HEAVY RAINS CAUSE TREATMENT PLANT OVERFLOWS

Crews from the city's Department of Environmental Services responded this morning to two wastewater treatment plant overflows, one at the Wahiawa Wastewater Treatment Plant and one at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Oahu received 14 inches of rain in a 12-hour period, causing high flows to the plants.  Intermittent overflows from the Wahiawa headworks facility began at 5:23 a.m. and ceased when crews secured the site at 1:40 p.m.  A total of approximately 226,000 gallons of combined fully treated and untreated wastewater went into Wahiawa Reservoir.

Approximately 10,000 gallons overflowed from a drain line at the Sand Island headworks facility, an estimated 5,000 gallons dissipated into the plant grounds and the remainder entered a storm drain that leads to Honolulu Harbor.

The City notified the state Department of Health of both overflows.  The City posted warning signs and sampling is ongoing. 

-30-

Contact:

Markus Owens, 768-3454