HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0035.000 2000-2002 i _ / ~
1 ~ _
November 29, 2000
2009'1
Mr Robert Yanabu
Chief Engineer
Department of Public works
County of Hawaii
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Dear Mr Yanabu:
Subject. Kulaimano Wastewater Treatment Plant
Compliance Evaluation Inspection
Attached for your use is a copy of our compliance evaluation
inspection report for the subject facility. The facility was
inspected on September 21, 2000 and given a general rating of
"Unacceptable" for the following reasons:
1 Sludge continues to be stored ~n the abandoned effluent
polishing pond. The pond is considered an active sludge
unit and must be properly closed in accordance with Federal
Regulation 40 CFR Part 503. The County has not provided a
closure plan acceptable to the Department of Health and is
subject to enforcement action,
2 Discharging non-chlorinated effluent into State Waters in
violation of the plant's NPDES permit in January 2000;
3. Exceeding effluent total residual chlorine limits in August
and September 2000; and
4. Inconsistent flow readings between the plant's influent and
effluent flowmeters.
Other concerns noted during the inspection are included in the
attached report.
Com•n \o._
File \n_SE~
1{rt To•_ pEl-~
ReE. uace_ 1 3 2000
Mr. Robert Yanabu
November 29, 2000
Page 2
Please submit within 45 days after receipt of this letter a
written corrective action plan addressing the cited deficiencies
The plan should also include a reasonable time schedule for
implementation of your actions.
Should you have any questions, please call Ken Muranaka of our
Wastewater Branch at direct toll free no. 974-4000, ext. 64294.
Sincerely,
THOMAS E. ARIZUMI, P.E., CHIEF
Environmental Management Division
KTM erm
Attachment
c: EPA Region IX (Tom Huetteman, w/ report)
Deputy Director for Environmental Health (w/ report)
County Council Public Works Chairperson (w/ report)
Clean Water Branch (w/ report)
Unltsd Stabs Envlronmenbl Proiectlon Agency Form Approved
EPA ws.hinpton, D c so4eo OMB No 2040-0057
Water Compliance Inspectlon Report Approval expires 8-31-98
Secllon A National Data System Coding (I e , PCS)
Transaction Cade NPDES yr/mo/tlay Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type
,U zU 3~HIllololzlol717101„ ,Zo 0 o s z 1,7 ,sU ,sU zoU
Remarks
+lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll~
Inspection Work Days Facility Self-MOnilonng Evaluation Rating B7 pA _--____-Reserved-
~12L1JBg ,D~ ~tU 72U 73W74 ~Sl I l l l l l b
Secllon B Faclllly Data
Name and Location of Facility Inspected (tor rndusrnel users drschergmg ro POTW also include POTW Entry Time/Date Permit ErtectNe Dale
name end NPDES permit number 1 00 p m
09/21 /2000 04/2511999
Kulalmano Wastewater Treatment Plant Exi; Time/Date Permit Expiration Dale
Kulalmano Town, Pepeekeo, Hawall 3 30 p m
09/2112000 04/25/2004
Name(s) of On-Site Representative(syTille(syPhonesnd Faz Numbedsl Other Facility Data
Lyle Hlrota, WWTP Superintendent, Ph 961-8754IFax 961-8687
Charles Dawrs, WWTP Supervisor,DRC, Ph 961-8753/Fax 961-8687
Name, Address of Responsible ORcial/ritle/Phone antl Fax Number(s)
Robert Yanabu, Chief Engineer,
DPW, County of Hawan Ph (808) 961-8324 Contacted
~Y9s XO No
Secllon C Areas Evaluated During Inspectlon (Cheek only those areas evaluated)
X Permit X Flow Measurement X Operations 8 Maintenance CSOISSO (Sewer Overflow)
X RewrdslReporis X Self-Monitonng Program X Sludge Handling/Disposal Pollution Prevention
X Facility Site Review Compliance Schedules Pretreatment MulOmedia
EMuentlReceiving Water Laboratory Storm Water Other
Secllon D Summary of FlndingslComments (Attach add/tlonel sheets or narrative and eheckllsts as necessary)
See attached Findings
Name(s) and SlpnaWre(s) of Inspecbr(s) Apenty/Olflce/Phone and Faz Numbers Date
y., DOH, WWB 1586-4294 11/0112000
Ken Muranaka -
Steven Sato ~ DOH, WWB 1586-4294 11/0112000
Libby B Stoddard DOH, CWB 1586-4309 1110112000
Signature of Management O A Reviewer Agenty/ORce/Phone end Fax Numbers Dale
EPA Forrn 3580) (Rev 9.94) Previous editions tiro obsolete
CLEAN WATER BRANCH
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
P.O. BOX 3378
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96801
NPDES COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
PERMITTEE: COUNTY OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
FACILITY: KULAIMANO WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT
PERMIT NO: HI 0020770
DATE OF INSPECTION: September 21, 2000
REPORT PREPARED BY: KEN MURANAKA
DATE PREPARED: November 1, 2000
FINDINGS
INTRODUCTION
Department of Health (DOH) personnel K. Muranaka, S. Sato, and L.
