CHEYENNE - In July 2023, DEQ issued a Permit to Construct to Basecamp Teton WY SPV, LLC (Basecamp) to construct and operate a sand mound septic system at Teton Village Resort near Wilson, Wyoming. Due to concerns about potential impacts to water quality, the DEQ required an environmental monitoring program as part of the issued permit.
In September and October 2024, data submitted by Basecamp, in accordance with the environmental monitoring program, indicated elevated ammonia levels above the groundwater quality standard in one of the facility’s four groundwater monitoring wells. In addition, DEQ completed a site inspection in October, during which it was discovered that treated effluent was ponding at the bottom of the sand mound rather than infiltrating into the ground, indicating the system was not operating correctly.
On October 29, 2024, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a Notice of Violation and Order to Basecamp. The Notice of Violation alleged that Basecamp was in violation of the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act, Wyoming Water Quality Rules, and permit conditions for incorrectly operating the sand mound septic system.
Upon receipt of the Notice of Violation and Order, Basecamp completed the required corrective actions in a timely manner. In accordance with DEQ’s Order, Basecamp ceased operations of the sand mound septic system and used septic hauling to dispose of septic waste until the noted violations were resolved. Basecamp determined that the presence of water at the bottom of the sand mound was the result of an underlying confining clay layer of soil. Basecamp implemented corrective actions that addressed the underlying confining layer so that treated effluent can now infiltrate into the ground as the system was designed to do. Basecamp conducted additional groundwater sampling, taking a sample from a location between the sand mound septic system and the groundwater monitoring well with elevated ammonia. The sampling results indicate the sand mound system is not the cause of the elevated ammonia levels. The cause of elevated ammonia in the groundwater monitoring well is currently unknown; however, the Basecamp septic system has been ruled out as the source, and DEQ will continue to investigate the source of the elevated ammonia levels.
Basecamp has completed all required corrective actions and submitted information demonstrating the Notice of Violation’s compliance issues have been corrected. Therefore, the DEQ issued a Notice of Compliance to Basecamp on November 15, 2024, allowing Basecamp to resume operations of the sand mound septic system in accordance with the issued permit.
A copy of the Notice of Violation and Order and the Notice of Compliance can be found on the DEQ’s Water Quality Division website under Enforcement Actions.
This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality · 200 West 17th St.· Cheyenne, WY 82002
