Document Jrg0VXpZnnw4LyL9oXzeaJGQe

EPA REGION 10 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division INSPECTION REPORT Inspection Entry Date/Time Inspection Exit Date/Time Weather Media Statute(s)/Program(s) Type of Inspection 03/20/2023 1:00 PM (PT) Announced: No 03/20/2023 3:15 PM (PT) Access: Granted 45F, Overcast Water Clean Water Act, NPDES, WWTP Compliance Evaluation Inspection Permittee Name Facility Name Facilitye Physical Address City, State, Zip Code County Facility GPS Coordinates Mailing Address City, State, Zip Code City of Juliaetta City of Juliaetta WWTP 1666 Id-3 Juliaetta, Idaho 83535 Latah 46.562359, -116.71051 P.O. Box 229 Juliaetta, Idaho 83535 FRS ID Permit Number SIC 110010027005 ID0023761 4952 (Sewage Systems) Lead Inspector: RAYMOND ANDREWS Date: 2023.05.24 08:11:53 -07'00' Digitally signed by RAYMOND ANDREWS Raymond Andrews EPA REGION 10 andrews.raymond@epa.gov (206) 553-4252 Supervisor Review: PETER CONTRERAS Date: 2023.05.24 08:31:04 -07'00' Digitally signed by PETER CONTRERAS Peter Contreras EPA REGION 10 contreras.peter@epa.gov (206) 553-6708 Page 1 of 7 Juliaetta WWTP ID0023761 SECTION I - Opening Conference Site Entry and Inspection Objectives I arrived at the Juliaetta WWTP (the "Site" or "Facility"), located at 1666 Id-3, Juliaetta, Idaho, at 1:00 PM (PT) on 03/20/2023 for an unannounced inspection. I presented my inspector credentials to Justin Cope, the City of Juliaetta's Public Works Supervisor. I informed Mr. Cope that I was an inspector from EPA Region 10's Seattle office and I was at the facility to conduct an inspection to determine compliance with the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the facility's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, permit # ID00237861. This report is based on information supplied by Mr. Cope, my direct observations, and records and reports maintained by the facility. In addition, information gathered from a review of EPA, State, and/or public records may be included in this report. Attendees Organization EPA Region 10 City of Juliaetta Attendee Name Raymond Andrews Justin Cope Title Lead Inspector Public Works Supervisor Present in Opening Conf. Yes Yes Present in Closing Conf. Yes Yes Facility/Site Information What is the facility's service population? The facility has a service population of 595 citizens. How many employees does the facility have? The facility has one employee, Mr. Ryan Lindhorst, in addition to Mr. Cope. Are the facility employees certified wastewater operators? Mr. Cope holds a Level 2 Wastewater Treatment certification. Mr. Lindhorst was previously certified, but his certification lapsed, and he plans to retake the certification test later this year. When is the facility staffed? Per Mr. Cope, the facility is staffed 7:00am until 11:00am, Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, either Mr. Cope or Mr. Lindquist make at least one trip to the facility each day. How many discharge points does the facility have? The facility only has one discharge point. Does the facility treat anything other than domestic sewage waste? The facility does not treat anything other than domestic sewage. What is the average daily flow? 0.025 MGD What is the design flow of the facility? 0.08 MGD How often does the facility discharge? The facility is authorized to discharge 24-hours/day, year-round. Page 2 of 7 Juliaetta WWTP ID0023761 What water receives the facility's discharge? The facility's receiving water is the Potlatch River. Explain the facility's treatment process. The influent gravity flows to the wastewater treatment facility. A lift station pumps the wastewater through a grit chamber at the headworks. The removed grit is collected in a grit bed. During the summer, the bed is cleaned out every two weeks. The bed cannot be cleaned out when frozen or excessively wet. From the grit chamber, the influent flows to the aeration basin, which is equipped with coarse bubble aeration, and then to the clarifier. Activated sludge is wasted from the bottom of the clarifier to drying beds, where liquid is returned to the treatment system. Once dry, the sludge is taken to a composting facility. The clarifier overflows to a rotating micro-screen to remove any fine solids. Following the micro-screen, the effluent is chlorinated with sodium