Stoddard conducted an NPDES Compliance Evaluation Inspection
(CEI) of the Kulaimano Wastewater Treatment Plant (KWWTP) on
September 21, 2000. Lyle Hirota, Wastewater Treatment Plant
(WWTP) Superintendent, and Charles Dawrs, WWTP Supervisor in
Direct Responsible Charge represented the County of Hawaii
(County) during the inspection.
NPDES Permit No HI 0020770 was issued on March 25, 1999 and
became effective on April 25, 1999. The permit expires at
midnight on April 25, 2004. The permit authorizes the County of
Hawaii to discharge secondary treated wastewater to the receiving
waters named the Pacific Ocean through Outfall Serial No. 001 at
Latitude 19°50'12"N and Longitude 155°05'11"W from its KWWTP
located at TMK: (3) 2-8-07:075, Kulaimano town, Pepeekeo, Hawaii,
in accordance with the effluent limitations, monitoring
requirements and other conditions set forth in NPDES Permit No.
HI 0020770 and in the DOH "Standard NPDES Permit Conditions,"
dated October 1, 1997.
FACILITY DESCRIPTION
The KWWTP is a secondary activated sludge wastewater treatment
plant servicing the town of Kulaimano on the island of Hawaii.
The plant has a design capacity of 0.5 million gallons per day
(MGD). The plant is currently operating at only one-sixth of the
design capacity due to unrealized developments in the Pepeekeo
area. This allows the plant operators to run only one of two
available treatment trains.
Liquid stream treatment processes include barminution, grit
removal, activated sludge, secondary clarification, chlorination,
and dechlorination. The effluent polishing pond has been
abandoned and is currently being bypassed.
Solids stream treatment processes include aerobic digestion and
dewatering by centrifuge. A dual cell gravity (DCG) filter unit
1
is also available as backup to the centrifuge. The dewatered
sludge is disposed of at the Hilo Landfill.
STATUS OF PAST DEFICIENCIES
The 1999 Operation and Maintenance (O&M) inspection found the
facility to be operating satisfactorily. However, a general
rating of UNACCEPTABLE was given for the following reasons
1. The effluent polishing pond has been abandoned in place
since the mid-1980's and the pond still contains sewage
sludge. The pond is considered an active sludge unit and
must be properly closed in accordance with Federal
Regulation 40 CFR Part 503.
2. The influent sampling station was temporarily relocated
downstream of the grit chamber after the barminutor became
inoperable. The relocated sampling station violates Section
A.2. of the facility's NPDES permit.
The following is the current status of the above deficiencies:
1. The Department of Health's Clean Water Branch (CWB) issued a
notice of apparent violation letter dated November 24, 1999
for the above violations upon completion of the 1999 O&M
inspection. The County responded with a letter, dated March
24, 2000, that an analysis of the sludge and field survey of
the pond had been completed. The County reported the
concentrations and loading of the priority pollutants found
in the sludge to be well under the limits established under
40 CFR Part 503. The County also submitted a proposed
closure plan with the data The CWB requested clarification
on a number of items relating to the said closure plan in a
letter to the County on May 18, 2000. The County has yet to
respond to the CWB's request for clarification.
2. The influent sampling station was relocated back to the
original approved sampling point on September 15, 1999.
The status of the other deficiencies noted in the 1999 O&M
inspection are as follows:
1. The barminutor at the headworks was inoperable. The
barminutor was repaired and placed back in service.
2
2. The suction from the headworks ventilation system was
noticeably weak. The County installed a larger pulley for
increased suction.
3. Aeration Basin turbine #1 was out of service due to ate
electrical tripping problem. The County's electricians have
not resolved the tripping problem with the turbine unit.
The unit remains locked out at the control panel.
4. The baffle boards for Final Clarifier #1 needs replacement.
No backup capability exists until the new boards are
installed. The County completed replacement of the baffle
boards in Final Clarifier #1 and has placed the clarifier
unit into service. Final Clarifier #2 was then taken out of
service and now serves as the backup unit to Final Clarifier
#1.
5. The flow chart recorder for the aerobic digester records an
airflow even when the blowers are not in operation. The
unit requires repair/calibration. No change. The County
reported that the recorder device is used only to record
events and actual airflow volume is unnecessary.
6. The electrical board for the backup DCG unit was removed for
use at the Papaikou wwTP and was never replaced. This makes
the unit inoperable resulting in no backup dewatering unit
at the plant. The County installed a new replacement board.
The unit was started up during the inspection and found to
be operable.
7. Blower #1 was inoperable. The County has no immediate plans
to repair the unit. The facility still has three other
operable blower units and only one blower is used at a time.
8 The facility's backflow preventez- leaked water. The
backflow preventer was inspected and repaired. The backflow
preventer did not leak during the current inspection.
MODIFICATION/ADDITION
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided the
County with a portable 600KW emergency generator for use as
backup to the facility's 400KW emergency generator. A manual
switch and connector was also provided by FEMA to make the
connection.
