Sunday, November 08, 2009
Search
Blogs
HiLife Online 
Reader Poll
Most Read
- Educators accused of unethical conduct
- Desperate times at Aloha Stadium
- Communication gaffe raises fuss in chief selection
- Symphony cancels concerts and will downsize
- Access justice
- Senate to grill DOE on stimulus
- Kahuku rallies for the Red
- Downturn hurting donations
- TV deal includes payment of $22M
- Letters to the Editor
- Delivery with a smile
EPA's sewage ruling may cost city $1.2 billion
POSTED: 11:23 a.m. HST, Jan 06, 2009
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today rejected the city’s request to continue operating its two major wastewater treatment plants without upgrading them to secondary treatment, which would force the city to spend up to $1.2 billion.
According to a EPA news release, the agency said the discharge coming from the Sand Island and Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment plants does not meet federal water quality standards.
“This action will ensure that residents and visitors using Hawaii’s ocean waters are protected from inadequately treated sewage,” said Wayne Nastri, the EPA’s administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. “We will work with the city on a realistic schedule to upgrade its two largest wastewater plants, taking into account the other priorities for improvements to Honolulu’s wastewater treatment.”
A city spokesman said the Hannemann administration would appeal the decision.
Mayor Mufi Hannemann had fought tirelessly for the EPA to renew permits that the city had for decades. Hannemann had argued that upgrading to secondary treatment was unnecessary since surrounding waters did not negatively affect residents. Hannemann has said it would cost the city up to $1.2 billion to upgrade the plants.
The EPA received nearly 600 comments during its public comment period.
These wastewater plants operate with only primary treatment, which screens out large floating objects. Most other municipal wastewater plants already operate with secondary treatment.
Secondary treatment would filter out the wastewater to remove organic matter using the bacteria in the sewage.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today rejected the city’s request to continue operating its two major wastewater treatment plants without upgrading them to secondary treatment, which would force the city to spend up to $1.2 billion.
According to a EPA news release, the agency said the discharge coming from the Sand Island and Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment plants does not meet federal water quality standards.
“This action will ensure that residents and visitors using Hawaii’s ocean waters are protected from inadequately treated sewage,” said Wayne Nastri, the EPA’s administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. “We will work with the city on a realistic schedule to upgrade its two largest wastewater plants, taking into account the other priorities for improvements to Honolulu’s wastewater treatment.”
A city spokesman said the Hannemann administration would appeal the decision.
Mayor Mufi Hannemann had fought tirelessly for the EPA to renew permits that the city had for decades. Hannemann had argued that upgrading to secondary treatment was unnecessary since surrounding waters did not negatively affect residents. Hannemann has said it would cost the city up to $1.2 billion to upgrade the plants.
The EPA received nearly 600 comments during its public comment period.
These wastewater plants operate with only primary treatment, which screens out large floating objects. Most other municipal wastewater plants already operate with secondary treatment.
Secondary treatment would filter out the wastewater to remove organic matter using the bacteria in the sewage.
Today’s Edition
- Damien celebrations draw to a close
- Calls for tax hike piling on reluctant lawmaker
- Retailers on guard as crooks ram vehicles into properties
- County pandemic plans to apply to overall state response strategy
- State welfare payouts drop as numbers of needy grow
- Earlier primary voting considered
- Whatever Happened To: Case of baby who died in Customs heads to trial after failure to settle
- Newswatch
- Police and Fire
- Shining Stars
- Vital Statistics
- What's open and closed on Veterans Day
- Trouble in Paradise
- Windfall is seen as bank bonuses are paid in stock
- Overweight Americans push back in the health care debate
- Handmade: Make your presence felt with 'Felties'
- Drawing attention
- Da Kine
- Scrivener's Sudoku: Army Community Hawaii
- Murakami's Calabash
- Warriors find winning formula
- Feeding frenzy for UH backs
- Porous run defense deflates Utah State
- Short snaps: UH vs. Utah State
- Further Review: Old-school running game keyed UH's feel-good win
- Amis out indefinitely with foot injury
- UH's Lee lifts Hawaii's spirit
- Farrington finds a way
- 'Iolani rolls Damien to prepare for states
- Hawaii Beat
- Scoreboard
- Television & Radio
- New kite business takes off
- Business briefs
- It's not too late to cut tax liability
- Hawaii Real Estate Sales
- Tracking Hawaii's student stock pickers
insideStarBulletin.com
