#Injection Wells

A lack of fresh water resources has long held back housing development on Maui. And now that there’s a post-disaster housing shortage, the Maui County Council will consider Friday a resolution calling for increased production and expansion of recycled wastewater use to make more potable water available for human consumption.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health is seeking public comment on a proposed Clean Water Act permit for the County of Maui’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility. This is the first time a permit is being proposed for a wastewater treatment facility that discharges to the ocean via groundwater.

Environmental groups on Maui are studying a draft permit by Maui County that proposes using more treated water from its Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant for irrigation, which would reduce ocean pollution.

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund co-founder Hannah Bernard is happy with the successes of her groups on Maui and Hawaiʻi islands, including the scores of volunteers who help to clean up marine debris. The nonprofit educational organization is part of a broad movement to protect endangered species, such as the Hawksbill and green sea turtle, and to take measures to maintain clean coastal waters. Maui Now writer Gary Kubota talks to Bernard about Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund’s successes and future challenges in this People of Maui series.

If approved, the proposed funding of up to $9.5 million will be used to construct a wastewater treatment facility for the Māʻalaea community which Councilmember King said currently relies on 24 outdated injection wells. 

The Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Charitable Trust has donated $40,000 to the University of Hawai‘i Maui College Water Quality Lab.

“Maui County is making investments to make its wastewater system more efficient and environmentally friendly, and that effort will continue regardless of the outcome in any court case,” Council Chair Alice L. Lee said today.

The Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter joins fellow environmental groups on Maui in a paddle out event on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 5, in celebration of clean water.

Maui County Council members voted 5 to 4 to settle the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility injection wells case this afternoon.

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino detailed anticipated impacts that he said would surface if the County ends up withdrawing from a U.S. Supreme Court case involving Lahaina’s injection wells.

The complaint states that in 2012 one of the plaintiffs to file against the county was the West Maui Preservation Association (WMPA.) According to the complainant Paltin in 2017 was the Director of the WMPA and then in 2018 she was the President of the organization. 

Late Friday night, a majority of the Maui County Council voted in favor of a settlement to withdraw the county’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the federal Clean Water Act’s protections against ocean pollution from the county’s Lahaina wastewater plant.

The panel found that the County has been violating the US Clean Water Act since its Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility was first put into operation.

The EPA filed an amicus brief with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals involving the use of injection wells at Maui’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility.

Under the settlement, the County may appeal these rulings, but, if the rulings are upheld, it must implement the $2.5 million projects to divert and reuse the wastewater.

A trial that was scheduled to get underway this week has been moved to Nov. 17, 2015 to allow parties time to finalize and approve the settlement. In January, a federal court ruled that illegal discharge of wastewater had occurred, affecting offshore waters at the popular Kahekili Beach Park in West Maui.

Sol Kahoohalahala, 2010 candidate for Maui Mayor, Transcript: Introduction:  Aloha, my name is Sol Kahoohalahala.  I’m from the island of Lanai, and with your support, I’d like to be the next mayor of Maui County.  There are a few things that I think we should all give serious thought to in this upcoming election.  That’s considering […]

Johnathon Olson, 2010 candidate for Maui Mayor, Transcript: Introduction:  Aloha Maui.  I’m Jonathon Olson, a mayoral candidate for the County of Maui.  I’ve lived on the island for 24 years.  I’m a certified public accountant and a real estate broker.  I was Chief Financial Officer at Maui Memorial Hospital.  I lived on Lanai and we built […]

Harol “Hap” Miller, 2010 candidate for Maui Mayor, Transcript: Introduction:  Aloha, I’m Harold “Hap” Miller.  I’ve lived here on Maui almost 40 years.  I originally lived in Lahaina and got involved with real estate over there.  I got involved in sales, property management and development.  In 1979, I had a listing to sell condominiums on Front […]

Patricia “Sally Chow” Hammond, 2010 candidate for Maui Mayor, Transcript: Introduction: Aloha no kakou, my name is Patricia Hammond, many of you know me as Sally Chow, and I’m running for the office of Mayor of Maui County.  First, I feel a responsibility to let you folks know that Maui County does comprise of not one two […]