15A NCAC 02U .0202. APPLICATION SUBMITTAL – NON-CONJUNCTIVE SYSTEMS

(a)  The requirements in this Rule apply to all new and expanding non-conjunctive facilities, as applicable.

(b)  Soils Report.  A soil evaluation of the utilization site shall be provided to the Division by the applicant.  If required by G.S. 89F, a soil scientist shall prepare this evaluation.  This evaluation shall be presented in a report that includes the following:

(1)           Field description of soil profile, based on examinations of excavation pits and auger borings, within seven feet of land surface or to bedrock describing the following parameters by individual diagnostic horizons:

(A)          thickness of the horizon;

(B)          texture;

(C)          color and other diagnostic features;

(D)          structure;

(E)           internal drainage;

(F)           depth, thickness, and type of restrictive horizon(s); and

(G)          presence or absence and depth of evidence of any seasonal high water table (SHWT);

Applicants shall dig pits when necessary for proper evaluation of the soils at the site;

(2)           Recommendations concerning loading rates of liquids, solids, other wastewater constituents and amendments; annual hydraulic loading rates shall be based on in-situ measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity in the most restrictive horizon for each soil mapping unit; maximum irrigation precipitation rates shall be provided for each soil mapping unit;

(3)           A soil map delineating soil mapping units within each land application site and showing all physical features, location of pits and auger borings, legends, scale, and a north arrow; and

(4)           A representative soils analysis (i.e., Standard Soil Fertility Analysis) conducted on each land application site.  The Standard Soil Fertility Analysis shall include the following parameters:

(A)          acidity;

(B)          base saturation (by calculation);

(C)          calcium;

(D)          cation exchange capacity;

(E)           copper:

(F)           exchangeable sodium percentage (by calculation);

(G)          magnesium;

(H)          manganese;

(I)            percent humic matter;

(J)            pH;

(K)          phosphorus;

(L)           potassium;

(M)         sodium; and

(N)          zinc.

[Note:  The North Carolina Board for Licensing of Soil Scientists has determined, via letter dated December 1, 2005, that preparation of soils reports pursuant to this Paragraph constitutes practicing soil science under G.S. 89F.]

(c)  Engineering design documents.  If required by G.S. 89C, a professional engineer shall prepare these documents.  The applicant shall provide the following documents to the Division:

(1)           engineering plans for the entire system, including treatment, storage, application, and utilization facilities and equipment except those previously permitted unless those previously permitted are directly tied into the new units or are critical to the understanding of the complete process;

(2)           specifications describing materials to be used, methods of construction, and means for ensuring quality and integrity of the finished product including leakage testing; and

(3)           engineering calculations including hydraulic and pollutant loading for each treatment unit, treatment unit sizing criteria, hydraulic profile of the treatment system, total dynamic head and system curve analysis for each pump, buoyancy calculations, and irrigation design.

[Note:  The North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors has determined, via letter dated December 1, 2005, that preparation of engineering design documents pursuant to this Paragraph constitutes practicing engineering under G.S. 89C.  In addition, the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors has determined that design of residential reclaimed irrigations systems owned by the property owner does not constitute engineering under G.S. 89C.]

(d)  Site plans.  If required by G.S. 89C, a professional land surveyor shall provide location information on boundaries and physical features not under the purview of other licensed professions.  The applicant shall provide site plans or maps to the Division where the reclaimed water is applied to the land surface or otherwise used in a ground absorption manner depicting the location, orientation and relationship of facility components including:

(1)           a scaled map of the site, with topographic contour intervals not exceeding 10 feet or 25 percent of total site relief and showing all facility-related structures and fences within the treatment, storage and utilization areas, soil mapping units shown on all utilization sites;

(2)           the location of all wells (including usage and construction details if available), streams (ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial), springs, lakes, ponds, and other surface drainage features within 500 feet of all waste treatment, storage, and utilization site(s) and delineation of the review and compliance boundaries;

(3)           setbacks as required by Rule .0701 of this Subchapter; and

(4)           site property boundaries within 500 feet of all waste treatment, storage, and utilization site(s).

[Note:  The North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors has determined, via letter dated December 1, 2005, that locating boundaries and physical features, not under the purview of other licensed professions, on maps pursuant to this Paragraph constitutes practicing surveying under G.S. 89C.]