hypochlorite in a chlorine contact chamber. The effluent is dechlorinated using calcium thiosulfate tablets as it passes over a v-notch weir. The effluent then flows to a settling pond which allows most of the water to infiltrate. Any excess water that does not infiltrate is discharged into the river. Discuss sampling and Mr. Cope collects grab samples for analysis. The facility conducts its own analysis for analysis. residual chlorine, TSS, BOD, E. coli, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. Who analyzes the other parameters? Anatek Labs, Inc analyzes ammonia, total phosphorus, and nitrates and nitrites. In addition, Anatek Labs also conducts analysis of the samples from the required Surface Water Monitoring. Laboratory contact information: How does the facility analyze pH? Where are samples collected? Is the facility sampling more frequently than required? Are any upgrades planned at the facility? Anatek Labs, Inc. - Moscow 1282 Alturas Drive Moscow, Idaho 83843 (208) 883-2839 The facility analyzes pH with a pH meter and probe. A contract company calibrates the pH meter, and all other analytical equipment, annually. Influent samples are collected at the headworks. Effluent samples are collected at the v-notch weir after dechlorination. The facility samples weekly rather than monthly and the additional samples are calculated into the averages reported on monthly DMRs. The City is planning to build a new facility. A call for construction bids will be going out this year. SECTION II - Observations No deficiencies were observed during the site tour. Page 3 of 7 Juliaetta WWTP ID0023761 SECTION III - Records Review Records may not be in sequential order. Record: Other - EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) Database AOC: Yes Ref #: RA1-RR-003 Reviewed By: Raymond Andrews Reviewed Date: 05/22/2023 Upon review of data in EPA's ICIS database, I found the facility was late in submitting nine scheduled documents and did not submit one scheduled document. Record: DMR Reports AOC: Yes Ref #: RA1-RR-002 Reviewed By: Raymond Andrews Reviewed Date: 05/22/2023 Upon review of data in EPA's ICIS database, I found the facility was late in submitting two Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs), submitted two incomplete DMRs, and one DMR was not received. Record: Other - EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) Database AOC: Yes Ref #: RA1-RR-001 Reviewed By: Raymond Andrews Reviewed Date: 05/22/2023 Upon review of data in EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) database for the period May 1, 2018, through April 30, 2023, I found the facility had exceeded the permitted limit for Temperature four times. Table I of the Permit states the temperature must not exceed 24.7C. Those exceedances were for the monitoring periods August 2019, July 2021, August 2021, and July 2022. ICIS data shows that each of the exceedances was recorded as 25.6C. SECTION IV - Areas of Concern The presentation of Areas of Concern does not constitute a formal compliance determination or violation. AOC Reference #: RA1-RR-001 Records Review: Other - EPA's ICIS Database Permit Requirement Permit Part I.B.1, "...the permittee must limit and monitor discharges from Outfall 001 as specified in Table 1...The permittee must comply with the effluent limits in the tables at all times unless otherwise indicated, regardless of the frequency of monitoring or reporting required by other provisions of this permit." AOC: I found the facility had exceeded the permitted limit for Temperature four times. Table I of the Permit states the temperature must not exceed 24.7C. Those exceedances were for the monitoring periods August 2019, July 2021, August 2021, and July 2022. ICIS data shows that each of the exceedances was recorded as 25.6C. AOC Reference #: RA1-RR-002 Records Review: DMR Reports Permit Requirement Permit Part III.B, "Monitoring data must be submitted electronically to EPA no later than the 20th of the month following the completed reporting period." AOC: I found the facility was late in submitting two Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs), submitted two incomplete DMRs, and one DMR was not received. A table of the missing and late documents is in Appendix II. Page 4 of 7 Juliaetta WWTP ID0023761 AOC Reference #: RA1-RR-003 