2019-02-27 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

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Director Kucharski said that in Kealakehe, there are some existing projects that have been looked at for a couple of years, including the old airport, the development of QLT lands next to the airport, the regional park, and Kohanaiki. Users will need to be industrial or commercial, as personal use is not currently allowed for R-1 water. Whoever uses the R- 1 must be permitted as a user by the state, and the county has to ensure the user is following the requirements of their permit. The Water Reuse Task Force just finished looking at different reuse options, and one of their recommendations was to streamline and structure the state’s reuse requirements to be friendlier. Director Kucharski said he is hopeful there will be positive modifications. A councilperson has indicated that once the system is up, she would be willing to put forth legislation to require commercial use of wastewater in the same way that people who are newly accessible to a sewer are required to connect. They are going down the road Mr. Holmes discussed, but are still a couple of years away. A part of the recent sewer rate increase was to get additional staff to manage and have oversight over the R-1 system, since DEM is the agency that will have authority over non-potable water. DEM has been approached by Kohanaiki, which originally wanted 500,000 gallons per day. They would like to increase it to a million gallons per day. Regarding the salinity of the water, they are looking at replacing force mains all along Aliʻi Drive and elsewhere in Kona to reduce the in?low and in?iltration. Director Kucharski answered questions from the commissioners on whether the lines would have liners, what type of pipe would be used, and whether the waste would go to Kealakehe. Chair Bennett said an irrigation budget is needed. At some magical date in 2020 the department will be producing 1.8 million gallons of R-1 water. They need to know how much will be used in the short term, in the longer term, and eventually when the park comes on line. Director Kucharski said they have estimates now on what the four users will take, but they don’t have a timeline other than plus or minus ten years. He explained they are looking at how to move it all forward and that it is a moving target. Chair Bennett said he would like a reuse budget developed in an organized form so it can be used as a planning document. Director Kucharski said he could do it, but it would be all estimates. f. Discuss status of Uniform Plumbing Code adoption and making a recommendation to the County Council. Chair Bennett explained that on behalf of the EMC, he had previously testified in front of the County Council’s Environmental Management Committee and advocated for the adoption of the latest UPC codes with the green supplements. The UPC is developed by