Stop Dumping Wailua Sewage into the Ocean

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health put a notice out on June 26th to renew a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for the Wailua Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kauaʻi (the Facility). The proposed Clean Water Act Permit would allow the Facility to continue discharging up to 1.5 million gallons of partially treated sewage water into the ocean for the next five years. 

The Wailua Wastewater Treatment Plant is an aging sewage treatment plant built in a floodplain and tsunami inundation zone with a history of failing pipes and sewage spills. This facility has needed an upgrade for over a decade and cannot accommodate the growing hotel industry. The draft permit allows the facility to discharge partially treated sewage right offshore Lydgate Beach Park. This area holds deep cultural significance to Native Hawaiians with two heiau within the project area.

The sewage comes out only 30’ underwater and approximately 235 yards  (about two Vidinha stadium football fields) off the beach by Kamalani Bridge at Lydgate Beach Park! This is in an area where conditions such as prevailing currents, tradewinds, and wave actions are likely to bring discharges back to shore. The closest beach to the outfall, Lydgate Beach Park is a heavily frequented spot by locals and tourists for swimming, surfing, kiting, windsurfing, fishing, and other recreational activities. 

The proposed permit sets high pollution limits, above water quality standards, allowing more pollution than functioning sewage plants put out. Furthermore, it does not even have limitations for nutrients frequently associated with treated wastewater that are toxic to coral reefs and can cause algal blooms that can irreparably harm reef systems. This permit essentially 'rubber stamps' continued pollution of our oceans, waves and beaches and would allow the facility to discharge through the ocean outfall whenever they want, rather than sending the treated wastewater to the County injection well, septic system at Lydgate Park, or to ponds on the Wailua County golf course for irrigation of the golf course.  

While Kaua'i County has funding allocated to explore sites for a new treatment plant, the community and environment cannot be expected to tolerate continued ocean pollution in the interim. 

Surfrider seeks community help to tell the Department of Health and County of Kauaʻi that enough is enough and they need to stop dumping Wailua sewage into the ocean. This permit is not in public interest and we are demanding a permit that actually protects public and environmental health.