Records Review: Other - EPA's ICIS Database Permit Requirements Permit Part I.B, Table I, Footnote 7, "Use the temperature device manufacturer's software to generate (export) an Excel text or electronic ASCII text file. The file must be submitted annually to the EPA and IDEQ by February 20th for the previous monitoring year along with the placement log." Permit Part I.C.8.b, "...the permittee must submit all surface water monitoring results for the previous calendar year for all parameters in an annual report to EPA and IDEQ by February 20th of the following year..." Permit Part I.D.3, "By July 31, 2021, the permittee must complete and submit to EPA and DEQ an evaluation of alternatives the City may use to achieve the final temperature effluent limits. The evaluation should at a minimum consider: facility improvements, alternative discharge locations, re-use of effluent and possible trading mechanisms such as offsite mitigation, including wetland and habitat restoration." Permit Part II.A, "...January 31, 2019, the permittee must submit written notice to EPA and IDEQ that an operations and maintenance plan for the current wastewater treatment facility has been developed, or updated, and implemented." Permit Part II.D.4, "The Permittee must submit this list, along with a summary description of the sources and information gathering methods used to develop this list, to EPA and IDEQ by July 31, 2020." Permit Part II.E.2, "The permittee must submit written notice to EPA and IDEQ that the plan has been developed and implemented by January 31, 2019." AOC: I found the facility was failed to submit one scheduled document and was late in submitting nine additional documents. A table of the missing and late documents is in Appendix II. SECTION V - Closing Conference I held a closing conference with Mr. Cope at 3:15 PM on 03/20/2023. During the conference, I discussed my observations and Areas of Concern I identified during the inspection. Observations and Areas of Concern have not yet been evaluated for a formal compliance determination. SECTION VI - List of Appendices I. Photo Log II. Areas of Concern Tables Page 5 of 7 Juliaetta WWTP ID0023761 APPENDIX I: Photo Log P1010609 - Lift Station, interior P1010610 - Grit Chamber P1010611 - Aeration Chamber with Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Return lines, photo 1 P1010612 - Aeration Chamber with Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Return lines, photo 2 P1010613 - Grit Bed P1010614 - Clarifier P1010615 -- Chlorine Contact Chamber P1010616 - V-Notch Weir with Dechlorination Tab Holders P1010617 - V-Notch Weir, Effluent Dechlorination/Sampling Location P1010618 - Settling Pond, photo 1 P1010619 - Settling Pond with close-up of Outfall Pipe P1010620 - Settling Pond, photo 2 P1010621 - Drying Beds, photo 1 P1010622 - Drying Beds, photo 2 Page 6 of 7 Juliaetta WWTP ID0023761 APPENDIX II: Areas of Concern Tables End Monitoring Period 5/31/2018 8/31/2018 9/30/2018 12/31/2018 7/31/2019 Due Date 6/15/2018 9/20/2018 10/20/2018 1/20/2019 8/20/2019 DMR Areas of Concern Received 8/19/2019 8/20/2021 1/11/2019 1/14/2022 Late. Notes Not Received. Administratively Resolved on 10/21/2021. Incomplete. Administratively Resolved on 11/20/2020. Facility did not submit data for BOD, 5-day, 20 deg. C and Solids, total suspended. Incomplete. Administratively Resolved on 2/20/2021. Facility did not sample for, or failed to submit data, for: Nitrite + Nitrate total [as N] Late. Facility was late in submitting data for: Temperature, water deg. Centigrade. Schedule Event Operations and Maintenance Plan Emergency Response and Notification Plan Annual Report of Progress Surface Water Monitoring Report Annual Report of Progress Effluent Monitoring Report Industrial User Survey Effluent Monitoring Report Surface Water Monitoring Report Annual Report of Progress Schedule Violations Schedule Date Received Date 2/1/2019 9/23/2019 2/1/2019 3/2/2020 8/1/2019 3/25/2020 2/20/2020 7/20/2020 8/1/2020 11/4/2020 2/20/2021 3/2/2022 8/20/2021 2/20/2022 1/25/2023 2/20/2022 1/25/2023 8/1/2022 1/25/2023 Citation Part II.A Part II.E.2 Part I.D.3 Part I.C.8.b Part I.D.3 Part I.B, Table I, Note 7 Part II.D.4 Part I.B, Table I, Note 7 Part I.C.8.b Part I.D.3 Status Late Late Late Late Late Late Not Received Late Late Late Page 7 of 7