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<br />From: Stephen Holmes <br />Date: Mon, Oct 25, 2021 at 11:57 AM <br />Subject: Recent Hilo bypass out outfall <br />To: Georjean Adams <br />Cc: Cory (Martha) Harden, Jon Olson, Dee Fulton, Rick Gaffney <br /> <br /> <br />Georjean: <br />Thanks, Peter had indicated that they were official communications. <br /> <br />You might ask about recent raw sewage bypass in Hilo as it sounds like this could be a recurring issue <br />with the deterioration of equipment there. This calls into question the ability to meet secondary <br />standards under the Clean Water Act which is a minimum and has to consistently be met by the <br />treatment plant. The discharge was already a violation of outfall requirements and not achieving <br />secondary is a separate violation. <br /> <br />The EMC should recognize that conditions are really quite bad and the County really needs a plan. In the <br />past, I have referred to containerized MBR units that could be set up quickly and shut down the old <br />plant. These can be leased or done on a lease to purchase. They might qualify for FEMA funding with an <br />emergency declaration. We have already been told that the Hilo WWTP is structurally unsound and <br />unsafe, so this along with the recent bypass would seem to cry out for emergency designation. <br /> <br />I also urge the EMC to get an update on legislation to allow greater flexibility in utilizing private <br />partnerships given the current crisis with wastewater infrastructure islandwide. <br />While I think the position of Corporation Counsel in interpreting the Konno court decision is extreme, <br />certainly efforts in the legislature in this regard can’t hurt. <br />The bill last year died a horrible death and working with union representation to craft something new is <br />in order. Now is the time as session will be starting soon. <br /> <br />Mahalo, <br /> <br />Steve Holmes <br />