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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1032.002 2004-2006 KAPOHO KAI WATER ASSOCIATION RR2 BOX 4043 PAHOA, HAWAII 96778 August 18, 2006 C7 Gary Saf 6k, Chairman O Environmental Management Committee County of Hawaii w 25 Aupuni St o Hilo, HI 96720 Mr. Safarik, v We are writing to you in the hopes that your committee will support an environmental cause we have undertaken. The cause, simply put, is to prevent residential wastewater from polluting the tide pools at Wai 'Opae Marine Life Conservation District and Kapoho Bay. Kapoho Kai Water Association, a non-profit organization of community volunteers, was established in February 2000, the end result being that 75% of Vacationland's 105 homes have converted from a water catchment system to County water through our private water system. In February 2005 our environmentally conscious Board of Directors added the phrase "sewer research" to our mission statement believing that an unfunded water supply would generate a significant increase in wastewater discharge from the large number of cesspools and septic tanks directly into our coastal waters highly frequented by visitors and residents alike. Located on the southeast side of the Big Island of Hawaii, Kapoho has two residential coastal communities developed in 1960: Kapoho Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots. Kapoho Vacabonland is bordered by the Wai 'Opae MLCD. Kapoho Beach Lots is bordered by Kapoho Bay. These two residential communities are undoubtedly the lowest lying coastal communities in Hawaii. Some older homes in Vacationland are a mere 1' above the mean high tide level. The result of so many homes discharging wastewater into the water table was documented by a series of tide pool water quality tests performed by Aecos Labs from February to August of 2005 (see attach A). The data from these tests revealed what is apparent by observing the condition of the Wai ' Opae tide pools. Excessive nutrient from wastewater generated by Vacationland's homes serves as fertilizer for algae that smothers struggling coral colonies. Bacteria levels exceeding State standards imply a possible health hazard to the estimated 50,000 people that visit the tide pools at Wai 'Opae annually. As a result of the water quality testing data our Board of Directors decided after much deliberation that a small diameter wastewater treatment system would be the best and only permanent solution to Kapoho's long standing tide pool pollution concerns (see Comm. No. IOU.?. Ref. To: Ref. bate AUG 2 3 2UU attach B). After significant historical research we discovered a similar effort was unsuccessful in 1998. In June 2005 we contacted State Senator Russell Kokubun in the hope that a legislative bill could be drafted to fund a feasibility study for a wastewater treatment facility to serve both Kapoho Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots as well as public restrooms at the Wai 'Opae MLCD and in November 2005 he arranged a meeting with State Dept. of Health Deputy Director Lang Lau, County of Hawaii Wastewater Administrator Peter Boucher and County Councilman Gary Safarik. Through Senator Kokubun's efforts and positive testimony from the Dept. of Health, Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, County of Hawaii Dept. of Environmental Management and Kapoho Beach Community Association Board of Directors, SB 2480 sw=wfully passed appropriating $150,000 towards a feasibility study slated to be completed on or before January 2007. KKWA Board of Directors fully support this resolution including Kapoho Beach Lots in the scope of Senate Bill 2480. We believe with the support and participation of the greater community and interested environmental groups our goal of ending wastewater pollution in Kapoho will be realized with the help of our County Council. We hope to save our precious ocean resources for future generations and KKWA's Board of Directors implore your support to our cause. You may contact me at any time by email, letter or phone. There is more information available at our website: www.vhca.info and click on kkwa Mahalo,, / Eric Schott, President KKWA Board of Directors 808.775.9885 phone/fax Email: pualehuafarrn@hotmail.com cc: VHCA Board of Directors Senator Russell Kokubun Councilman Gary Safarik KBCA Board of Directors Barbara Bell, Dir. Dept of Environmental Management Attachments Qt r TIMELINE OF CESSPOOL SEEPAGE CONCERNS IN VACATIONLAND. HAWAII January 14,1988 - Vacationland Hawaii Community Association asks for the ban of cesspools due to pollution of tide pools in a formal request to the State of Hawaii, Department of Health May 12, 1988 - Continued sewage problems mentioned in minutes report by VHCA's Health and Preservation Committee November 8, 1988 - Resolution draft initiated by County Clerks Office (Russell Kokubon) re: sanitation problems July 12, 1989 - Alternatives to cesspools presented and the possibility in pursuing Federal and State funds for a small sewage treatment plant in Vacationland November 8, 