Facility Information

Applicant/Facility Name: Purdue Farms, Inc. – Lewiston Plant

Applicant Address: P.O. Box 460, Lewiston Woodville, NC 27849

Facility Address: 3539 Governors Rd., Lewiston, NC 27849

Permitted Flow (MGD): 3.0

Type of Waste: Industrial

Facility Classification: IV

Permit Status: Renewal/expansion

County: Bertie

Miscellaneous

Receiving Stream: Roanoke River Regional Office: Washington

Stream Classification: C State Grid / USGS Quad: Kelford/C30NW

303(d) Listed? Yes Permit Writer: Teresa Rodriguez

Basin/Subbasin: 03-02-08 Date: 10/15/07

Stream index no.: 23-(26)

 

Lat. 36 07’ 49” N Long. 77 14’ 59” W

Drainage Area (mi2): 8800

Summer 7Q10 (cfs) 1500

Winter 7Q10 (cfs): 1102

30Q2 (cfs)

Average Flow (cfs):

IWC (%): 0.41

Summary

Purdue Farms Incorporated operates the Lewiston Processing and Rendering facility in Lewiston, Bertie 

County. Operations include slaughtering of broiler chickens, cutting up, de-boning, marination, packing 

and rendering of by-products. The facility processes 400,000 birds per day. The process generates 

approximately 2.02 MGD of wastewater. Rendering generates approximately 0.277 MGD of 

wastewater. Stormwater from the truck maintenance is discharged under a separate stormwater permit. 

The treatment system consists of sedimentation, screening, two anaerobic lagoons, equalization basin, 

oxidation ditch for nitrification/denitrification, secondary clarifier, chlorination and dechlorination, sludge 

gravity thickener and digestion. 

There are new federal effluent guidelines applicable to this facility. In order to meet the proposed limits 

they need to upgrade the treatment system. At the same time they want to provide more capacity at the 

wastewater treatment plant to accommodate an increase in production at the plant. With the permit 

renewal Purdue Farms requested an expansion to 5 MGD. An engineering alternatives analysis was 

submitted with the permit renewal application. They evaluated connection to an existing WWTP, land 

application, reuse and expansion of the existing discharge. Land application and the surface discharge 

were the only two feasible alternatives. The cost of the land application system is $17.635 millions. The 
NPDES Permit Fact Sheet Perdue Farms, Inc. NC0028835

Page 2

cost of the surface discharge expansion is $6.368 millions. The most economically feasible alternative 

is the expansion of the surface discharge. The proposed improvements include a new anoxic reactor for 

denitrification, a new secondary clarifier and sludge dewatering equipment. 

Water Quality issues/receiving stream

Purdue Farms discharges treated effluent to the Roanoke River, sub-basin 03-02-08. A QUAL2E model 

simulation was used to evaluate the proposed increase in discharge from 3 MGD to 5 MGD. The model 

predicted that the increase in flow will not lower the DO in the river below 5 mg/l. By implementing the 

more stringent effluent guideline limits at the higher flow the net effect is a reduction in the loads for 

BOD and ammonia from the existing permitted loads. 

Basin Plan / 303(d)

The Roanoke River is listed in the 303(d) list as impaired for mercury in the fish consumption category. 

This portion of the river is supporting aquatic life and recreation. A portion of the river downstream of 

the discharge, from Williamston to the Albermarle Sound, will be listed on the 2008 303(d) list for 

dissolved oxygen. 

Effluent guidelines

The applicable effluent guidelines for this facility is 40 CFR 432 Subpart L. This part applies to 

discharges of process wastewater resulting from the slaughtering of poultry, further processing of 

poultry and rendering of material derived from slaughtered poultry. Existing limits were based on 

proposed effluent guideline limitations when the permit was drafted in 2003. The effluent guidelines 

were not implemented as proposed. Amended effluent guidelines became effective in 2004. The limits 

for BOD, TSS, ammonia, Oil and Grease, and Total Nitrogen will be modified according to current 

federal effluent guidelines. 

Table I – Existing limits

Parameter

Existing permit limits Equivalent concentrations

Monthly 

average

Daily Max Monthly 

average

Daily Max

BOD 712 lb/d 1222 lb/d 28 mg/l 49 mg/l

Ammonia 400 lb/d 606 lb/d 16 mg/l 24 mg/l

O & G 380 lb/d 570 lb/d 15 mg/l 23 mg/l

TSS 840 lb/d 1520 lb/d 34 mg/l 61 mg/l

Fecal Coliform 200 /100 ml 400 /100 ml

Total Nitrogen no limit

Table II – Proposed Limits

Parameter Monthly 

average

Daily Max EG / WQL

BOD 16 mg/l 26 mg/l EG - 423.122 BPT

Ammonia 4 mg/l 8 mg/l EG - 423.122 BPT

O & G 8 mg/l 14 mg/l EG - 423.122 BPT

TSS 20 mg/l 30 mg/l EG - 423.122 BPT

Fecal Coliform 200 /100 ml 400 /100 ml

EG -423.122 BPT (daily max), WQS 

(monthly average)

Total Nitrogen 103 mg/l 147 mg/l EG - 423.123 BAT

PH 6 to 9 SU WQS

Total residual chlorine 28 ug/l WQS
NPDES Permit Fact Sheet Perdue Farms, Inc. NC0028835

Page 3

Data review

Table III - Summary of DMR Data

1/04 – 8/07 Flow

MGD

BOD

lb/day

TSS

lb/day

O & G

lb/day

Ammonia

mg/l

TN

mg/L

TP

mg/L

Average 2.51 307 389 57 68 72 22

Max 3.29 1158 1454 550 520 141 47

Min 1.27 31 9 20 0.7 27 6

Notices of violations were issued to the facility for one fecal coliform daily max exceedance and three 

for pH for not reaching daily minimum. 

RPA - Total mercury was detected once in 2005 with a value of 0.23 μg/l. The allowable concentration 

for mercury is 3.8 μg/l. There is no reasonable potential to exceed the water quality limit for mercury, 

therefore monitoring was eliminated from the permit. 

Instream Monitoring – The facility monitors upstream (100 feet) and downstream (5 miles) of the 

discharge. Data collected includes temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, BOD and ammonia. Data was 

reviewed for the period of January 2004 to December 2006. Dissolved oxygen values of < 5 mg/l were 

reported during summer months both upstream and downstream of the discharge. The Division collects 

data at two sampling stations on the Roanoke River also upstream (11 miles) and downstream (17 

miles) of the discharge. Data from these two stations does not show low dissolved oxygen. All 

parameters appear to be within normal conditions. 

Proposed Changes

Limits for BOD, TSS, ammonia, oil and grease, and total nitrogen were modified to conform to 

current effluent guidelines for the Meat and Poultry Industry. 

Monitoring for mercury was eliminated from the permit. There is no reasonable potential to exceed 

the water quality standard.

A new effluent page is included for the expanded flow of 5 MGD. 

PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR PERMIT ISSUANCE

Draft Permit to Public Notice: October 24, 2007

Permit Scheduled to Issue: December 17, 2007

NPDES DIVISION CONTACT

If you have questions regarding any of the above information or on the attached permit, please contact 

Teresa Rodriguez at (919) 733-5083 ext. 553.

NAME: ____ DATE:
NPDES Permit Fact Sheet Perdue Farms, Inc. NC0028835

Page 4

Regional Office Comments

NAME: DATE:

SUPERVISOR: ____ DATE: