420 2420 218 218 82.5 15.8 119.5 39 304.1 23.9 2420 2420 10.8 79.1 102.4 13.8 76.5 41 564.4 83 2420 3.3 85 85 410 410 126 126 85 10 34.2 15 51.3 18.76 410 126 2 25 37.5 3 85 30 563 45 410 3 % % #/100mL #/100mL #/100mL #/100mL % mg/L lb/d mg/L lb/d ug/L #/100mL #/100mL mg/L lb/d lb/d mg/L % mg/L lb/d mg/L #/100mL mg/L 4 of 7 COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION REPORT Pearl River WWTP - CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 Monitoring Period End Date 10/31/2023 10/31/2023 11/30/2023 11/30/2023 12/31/2023 Parameter E. coli E. coli Copper, total recoverable E. coli Copper, total recoverable DMR Value 411 151 20.5 1986 19.6 Permit Limit Value 410 126 18.76 410 18.76 Units #/100mL #/100mL ug/L #/100mL ug/L 1/31/2024 1/31/2024 1/31/2024 1/31/2024 2/29/2024 2/29/2024 3/31/2024 Copper, total recoverable Solids, suspended percent removal Solids, total suspended Solids, total suspended Copper, total recoverable Copper, total recoverable Copper, total recoverable 26 18.76 ug/L 74 85 % 36 30 mg/L 48 45 mg/L 40.5 27.19 ug/L 40.5 18.76 ug/L 27.1 18.76 ug/L Table 2: Late DMR history Monitoring Days Period End Date Late 3/31/2021 84 6/30/2022 4 12/31/2022 5 4/30/2023 31 5/31/2023 31 5/31/2023 31 6/30/2023 31 7/31/2023 26 8/31/2023 26 9/30/2023 26 10/31/2023 5 11/30/2023 5 12/31/2023 5 Table 3: WET testing history 5 of 7 COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION REPORT Pearl River WWTP - CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 Appendix 2: Photo Log Photo 1: Thick foam observed in aeration basin. 6 of 7 COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION REPORT Pearl River WWTP - CV-MS0053503-6-4-2024 Photo 2: flow measurement (90 degrees V notch Weir) following clarification and disinfection. 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