1989 - Department of Health proposed designation of a Critical Wastewater Discharge Area effective Jan. 1990 in Vacationland, stating cesspools are prohibited (informational letter regarding a Federal grant to design a wastewater system for KapohoNacationiand). January 10, 1990 - Discussion held by VHCA's Health and Safety Committee regarding septic and holding tanks for Vacationland August 29,1990 - Dennis Tulang of State Department of Health, Wastewater Branch reports that our water is indeed polluted January 10,1992 - Jan Anderson of VHCA's Health and Safety Committee reports that the tide pools in Vacationland are officially polluted (EPA). A motion was carried to work with Resource Conservation and Development (Andy Levin) to present a tax incentive proposal to eliminate "grandfathered" cesspools, proposed alternative primary and secondary wastewater treatment systems to be presented to the 1992 Legislative session June 4,1992 - Letter from Bruce McClure, Chief Engineer, County of Hawaii, Dept. of Public Works to Councilwoman Helene Hale stating existing cesspools are required to be upgraded to an appropriate treatment system as a condition for approval of any modification to the existing dwelling. April 1998 - Community meetings held to evaluate support for proposed sewage treatment plant to serve Kapoho Vacationland and Beach Lots. June 1998 - County sponsored sewer system feasibility study dropped in progress. Fred: To*97759W5 tT~ A review of water quality characteristics at the Wai Opm a MLCD, IGtpoho, Aawail Michael I,. Parsons, Marine Science Department, University of Hawaii at Imo Abstract On September 2, 2005, the Kapoho Kai Water Association provided Dr. Parsons with two sets of water quality data from the Wai Opae tidepools MLCO. One set was from the Aecos I.abwatory (four sites sampled between 2/28/05 and August 8, 2005), the other from the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch (one site sampled between January 19.1999 and June 13, 2005). The data were examined for trends and relationships among sampling site, salinity, Enterococc7a abundance, water turbidity, nitrate-nitrite concentrations, and day of week sampled Results indicate that Enterococeus abundance does not correlate with either salinity or turbidity, suggesting that groundwater and/or surface water inputs are not the source of these pathogens, Rather, Enterococ cea abnmatisce appears to be highest on Mondays, suggesting that wtdtend processes/activities tray be a factor. Further examination of the Aecos data indicates that Enter ococcus abundance appeas to be site-specific, relatively independent of salinity. This result suggests that Enterecoom abundance may be related to very localized and proximal sources, the most likely of which would be ecsspools of the surrounding houses in Vacationland. Introduction Water quality is an important topic for many coastal regions, including Hawaii. Poor water quality, caused by nutrient enrichment, pollution, turbidity, and other factors, can not only at'fect coastal ecosystem health, but the health of people who utilize the coastal resources as well. For example, people can got sick from eating shellfish containing the bacterium, Yibrio wdWItcws, a pathogen associated with human cMucnt inputs to coastal waters. For Hawaii, especially the Big Island, one of the primary sources of pollution leading to poor water quality is thought to be cesspool leachates from residential and gang cesspools. Simply stated, cesspool fluids can (and dot interact with the groundwater, often leading to transport of cesspool leaehates to the coastal waters of Hawaii along with accompanying pathogens. nutrients, and pollutants. Enterocomm is an aerobic bacteria that naturally lives in the human intestines and is used as an indicator of scwagc%x:sspuol inputs to U.S. coastal/Great Lakes waters and also displays the strongest correlation to swimming associated gesttroetutxitis in marine waters according to EPA epidemiological snidies. In Hawaii, however, Enterocoeeua naturally occurs in soil, so high bacterial levels may not indicate sewage inputs, but rather sediment inputs Local studies show that Enrerer"e dies off significantly in marine waters (exposed to sualight) after 3 hounx and in 6 hours is negligible, indicating that high levels ofF,nterococem will be associated with recent phenomena (within 6 hours of contact with marine waters). Given the confounding situation that sediment inputs can cause in monitoring for waste water inputs, the EPA has permitted Hawaii to use Clasrrsdtumjwfrtngens as a secondary indicator. Closirldfum pen%ngettr is an anaembic bacteria that lives in the intestines of humans, cats, pigs, sheep, dogs, and ducks. Ooze outside of the intestines, Oostridlum does not romoduce and unlike Bhretwcoacrer, the spores of Clostridium survive a very longtime (weeks). Therefore, Ctoserldfum has the potential forusc as a longer-team indicator of waste water inputs. SwF-27-2005 08:37 Fans: To:97759885 P.