Kaua‘i County Public Works Department Wastewater Management Division provided an update Friday about an ongoing wastewater spill, advising the public that about 70,000 gallons of wastewater continues to be intermittently discharged per day at Līhuʻe Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Division officials are working on short- and long-term solutions to correct the spill while county crews actively monitor and manage flows to ensure discharge remains contained within the treatment facility.
Discharge has not reached any public areas or state waters; there is no public health risk.
Intermittent discharges began about 10 a.m. March 17 and continue, especially during peak flow periods including early and late morning as well as evening hours.
The spill was caused by decreased capacity of an underground injection control well. High flows also could continue, depending on future rain events as intermittent discharges could increase during storm conditions.
Crews are performing additional disinfection of areas at the plant affected by the wastewater spill out of an abundance of caution.
Wastewater Management Division is coordinating with Hawai‘i Department of Health to evaluate options to expand injection well capacity and increase distribution of R-1 reuse — the highest grade of recycled water — to better handle higher flows.
Contact Donald Fujimoto with Kaua‘i County Wastewater Management Division at 808-241-4083 or via email at dfujimoto@kauai.gov for additional information and with any questions.
