More than 9 million gallons of waste and storm water was released from three sewer pumps as rainfall from Hurricane Lane caused them to overflow.
More than 9 million gallons of waste and storm water was released from three sewer pumps as rainfall from Hurricane Lane caused them to overflow.
Dora Beck, Hawaii County wastewater division chief, said the bulk was released from a pump station on Kalanianaole Street, which released 5.9 million gallons into the ocean via the county’s wastewater outfall. She estimated 17 percent of that was untreated wastewater.
Additionally, 2.6 million gallons was released from the Wailuku River pump station and another 745,000 gallons at the Paukaa pump station. At the later, the discharge flowed downhill over a cliff, Beck said. The station is near homes, but she stated that no homes were flooded as a result. At least one man’s home downhill of the pump station received major flooding during the storm. The overflows occurred Aug. 24 as storm water entered sewage systems via manholes, Beck said.