~=? The Deparmemt of Heap has been monitoring for Entetrn»ccus at the Wai Opae tide pools at in Vaeationland for some time (and Clostridium more recently). Vacarionland is a coastal community consisting of IDS homes, many of which use cesspools for waste water disposal. Water quality concerns of the local community lead to further water quality monitoring by the Aecos Laboratory. The Kapoho Kai Water Association provided me with datesets from the Department of Health and Aecos Laboratories to examine for relationships between bacteria densities (F.ntewcocrxu and Clostridium) and available tmvironmental and temporal data (i.e., nutrients, turbidity, datat sampled). Below I present my analysis and my interpretation of the results. Methods The data were provided to Dr. Parsons in hard copy and had to be input into an MS Excel spreadshoct for analysis. The data were input into a columnar format by date, station, salinity, pH, Enterococew densities, violation flag (if densities were >7 efu/100 mi), total nitrogen (mg/1), nitrate-nitrito (mg/1), total phosphorus (mgll), Clostridium pajf mgens densities (cfu/lo0 ml), and turbidity (NTU). Not all of them variables were measured for every sample, in which case cells were left blank. The data were primarily examined using salinity, turbidity, and time as indcpcmdmt variables, and Ewerococcus density as the dependent variable. Comparisons of Entervem,cus and Clostridium densities were ulso conducted. Data were examined as continuous variables (i.e., examining ttnc raw data as collm-ted, looking for relationships), and categorically (i.e., based on whether Enterococcrcr densities were in violation or not). In the latter case, the data were examined via frequency analysis. Results The first analysis conducted was to examine the Department of Health data (one pool sampled over a 6.5 year period) and compute the frequency of Enteracoccus violations versus salinity (Figure 1). 70%- 00%. 5o% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 410 11 to 15 16 to 20 21 tc 26 26 to 30 31 to 35 3,35 sannny ranges (ppt) Figure 1. Frequency of Enterococcus vtolstions versus ssardty .9EP-27-2005 08:38 From: To:97759W5 P.4,9 The highest fancy of violation (65% of samples were in violation) occurred within the salinity range of t 1 to 15 ppt; the lowest salinity range (<10 ppt) had the fourth-highest level of violation (--25%). new results suggest that Enterococew densities are not simply a fimetion of freshwater inputs (e.g., groundwater), but seem to he highest when ocean and Giesh water are mixed at ratios of 2:1 to 1:2 (i.e., 25% to 75% dilution). This observation suggests that marine- basal hydrologic pm=scs mubt play a role in importing Enterococcus-laden freshwaters to the tidepools, the most likely process being tidal pulsing. If Enterococcus was being imported along with eroded sediment into the tidepools, then we would expect to we a positive relationship between water turbidity (a measure of water clarity; suspended sediments would decrease clarity and increase turbidity) and Eate rxxKYw densities. An examination of a plot of Enteroeocew densities versus water turbidity (Figure 2) demonstrates the opposite; there arc higher Eeterococcus densities at lower turbidity levels. Hither sediment inputs are not a source of Enterocoecav to the Wai Opae tidepools, or turbidity is not a good indicator of sediment inputs to the system. loon 100 5 ? Q 10, ? % = M ? M? MM MMH? ? ? • ? • Q.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 OA 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.9 turbidity (NTU) Figure 2. Enrerococous densities vs water turbidity A firnher examination of turbidity versus salinity (Figure 3) indicates that turbidity increases with increasing salinity. This positive relationship indicate, that the primary source of turbidity appears: to be related to meanie processes, most likely particle resuspension by wave action during high tides (and high salinities). s EP-27-2005 08:38 From! To: 97759885 P.5r9 0.9 0.6 ? •M r • m • ? • w?i? ? 0.3 + ? w+ ? 41 • p • ? ? • 0 15 20 25 30 35 40 salinity (eat) Figure 3. Turbidity vs salinity As the EPA has permitted the Hawaii Department of Health to utilize Clostridium perfringens as a secondary bacteria indicator in an attempt to eliminate the confounding factor of sediment inputs, I also examined Clostridium densities when Emeroeoccus densities were in violation (7 efull00 ml) versus when they were not (K7 cfh/100 ml). Clostridium densities are much higher on average when E'nterococcus was above the violation threshold versus not (2.7 cfu versus 0.3 cfu, respectively. Figure 4). 'fixesc results suggest that when Enterocomus is at high densities, it is likely that Clostridium will be as well. As buth bacteria are indicators of waste water, waste water appears to be the likely source for both bacteria. 6 5 4 3 y II U 9 0 YM no 6aWacem m In vipl?Npn4 Fipur? 