State regulators may require UNC to get a permit for its animal holding facility’s faulty wastewater treatment system after three discharges, including a slow leak that reached Collins Creek.
The system at the Bingham Facility was built under a “deemed permit” status. Instead of having to get a state permit, like systems treating kitchen and bathroom waste get, the Bingham Facility was exempted as an agricultural use.
Now UNC could face a fine or have the system’s “deemed permit” status revoked.
Staff at the state Division of Water Quality forwarded a recommendation today to administrators. Jay Zimmerman, environmental program supervisor, said after three leaks and other problems, a change in the permit status is possible.
“All of those things are leading us to question whether retaining the deemed permit status is the best and most appropriate thing right now,” he said this morning.
Mary Beth Koza, director of UNC’s Department of Environment, Health & Safety, had not spoken with state regulators about their recommendation.
“Whatever DENR request of us we will do,” she said.
We'll have more about the Bingham Faciliy in Sunday's Chapel Hill News.
