Document V3wLoxkw3GvoYXm4bK0dwr4mw

Region 6 - Enforcement & Compliance Assurance Division INSPECTION REPORT Inspection Date(s): Media Program: Regulatory Program(s) 03/27/2025 Water CWA Company Name: Facility Name: Facility Physical Location: (city, state, zip code) Mailing address: (city, state, zip code) County/Parish: Facility Phone Number Facility Contact: Town of Red River Red River WWTP 2 Straight Creek Trail Red River, New Mexico 87558 Post Office Box 1020 Red River, New Mexico 87558 Taos 575-754-6671 Patrick Jaramillo awwtplant@gmail.com FRS Number: 110002042110 Identification/Permit Number: Media Identifier Number: NAICS: SIC: NM0024899 NA 221320 4952 Personnel participating in inspection: Isaac Cisneros Town of Red River Patrick Jaramillo Town of Red River Anthony Martinez Town of Red River Plant Manager Public Works Director Plant Manager Environmental Compliance Manager Miguel De La Mata Town of Red River Laboratory Analyst David Esparza EPA Lead Inspector Signature/Date Supervisor Signature/Date EPA-R6/ECDWM Environmental Engineer DAVID ESPARZA Date: 2025.05.20 08:50:55 -06'00' Digitally signed by DAVID ESPARZA David Esparza ROBERTO BERNIER Roberto Bernier Digitally signed by ROBERTO BERNIER Date: 2025.05.20 10:46:19 -05'00' 6ENFORM-020-R8.2 (02/12/2020) 1 Section I - INTRODUCTION Town of Red River/Red River WWTP Permit No. NM0024899 Inspection Date 03/27/2025 PURPOSE OF THE INSPECTION United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 inspector David Esparza, PE, arrived at the Town of Red River (Red River) WWTP at approximately 9:00 AM at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) for an unannounced inspection. I met with Mr. Patrick Jaramillo, Plant Manager, Mr. Anthony Martinez, Environmental Compliance Manager and Mr. Miguel De La Mata, Laboratory Analyst, and informed them that this was an EPA inspection to determine the facility's compliance under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Note: Mr. Isaac Cisneros, Public Works Director participated later in the discussion. The generation of this report is based on information supplied by Red River representatives, observations made by the EPA inspector, and records and reports maintained by the permittee (Red River), and the EPA. Before leaving the facility on March 27, 2025, an exit briefing was held with Mr. Jaramillo, and the other named individuals to explain areas of concern noted at the time of the inspection and to discuss the status of a previous Administrative Order (AO) resulting from a caustic spill. It should be noted the WWTP also maintains a discharge permit (DP-268) issued by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), Groundwater Quality Bureau (GWQB) in conjunction with the sludge drying beds. FACILITY DESCRIPTION The WWTP was constructed in 1983 and is classified as a minor discharger with a design capacity of 0.9 MGD serving a year-round population of approximately 500 people and a peak tourist population of approximately 5,000. The facility is located at 2 Straight Creek Trail, Red River, Taos County, New Mexico (depicted in Aerial Image #1 below). The WWTP is operated by staff within the Public Works Department and consists of 3 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, during the hours of 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM daily. Oncall staff is available on an as needed basis. The WWTP is located inside a building to protect it from inclement weather during the winter months. The WWTP treatment process is comprised of a gravity collection system, two (2) lift stations (identified in Table #1), headworks (comprised of a bar screen/grit removal system, grit cyclone, and screened fine mesh filter), three (3) trains of Rotating Biological Contactors (RBCs) (one (1) for biological oxygen demand (BOD) removal and two (2) for ammonia removal), two (2) parallel final clarifiers, three (3) parallel ultraviolet (UV) disinfection banks, and a stepped cascade structure prior to discharging to the Red River via a closed conduit pipe (depicted in Image 2 Town of Red River WWTP Hydraulic Profile). Solids are wasted from the clarifiers and pumped to one of the seven (7) lined drying beds located east of the WWTP main building. The sludge enters the drying beds via a force main from the WWTP. Decant water is returned to the headworks by gravity flow lines. Following the sludge detention time, solids are moved to a stockpile area near the WWTP and are blended with wood chips for compost. 2 Town of Red River/Red River WWTP Permit No. NM0024899 Inspection Date 03/27/2025 Aerial Image #1: Overall view of the Town of Red River's Wastewater Treatment Plant. Aerial from Google Earth maps. Image #2: Town of Red River WWTP Hydraulic Profile 3 Town of Red River/Red River WWTP Permit No. NM0024899 Inspection Date 03/27/2025 Table 1: Town of Red River Lift Stations Lift Station Address 1 High Street 461 East High Street 2 Rio Colorado approximately at the end of Golden Treasure Trail Septage and domestic (typically greywater) wastewater is screened before entering the headworks. According to WWTP records approximately two (2) septic dumps per week, averaging 1,200 gallons each time is received. Section II - OBSERVATIONS I observed the following and/or the following information was provided or stated on March 27, 2025. The WWTP does not have back-up for some of its aging treatment process equipment. For example, if equipment or mechanical systems go off-line, replacement parts are difficult to locate and often require specific manufacture reproduction. The WWTP maintains an on-site generator for back up that is exercised every two (2) weeks. An alarm system, comprised of a series of monitors and a call out system, notifies the operators by telephone of any WWTP process failures. Overall maintenance and operation of the WWTP appeared to be satisfactory. All equipment looked to be running properly. The one (1) screened fine mesh filter previously off-line has been repaired. Town Administration is still in the process of remitting the final monetary penalty in accordance with paragraph 25 of the Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO), Docket # CWA-06-20181786 (Appendix 1), regarding the uncompleted Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP), and sending payment and proof of payment in accordance with paragraphs 13 and 14 of the CAFO. Section III - AREAS OF CONCERN A review of the submitted Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR) data for the period January 31, 2022, through June 30, 2024, indicates NPDES permit excursions with respect to pH, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and 5-day Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) (Appendix 2 ICIS E90 Effluent Violations). EPA Region 6 inspector David Esparza conducted a closing conference at Town of Red River's WWTP approximately at 11:00 AM on March 27, 2025, for the inspection. Section IV - FOLLOW UP 4 Town of Red River/Red River WWTP Permit No. NM0024899 Inspection Date 03/27/2025 No additional information was received by EPA, after exiting the Facility on March 27, 2025. Section V - LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1 - CAFO with SEP Appendix 2 - ICIS E90 Effluent Violations 5 Town of Red River/Red River WWTP Permit No. NM0024899 Inspection Date 03/27/2025 Appendix 1 Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) with Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) Town of Red River/Red River WWTP Permit No. NM0024899 Inspection Date 03/27/2025 Appendix 2 Review of the ICIS E90 Effluent Violations E90 Effluent Violations From 01/01/2019 - Present NM0024899 RED RIVER AWWT, TOWN Monitoring Period End Date 01/31/2022 01/31/2022 05/31/2024 06/30/2024 Perm Feature ID 001 001 001 001 Limit Set Designator A A A A Parameter Desc Statistical Base Short Desc BOD, 5-day, percent remo MO AV MN Solids, suspended percent MO AV MN pH MINIMUM pH MINIMUM Limit Unit Short Desc % % SU SU Limit Value 85 85 6.6 6.6 DMR Value Qualif ier Code = = = = DMR Value 74.5 83.2 6.32 6.37 Reported Number of Excursions 0 0 13 8