4. ClostrMum density versus Enttrocoomo vloistim .SEP-27-2085 08:39 From: To:9775988s P.6/9 A final analysis of the Department of Health data examined the fivquency of Enterococew violations versus the day of the week the sample was taken. Samples most fte*m-tly in violation were collected on Mondays; all samples in violation were collected between Monday and Wednesday. These results suggest that the source of Enterococcus is most prevalent an the early in the week, and is virtually absent towards the latter end of the week. 0-2- 271154 OAS .I _..101 ftnre 0.1 3i 2*8 : 0.09 am Ole e15 OR 0 M T W R F S u day of wools Fipura s. % of samptaa in violation vs day of weak I exatnincd the Aecos Laboratory tiataset to provide a spatial view of the issue (the Department of Health data - rcre all from anc- site). Four stations were sampled by Aecos Laboratory on a monthly basis between February and August 2005. An examination of Enterococcus density versus salinity aerms stations indicates once again that Enierococcus density violations are not simply a function of salinity (Figure 6). Nitrate-nitrite concentrations display conservative dilution with increasing salinity (Figure 7),a typical characteristic of this groundwater-borne nutrient. The other chemical parameters (total nitrogen and phosphorous) were generally below limits of detection and were not malyzeA An examination of average salinity, nitrate-nitrite conccntrations, and Enterxrcocxw densities (Figure 8) demonstrates, however, that station 2 clues not appear to follow conservative dilution, as nitrate.nitritc levels are lower versus stations 1 and 3 (of similar salinity), yet.Enterococcres densities are twice as high. These observations suggest that tho freshwater source at station 2 may be different versus the other stations (i.e., station 2 has diftcrent characteristics relative to salinity versus the other stations). -SEP-27-2005 08:39 From: To:97759885 P.7,9 40- • o t na• vl•latlen 33- ~ a • 2 vlotttlon 25- tlen @ 1 • i non.MOlatlvn 30- n • 9 WWatlan g e 1 "n-dd4wil" • vkwatlon 20 - is 10 8 0 0 1 2 3 4 6 station Figure G. AECOS samPOng stations versus salinity i • 0.8 0.8 E 0.4- 0.2- 0 0 10 20 30 40 salinity Figure T. Nitralwutrite versus salinity .9EP-27-2005 08:40 From' To'97759885 P.8.9 40 0.6 6wunny 36CEnterococci 0.5 90 • N03 imgrl) E g 26 OA 20 0.3 0 ° 15 0.2 t0 a 0.1 0 0 i 2 3 4 station Figure 8. FANnity. nitrate-nitrNa concentrations, Enteroeoecus density versus station Discussion F.nterococcus densities are often high at various locations at the Wai Opae tidepools, and appear to be independent of salinity (Figures 1, 6, and 8), suggesting that bacterial density is not a simple function of freshwater input. Additionally, bacterial densities are not related to turbidity (Figure 2) su"eating that sediment inputs are not a source of Enterococcuv. In Fact, there is an inverse relationship between bacterial densities and turbidity, and turbidity actually increases with salinity (Figure 3) Suggesting that turbidity is a function of wave action rather than terrestrial run-off.. Clostridium ingens densities were almost tat times higher when Entavcoccus densities were above the violation threshold (Figure 4), suggesting a common sourcc Int both bacteria. As both bacteria occur in the human intestines and are used as indicators of waste water, it is likely that the source is human waste. The ptimary source of human waste to the Wai Opae ridcpools is cesspools of houses in Vacationtand (although it is unknown which houses are possible significant sources). The highest frequency of Enterococeicv violations occurred on Monday, and all violations occurred in the first three days of the work week (Figure 5). These resulis suggest that weekend occupation of bousea in Vacationland (many of which are rental properties or vacation homes) may lead to increased waste water production and subsequently increased cesspool fluxes. The observation that Enterocacus densities appear to reach background levels by Thursday (Figure 5) suggests that cesspool fluxes return to background levels by then. Examination of the Accos dateset, however, indicates that the hydrology at Wai Opae is not a aimpiv function of a groundwater lens moving back and forth with the tide. Station 2 appears to have dii1crent characteristics than stations 1, 3, and 4, where fresher waters have higher Enterococcus densities but lower nitrate-nitrite levels (Figure 8). This observation does not ,SEP-27-200$ 08:40 From, To.-jr(9085 P.9/9 agree with the conservative dilution characteristics of nitrate-nitrite that is present (at some) Wai Opae pools (Figure 7). As nutrients were only sampled one time (August however, it is not possible to draw conclusions on their putemial use as chemical indicators of potential eess(w01 inputs. conclusions Given the data available to mc, I suspect that sediments (soils) are not the primary source of atcroaoccwr bacteria to the Wai Opae tidepools. Rather, the data suggest that cesspool fluxes from nearby houses arc the likely sorucc(s) of the bacteria. Further analyses (c.g, tmcer dye, dissolved organic nitrogen, stable nitrogen isotopes) can provide more data to better determine if cesspools are in fact the source, but r believe the data provided clearly demonstrate that sediments are not the source.