Meeting Time: November 30, 2022 at 9:00am HST
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Agenda Item

CARE-2022 Ref NOTE: THE COMMITTEE MAY RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATION BE REFERRED TO THE COUNCIL CHAIR FOR THE TERM BEGINNING JANUARY 2, 2023, UNDER RULE 22 OF THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL.

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    Travis Liggett almost 2 years ago

    November 30, 2022

    Re: Bill 52

    Aloha CARE Committee,

    I am writing to encourage you to recommend that Bill 52 requiring disinfection of all municipal wastewater discharges in Maui County be referred to the Council Chair for the term beginning January 2, 2023.

    Bill 52 is an important law that needs to be passed to protect Maui residents and visitors from harmful pathogens in non-disinfected wastewater that flows from municipal injection well wastewater discharges into nearshore recreation areas, including Cove Park in Kihei where indicator bacteria measurements are routinely measured above safe levels in nearshore waters where surfers, swimmers and divers enjoy Maui's ocean environment. See included documents for maps of injection well plumes and supporting references.

    Good news is that, since Bill 52 was up for discussion in the CARE Committee earlier this year, the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management has moved forward with installing UV disinfection for the injection well flows at the Kihei Wastewater Reclamation Facility. This capability is almost ready to be initiated. This is a big step forward toward cleaning up indicator bacteria measurements at nearshore recreation areas located inside the injection well plume such as Cove Park. Lahaina has enjoyed UV disinfection of injection well discharges since 2015. Only Kahului remains without any disinfection of injection well discharges after chlorine disinfection was ceased in 2018.

    There is an existing County contract with engineering firm Brown and Caldwell to draft a Preliminary Engineering Report describing a design for a new pump station at the Kahului WWRF to convey the water away from injection wells to soil aquifer treatment (SAT) basins or reuse away from the plant. UV disinfection will be added to this pump station PER, making UV disinfection of all municipal wastewater within reach County wide. Please keep the momentum going toward 100% municipal wastewater reuse in Maui County by advancing Bill 52 to the next Council.

    Special thanks to Council member King for drafting Bill 52, and gratitude to all Members for your public service.

    Thank you,

    Travis Liggett
    President, Reef Power LLC
    travis@reefpowermaui.com
    www.FlushAware.com
    www.Instagram.com/reefpowermaui