County of Hawai’I to rehabilitate aging wastewater infrastructure following sewer overflows
(UI) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with the County of Hawai’i to ensure pollution discharge requirements are met at the Hilo, Pāpa‘ikou, and Kula‘imano Wastewater Treatment Plants in accordance with the Clean Water Act. The three plants are located on the island of Hawai‘i.
The consent order requires the County of Hawai‘i to address broken equipment and deferred maintenance and to develop a program to systematically repair, rehabilitate, and replace aging infrastructure. The goal of these efforts is to prevent reoccurrence of sewage breaks and sewage spills. The order requirements include:
- Designing a new pipeline that conveys wastewater under pressure at Kealakehe
- Replacing and repairing the Hale Hālāwai and the Pua pipelines that convey wastewater under pressure
- Conducting a comprehensive condition assessment
- Completing an Integrated Master Plan for wastewater across the county
- Preparing a financial plan
- Fully implementing an Asset Management System for the county’s wastewater infrastructure
- Developing a Spill Response Plan to prevent and contain sewer spills
- Implementing a preventative maintenance program for sewer lines to prevent spills
The County of Hawai‘i owns and operates the wastewater collection system and treatment plants, which include approximately 105 miles of gravity sewer lines, 14 miles of sewer force mains, 16 sewer pump stations, and six wastewater treatment plants.
EPA identified significant operation and maintenance deficiencies which have affected the treatment systems, leading to violations of limitations on what the plants can discharge as well as sewer overflows.
EPA has worked cooperatively with the County and Hawai’i Department of Health to identify needs for capital improvements, strengthened planning efforts, and asset management of the county’s wastewater infrastructure systems.
“Compliance with the Clean Water Act is essential to protecting public health and Hawai‘i's cherished coastal waters. With our partners at Hawai‘i Department of Health, EPA will provide attentive oversight of Hawai‘i's wastewater improvements,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman.
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