3
EFFLUENT LIMITATION
NPDES permit limitations for the KWWTP are as follows:
EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTIC EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS
Biochemical Oxygen Demand 30 mg/1 (30-day average)
45 mg/1 (7-day average)
85~ removal
Total Suspended Solids 30 mg/1 (30-day average)
45 mg/1 (7-day average)
B5~ removal
Total Residual Chlorine 0.0075 mg/1
pH Range 6.0 - 9.0 Standard Units
Enterococci 7/100 ml
The following effluent data was reported during the past year
(based on monthly averages for the period September 1999 through
August 2000):
Influent BODS...... 264 mg/L (flow proportioned composite)
Effluent BODS..... 2.7 mg/L (flow proportioned composite)
Percent BODS Remova1.98.9~
Influent TSS.. 244 mg/L (flow proportioned composite)
Effluent TSS......... 8.1 mg/L (flow proportioned composite)
Percent TSS Remova1..96.4~
pH (min)...... 6.1 (grab sample)
pH (max).... 7.0 (grab sample)
NPDE3 PERMIT NON-COMPLIANCE
On January 28, 2000, the KWWTP bypassed approximately 15,000
gallons of non-chlorinated effluent into State Waters when
Effluent Pump #2 tripped off sometime during the previous night.
The cause was reportedly due to a frayed wire on the Pump #2
motor control panel.
The KWWTP exceeded the NPDES Total Residual Chlorine limitation
of 0.0075 mg/1 on August 30, 2000 (0.008 mg/1), September 1, 2000
(0.03 mg/1), and September 2, 2000 (0.12 mg/1). The County
suspects the problem was caused by a bad batch of sulfur dioxide
4
provided by the vendor, Brewer Chemical. Brewer Chemical was
notified of the problem and will provide the County with a sample
test kit.
The Zone of Mixing monitoring results exceeded the 3.50 ug/1
ammonia nitrogen parameter for Station 3 (3.78 ug/1) on March 14,
2000.
The 1999 Annual Sludge Report due by February 19, 2000 in
accordance with Part C.7.a. was submitted about a month late on
March 17, 2000.
OBSERVATIONS
The KWWTP continues to produce excellent single digit effluent as
noted in previous reports. The low point total in the
Department's Operation and Maintenance Questionnaire also
indicates that the plant was generally operating well.
The KWWTP averaged 0.066 MGD for the period of September 1999
through August 2000, equal to approximately 13 percent of the
average design capacity. Last year's inspection report noted an
average flow of 0.075 MGD for the inspection period July 1998
through June 1999. The County attributed the decrease in flow to
mostly drier weather conditions during the past year. No
additional sewer connections are anticipated in the immediate
future.
The KWWTP NPDES permit requires the County to monitor both the
influent and effluent flows through the plant. The effluent
flowmeter read consistently higher flows than the influent
flowmeter. This occurred even during sunny days when evaporation
was expected to result in a net reduction of effluent flow and
also on sludge dewatering days. The average effluent flow
exceeded the influent flow in excess of 10 percent for the months
of October 1999 (15.4 percent), December 1999 (10.4 percent),
January 2000 (12.2 percent), March 2000 (11.1 percent), April
2000 (22.5 percent), and May 2000 (13.1 percent). NPDES Standard
Permit Condition, Section 3.b., requires flow measuring devices
capable of measuring flows with a maximum deviation of less than
plus or minus ten (10) percent from the true discharge rates
throughout the range of expected discharge volumes. An area of
concern noted occurs whenever the effluent pumps discharge excess
water from the flow regulator back into the small chlorine
contact tank (CCT). Splashing from the return water causes
5
turbulence within the small CCT that may affect the flowmeter
readings.
Aerator Turbine #1 continues to remain out of service due to an
electrical tripping problem and has been locked out at the
control panel. The County has placed a Priority 3 (lowest on a
scale of 3) rating on the repair work order since the unit serves
the backup aeration tank This problem was previously noted in
last year's inspection report.
With the exception of Aerator Turbine #1, no other major
corrective maintenance backlog was noted. Preventive maintenance
duties were reportedly up-to-date.
A minor air leak from a flange on the blower discharge manifold
was noted.
The batteries for the emergency generator were observed to have a
buildup of acid corrosion on the terminals.
3UbIl~fARY
The KWWTP is given a general rating of UNACCEPTABLE for the
following reasons:
1. Sludge continues to be stored in the abandoned effluent
polishing pond. The County has not provided a closure plan
acceptable to the Department. The County is subject to
enforcement action for their lack of action.
2. Discharging non-chlorinated effluent into State Waters in
January 2000.
3. Exceeding the effluent total residual chlorine requirement
during the past year.
4. Inconsistent flow readings between the influent and effluent
flowmeters.
Other deficiencies/recommendations noted during the inspection
include the following:
1. Repair of the Aerator Turbine #1 has still not been
completed.
6
2. The battery terminals for the emergency generator showed
signs of corrosion. Regular cleaning of the terminals is
necessary to maintain good contact and prevent a voltage
drop which may result in failure of the generator to start.
3. The effluent pump return water line should be relocated away
from the sonic flow sensor to minimize turbulence in the
CCT.
7