2019-05-22 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Continued discussion on progress and future efforts to identify and control brackish water infiltration in coastal sewer lines, including Commissioner Fritz’s report on whether the Roto Rooter business has the ability to check laterals. Commissioner Fritz apologized that he had not checked with the Roto Rooter business. Director Kucharski said the Wastewater Division has a CCTV mobile camera that is used to check lines, and they also take salinity tests of conductivity between manholes. There is 2017 legislation that gives the county authority to check private laterals going into the public sewer system for infiltration and to require the owner to complete repairs if so. The county will need to create an ordinance to do this, and then administrative rules will be needed. The biggest issue DEM has is not technological but the lack of manpower. The EPA has funded an asset management program for DEM, and part of it requires and gives DEM the ability to track and systematize how their systems are checked. Once their data is documented, they will have an enhanced ability to identify infiltration areas. Things are moving, but slowly. The commissioners asked, and Director Kucharski answered, questions about: • whether the CCTV probe does only visual testing or will include other kinds of testing, • whether manholes are opened on a regular basis to check chloride levels, • whether infiltration causes the liquid level inside sewage lines to increase • how the department finds out there is a sewer problem, • whether an influent monitoring program at the treatment plant would be valuable for detecting elevated chlorides, and • whether a chloride conductivity monitor on the influent would be feasible. Director Kucharski said some areas still have cast iron sewer mains and pump station force mains which need replacing, and the department is being challenged by a lack of personnel to manage and get this done. It is disheartening. They have ten new positions that have been approved, but it is very difficult, especially in the Kona area, to hire people with the necessary level of experience. For example, two currently open positions have had only one applicant in the past six months. The department has a problem attracting and keeping people. Chair Bennett asked Steve Holmes if he was aware of the influent monitoring activities in Honolulu. Mr. Holmes said he has been trying to hook Director Kucharski up with Tim Houghton, the Deputy Director of Environmental Services in Honolulu. Honolulu is in a different situation from the Big Island in that there are multi-billion dollar federal consent decrees governing a lot of what is being done. Many resources are being directed towards solutions related to the collection system, and much of the work is being 4