Title
Resolution for a Special Order by Consent (SOC) Between the City of Greensboro and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Body
Council Priority: Maintain Infrastructure and Provide Sustainable Growth Opportunities
Department: Water Resources
Council District: All
Public Hearing: N/A
Advertising Date/By: N/A
Contact 1 and Phone: Steven Drew, 373-7893
Contact 2 and Phone: Kristine Williams, 373-2556
PURPOSE:
Water Resources requests approval to pursue and negotiate a Special Order By Consent (SOC) with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to address discharges of 1,4-dioxane, an unregulated constituent, from the T. Z. Osborne Wastewater Reclamation Facility. A City Council resolution is required as part of the SOC application process.
BACKGROUND:
The T.Z. Osborne Water Reclamation Facility is a 40 million gallon per day conventional wastewater facility designed to meet all existing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits and requirements. The permit requires monitoring for 1,4-dioxane, but does not include a discharge limit since it is an unregulated constituent. The plant is operated in an efficient manner but it does not have treatment processes designed to remove emerging constituents such as 1,4-dioxane. The T. Z. Osborne Water Reclamation Facility discharges to South Buffalo Creek, a tributary to the Haw River and Cape Fear River, which is a drinking water source for downtown communities.
The SOC will officially outline the steps that Greensboro will continue to take to protect downstream drinking water sources. 1,4-Dioxane is a synthetic industrial chemical and is often a by-product present in many goods, including paint strippers, dyes, greasers, antifreeze and aircraft deicing fluids and in some consumer and personal care products. A processing fee of $400.00 must accompany the application for an SOC. Outside legal counsel is being used in addition to City legal...
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