(e)  A hydrogeologic description prepared by a Licensed Geologist, License Soil Scientist, or Professional Engineer if required by Chapters 89E, 89F, or 89C respectively of the subsurface to a depth of 20 feet or bedrock, whichever is less, shall be provided to the Division by the applicant for systems treating industrial waste and any system with a design flow of over 25,000 gallons per day.  A greater depth of investigation is required if the respective depth is used in predictive calculations. This evaluation shall be based on borings for which the numbers, locations, and depths are sufficient to define the components of the hydrogeologic evaluation.  In addition to borings, other techniques may be used to investigate the subsurface conditions at the site.  These techniques may include geophysical well logs, surface geophysical surveys, and tracer studies.  This evaluation shall be presented in a report that includes the following components:

(1)           a description of the regional and local geology and hydrogeology based on research of literature for the area;

(2)           a description, based on field observations of the site, of the site topographic setting, streams, springs and other groundwater discharge features, drainage features, existing and abandoned wells, rock outcrops, and other features that may affect the movement of the contaminant plume and treated wastewater;

(3)           changes in lithology underlying the site;

(4)           depth to bedrock and occurrence of any rock outcrops;

(5)           the hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity of the affected aquifer(s);

(6)           depth to the seasonal high water table;

(7)           a discussion of the relationship between the affected aquifers of the site to local and regional geologic and hydrogeologic features;

(8)           a discussion of the groundwater flow regime of the site prior to operation of the proposed facility and post operation of the proposed facility focusing on the relationship of the system to groundwater receptors, groundwater discharge features, and groundwater flow media; and

(9)           if the SHWT is within six feet of the surface, a mounding analysis to predict the level of the SHWT after wastewater application.

[Note:  The North Carolina Board for Licensing of Geologists, via letter dated April 6, 2006, North Carolina Board for Licensing of Soil Scientists, via letter dated December 1, 2005, and North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors, via letter dated December 1, 2005, have determined that preparation of hydrogeologic description documents pursuant to this Paragraph constitutes practicing geology under G.S. 89E, soil science under G.S. 89F, or engineering under G.S. 89C.]

(f)  The applicant shall provide property ownership documentation to the Division consisting of:

(1)           legal documentation of ownership (i.e., contract, deed or article of incorporation);

(2)           written notarized intent to purchase agreement signed by both parties, accompanied by a plat or survey map;

(3)           an easement running with the land specifically indicating the intended use of the property and meeting the condition of 15A NCAC 02L .0107(f); or

(4)           written notarized lease agreement signed by both parties, indicating the intended use of the property, as well as a plat or survey map.  Groundwater standards shall be met across the entire site, and a compliance boundary shall not be provided.

(g)  Public utilities shall submit a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity or a letter from the NC Utilities Commission stating that a franchise application has been received.

(h)  The applicant shall provide to the Division a complete chemical analysis of the typical reclaimed water to be utilized for industrial waste.  The analysis shall include:

(1)           Total Organic Carbon;

(2)           5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5);

(3)           Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD);

(4)           Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3-N);

(5)           Ammonia Nitrogen (NH3-N);

(6)           Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN);

(7)           pH;

(8)           Chloride;

(9)           Total Phosphorus;

(10)         Phenol;

(11)         Total Volatile Organic Compounds;

(12)         Escherichia coli (E. coli) or Fecal Coliform;

(13)         Coliphage (Type 2 reclaimed water only);

(14)         Clostridium perfringens (Type 2 reclaimed water only);

(15)         Calcium;

(16)         Sodium;

(17)         Magnesium;

(18)         Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR);

(19)         Total Trihalomethanes;

(20)         Toxicity Test Parameters; and

(21)         Total Dissolved Solids.

(i)  For irrigation sites, the applicant shall provide to the Division a project evaluation and a receiver site agronomic management plan  and recommendations concerning cover crops and their ability to accept the proposed application rates of liquid, solids, minerals and other constituents of the wastewater.

(j)  The applicant shall provide to the Division a residuals management plan as required by Rule .0802 of this Subchapter. A written commitment is not required at the time of application; however, it shall be provided prior to operation of the permitted system.

(k)  The applicant shall provide a water balance to the Division that determines required storage based upon the most limiting factor of the hydraulic loading based on either the most restrictive horizon or groundwater mounding analysis; or nutrient management based on either agronomic rates for a specified cover crop or crop management requirements.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143-215.1; 143-215.3(a);

Eff. June 18, 2011.