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    Complaint

    50543
    WPC
    12/5/2018
    Voice Mail
    Pollution / Spills / Illicit Discharge
    12/5/2018
    20-NOV-2023 12:22PM

    Location based on SITE_ID

    Site ID
    4777
    Site
    Domtar Paper Company, LLC - Kingsport Mill
    Location
    100 Clinchfield Street
    City
    Kingsport
    Description
    Paper Mills
    County
    Sullivan
    EFO Name
    Johnson City
    Site Owner
    Weyerhaeuser Company Kingport Paper

    Investigation Results

    Issue Resolved
    12/5/2018
    Domtar Paper Company
    12/10/2018

    Complaint Description and Writeup

    Bonnie DePew (Domtar - Kingsport Mill) left voicemail for BBC on 12/5/2018 to report a discharge of partially treated process wastewater from the mill's primary clarifier to the South Fork Holston River. An estimated 55,000 gallons of clarifier effluent overflowed from a pump station sump into the stormwater outfall 007 channel, which leads to the South Fork Holston River. The cause of the discharge was attributed to an unknown electrical outage affecting the control system for the pumps used to transfer primary clarifier effluent to the aerated lagoon for further treatment. Investigation into the exact cause and sequence of events was still underway at the time of initial report. Domtar notified the downstream First U.D. of Hawkins County WTP of the release.

    BBC and JTBe travelled to the site on 12/5/2018 to investigate the release. Domtar personnel had sandbagged off the stormwater outfall channel, and American Environmental was pumping the accumulated process wastewater back into the primary clarifier. Remaining wastewater and visible residue will be pumped to the clarifier before cleanup operations are suspended. Water level in the SFHR at the time of observation was high enough to keep accumulated foam backed up into the outfall channel. A written report on the incident will be submitted.

    BBC received updated information from Mrs. DePew on 12/6/2018. Revised estimate of the volume lost was 230,000 gallons. The lead pump motor failed for reasons to be determined. The investigation and formulation of appropriate corrective actions is ongoing.