FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                       July 20, 2006

PARTIAL TREATMENT BYPASS REPORTED

AT HONOULIULI WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

             The bottom of a fiberglass trough inside a clarifier at the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant failed yesterday (Wednesday, July 19, 2006) afternoon, resulting in less-than-full treatment of nearly 600,000 gallons of wastewater that was discharged from the Barbers Point outfall.

            About 12 feet of the bottom of the trough, called a “launder,” in the No. 4 clarifier cracked and buckled about 2 p.m. That resulted in an estimated 597,524 gallons of partially treated wastewater being discharged before all of the solids in it had settled to the bottom of the clarifier. Much of the discharge was diluted with effluent that had received secondary treatment before it all left the outfall.

            The flow into the No. 4 clarifier was stopped and diverted to another clarifier by 2:45 p.m.

            The outfall is more than 2 miles offshore, at a depth of 200 feet, so the bypass is expected to have negligible effects on the environment. 

             The Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency have been notified.

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Contact:

            Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767