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EPA, DOH REACH AGREEMENT WITH MAUI COUNTY TO PREVENT SEWAGE SPILLS

Release Date: 9/9/1999
Contact Information: Lois Grunwald, U.S. EPA, 415-744-1588

     Released jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Hawaii Department of Health, and the State Attorney General

      County will use more reclaimed water for irrigation
 
     SAN FRANCISO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Hawaii Department of Health, and the State Attorney General have reached a settlement with Maui County in their court action against the county for repeated sewage spills.  Under a consent decree filed today, Maui County has agreed to institute maintenance procedures to prevent future sewage spills, undertake a $600,000 project to extend the use of reclaimed water for irrigation, and pay a $300,000 penalty.

     "Sewage spills pose a substantial health threat to the public.  Raw sewage contains pathogens," said Alexis Strauss, director of the EPA's regional Water Division.  "Maui's cooperation in putting this agreement into effect has already begun to reduce the number of spills.  We expect Maui will continue to make significant progress in reducing its sewage spills as the decree is implemented."

     "This agreement means that Maui will have a significantly better sewer system -- one that reduces sewer spills," said Lois J. Schiffer, assistant attorney general for environment and natural resources.  "It is an important step toward cleaner, healthier water for Maui."

     "The settlement is in the best interest of the people of Maui," said Dr. Bruce Anderson, director of the Hawaii Department of Health. "We are pleased that the parties involved will be putting their efforts into improvements that will benefit public health instead of litigation.  We are especially pleased that the project will increase the amount of water recycled on Maui, as water recycling is a major DOH goal and will help alleviate water shortages on the island."

     "The department is pleased that Maui County officials saw the prudence of avoiding a protracted litigation and entered a settlement focused on ensuring the public health of Maui," said State Attorney General Earl Anzai.

      For the past ten years, Maui had numerous raw sewage spills in all five of its sewage treatment service areas, indicating system-wide problems.  These spills, ranging from a few gallons up to a million gallons, reached ocean waters in some instances, necessitating the posting of warning signs on public beaches.  In other cases, the spills polluted freshwater streams, and in others, raw sewage flowed into public streets, parking lots, homes, and farms.

     The spills resulted from various causes, including blockage of sewer lines by grease build-ups, equipment malfunction and operator errors at sewage treatment plants and pump stations, pipe breaks caused by faulty construction work, and corrosion and collapse of aging sewer lines.

     Under the consent decree, Maui County must increase routine maintenance of sewer lines to prevent blockages; implement a grease-control ordinance; improve training for sewage system operators; educate construction contractors on avoiding damage to sewer lines; and evaluate and replace corroding sewer lines and aging treatment facilities. In addition, the county will extend distribution lines for reclaimed wastewater to irrigate outdoor landscaping.  This will reduce wastewater injection into aquifers, which may cause pollution in adjoining ocean waters.  The $300,000 penalty levied against Maui County will be divided equally between the federal and state governments.