COM 0865.001 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Draft Environmental Assessmen' June, 1998 Old Hilo Wastewater Treatment _ ..,nt Page 11 7.2 Freshwater and Seawater Management The Center will approximately need total of 1.5 mgd freshwater and seawater pumped from the wells installed at site and the deep seawater well of the adjacent Institute of Geology. It will also discharge approximately 1.5 mgd of used freshwater and seawater effluent from its aquaculture and marine science facilities. The discharges will contain mainly organic waste products and high salinity. The groundwater beneath the project site is the Hilo aquifer system which has an enormous groundwater flow. The site is in the shoreline of Puhi Bay, and is rich with seawater resources. The intakes of 1.5 mgd groundwater and seawater will not have substantial impact on either the groundwater or the seawater resources. The Center is proposed to have less than 23,000 pounds of fish on site at any one time. Rotary microscreens are proposed for removing solid fish wastes from the used freshwater and seawater discharged from the Center. It is estimated that the Center will produce a total wastewater volume of 1.5 mgd. On-site treatment will be provided by the Center. All applicable permitting requirements and procedures will be followed for this wastewater discharge. 7.3 Economic Approximately five million dollars ($5,000,000) will be brought into the local economy through the renovation and development of the PACRC. This is a one-time infusion of funds. The recurring PACRC operations and maintenance, including research and training, will bring six hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($650,000) per year into the economy. 8.0 ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTION 8.1 No Action The project property is no longer in service, except Pua Street Pump Station at the site. If no action is taken, the buildings and facilities will continue to decompose and rust away. The land where the plant is located will be left idle. As expressed in the Environmental Impact Statement for the new Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant, the structures in the old treatment plant were to be demolished and the site to be converted into a community park. 8.2 Alternate Sites and Actions The proposed Center is an alternative to the initial plan of demolishing certain structures at the project property. Selection of an alternative site will have negative economic consequences. There