HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0674.001 2002-2004 HALE HO'OLA HAMAKUA
~ HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CUIh~ (~~li ti's f'+flj ] 1
C O R P O R A T I O N
STATE OF HAWAII
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"TOUehing Llvq Everytlay"
August 3, 2004
TO: Members, Parks & Environmental Management Committee
Hawaii County Council
FROM: Romel Dela Cruz, Administrator
Hale Ho'ola Hamakua (HHH)/Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC)
SUBJECT: BACKGROUND INFORMATION RE WASTE WATER TREATMENT
PLANT (WWTP) OPERATED BY HHH/HHSC
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this discussion concerning EPA
regulations that eliminate the use of Large Capacity Cesspools effective April 2005,
and, the effort initiated by Honokaa business and community leaders (Honokaa
Community Sanitation Project) to formulate an action plan that identifies alternative
solutions addressing this important concern. HHH operates the only certified Waste
Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Honokaa and Project members have. requested HHH
to consider the connection of other users to the system in order to meet EPA
regulations. I am here to present information about the capacity of the existing system
and to share our perspective on the request.
HHH is a 50 bed hospital based nursing home facility and is one of twelve healthcare
facilities throughout the State operated by the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation
(HHSC). HHH was part of State construction project in 1995 that included a health
clinic, and a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). The construction cost of the
WWTP was $1.7 million and it consisted of (1) a transmission line from the facility to
the site of the plant which is located approximately two miles makai, (2) two holding
ponds situated on a two acre site where the untreated waste water is collected and
treated, and, (3) three wells where the treated waste water is directed and then
injected into the ground.
HHH Maintenance Unit consists of three workers which are neither trained nor certified
to operate the WWTP. Actual maintenance and operation of the plant since 1996 has
been contracted to Island Utilities Services Inc. of Kamuela, Hawaii at a cost of
approximately $35,000 per annum. Maintenance services include continuos monitoring
of the plant to ensure that it meets Federal and State standards including the collection
and testing of water samples and submittal of reports to the State Department of
Health on a monthly and quarterly basis.
45.547 PLUMERIA STREET . HONOKAA, HAWAII 96727
Comm. No.
PHONE: (808) 775-7211 FAX: (808) 775A977 Ref. To: Pte-s-e-r~rodc~~-M
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Ref. Date HUU J LI:L~
Page 2
HHH operates the WWTP under Permit No. UH-2002 issued by the State Department of
Health-Environmental Management Division. The permit specifies that the permitted
design average flow is 60,000 gallons per day (gpd) for every calendar week. The
maximum disposal capacity is 288,000 gallons per day (gpd) per day. In 2003 the actual
amount of waste water processed totaled 6.2 million gallons which converts to
approximately 512,750 gallons per month or 17, 858 gallons per day.
HHH, Hamakua Health Center (outpatient clinic), the old Honokaa Hospital, four
residential cottages, and an uncertain number of businesses located on Plumeria St.
and Mamane St. are presently connected to the system. Based on current and recorded
utilization rate, there is excess capacity to serve the waste water treatment needs of an
unspecified number of other users. However, there are also a number of facility initiated
future projects and initiatives with priority access and which has the potential to restrict
adding any other additional users without major modification and expansion of current
capacity of the system..
These projects include the following: (1) Renovation of the Old Honokaa Hospital
(beginning 8/04) in association with the University of Hawaii-Hilo for the purpose of
offering a variety of educational and training programs to the community, (2) Planned
addition of 60-70 beds to HHH by 2007, (3) Sewer connection (under discussion since
2000) of an initial twenty (20) of a total forty (40) Unit Senior Housing by Hawaii
Intergenerational Community Development Association with construction scheduled to
begin January 2005, and (4) Construction of Additional Senior and/or Low Income
Housing Units on a 15 acre vacant site located adjacent to the facility owned by the
Hawaii Housing Authority.
With total consideration of the above, HHSC/HHH is open to discussion with all
governmental entities, private businesses, and the community for the purpose of
developing agreements to utilize and or to expand the capacity of the system providing
it is not required to incur additional operational expenses or to provide capital
improvement to expand the capacity of the system. Additionally all operational,
management, and financial terms are subject to negotiations and legal review for
conformity with all governmental regulations.
Waste water disposal and treatment services to the general public is considered as a
public utility function and subject to regulatory oversight (management, operation, and
rate setting) by the State of Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. HHH/HHSC is a
healthcare facility and has absolutely no interest in operating as a public utility.
For further discussion and consultation with our corporate office, please contact my
office at 808-775-7211, ext. 223.
Aus. 2. 2004 12:06PM HALE HOOLA HRMRKUA BUSINESS OFFI No•6931 P. 4/5
HOUSE QF REPRESENTATIVES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ g4
TWENTY~SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2ooa H.D. ~
STATE OF HAWAII
HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUES~'ING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A JOINT IMPLEMEN2'RTION PLAN FOR
WIYSTE TREATMENT IN HONOKAA.
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is required to develop
alternatives for all entities of gang cesspools and lazge
capacity cesspools by April S, 2005; and
WHEREAS, the cotttmunity of Honokaa, Hawaii has identified
many properties that must implemenC a non-cesspool alternative
to waste treatment, including state properties under the
Departments of Education, Human Services, Health, and Land and
Naturals Resources, and several county properties, including fire
and pollice departments; and
RHP.S, capital funds are being set aside to address this
immine t concern by both the state and cotmty governments; and
REAS, the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation has excess
capacit in the waste treatment facility development for the
extende care facility and the health center in Honokaa; and
WH REAS, the residents and businesses in Honokaa have
express d an interest in collaborating with the State and county
to develop a community-wide solution to waste in Honokaa; now,'
therefore,
SE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular
Session of 2009, that the Department of Health and County of
Hawaii, 3n collaboration with other state agencies, county
departments, and interested and affected residents of Honokae„
is requested to develop a joint implementation plan for waste
treatme t in Honokaa and examine the feasibility of utilizing
the exc~ss capacity of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; and
i
' I do bereby aertity that the, within dooumem
fa a full, true end correct ~ct~y of:the original
on mein [ ~ ~o}p09.
Chtef Clerk
House of Repreeentetlwe
State o} tiewafi
it
Aus. 2. 2004 12:06PM HALE HOOLA HAMAKUA BUSINESS OFFI No.5931 P. 5/5
Page 2
1 lof'~. N®. D.~
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~E TT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health and
Count of Hawaii are requested to report their findings,
concl =_ions, and recommendations to the Legislature no later
than 0 days prior to the convening o£ the Regular Session of "
2005; and
E TT k'URTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
Reso1 tion be transmitte$ to the Director of Health, Mayor and
Count 1 Chair of the County of Hawaii, Director o£ Human
Serve, es, Director of Land and Natural Resources, Superintender_t
of Education, President of the Hawaii Health Systems
Corpozation, Chicf of the Tiawaii County Police Department, Chief
of the Hawaii County Fire Dcpartm~nt, and President of the
Honokaa Business Association.
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