News Release – DOH Issues NOVO to Hawaii American Water for Discharging Effluent Above Permitted Limits from East Honolulu Wastewater Treatment Plant

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIA‘ĀINA

KENNETH S. FINK, M.D., MGA, MPH
DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

DOH ISSUES NOVO TO HAWAII AMERICAN WATER FOR DISCHARGING EFFLUENT ABOVE PERMITTED LIMITS FROM EAST HONOLULU WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 3, 2024                                                                                                    25-002

HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has issued a Notice of Violation and Order (NOVO) to Hawaii American Water, for discharging effluent in exceedance of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. HI 0020303 limits from the East Honolulu Wastewater Treatment Plant (Facility) into the Pacific Ocean.

Between August 2022 and April 2024, Hawaii American Water discharged effluent from the facility in exceedance of NPDES permit limits for ammonia nitrogen on 14 occasions. The facility also failed to submit the required written noncompliance reports on two occasions. The NOVO requires Hawaii American Water to pay a penalty of $47,750 and orders corrective actions to prevent future exceedances from occurring.

“Ammonia is derived from the breakdown of proteins and amino acids in wastewater. High concentrations of ammonia can have toxic effects on aquatic organisms and contributes to excess nutrients in the water. As such, the discharge of ammonia above allowable limits into state waters is unacceptable,” stated Kathleen Ho, the deputy director for the Environmental Health Administration.

All persons, including business owners, government agencies and visitors must comply with environmental laws designed to protect Hawaiʻi. Failure to comply with water pollution laws may subject violators to monetary penalties of up to $60,000 per day, per violation.

 

The DOH Clean Water Branch protects public health and the environment by prohibiting discharges which impair water quality, keeping Hawaiʻi’s waters fishable and swimmable for everyone. Owners and operators of wastewater systems must comply with environmental regulations that are in place to protect the public and responds to pollution of state waters. Failure to do so results in legal action by the state, federal partners and/or private citizens.

To view the NOVO, visit here.

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Media Contact: 

Kristen Wong

Information Specialist

Hawai‘i State Department of Health

Phone: 808-586-4407

Email: [email protected]