HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

65

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING HAWAII AMERICAN WATER COMPANY TO IMPLEMENT AN ODOR MITIGATION PLAN FOR ITS FACILITY IN HAWAII KAI.

 

 

 


WHEREAS, Hawaii American Water Company (HAWC) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Water, the largest and most geographically diverse provider of water services in North America, and provides wastewater service to nearly 35,000 people in Hawaii Kai and along the Kona Coast of the Big Island; and

 

     WHEREAS, HWAC, a regulated public utility, owns and operates East Honolulu Waste Water Treatment Plant (Treatment Plant) in Hawaii Kai on Oahu; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board has received numerous complaints regarding excessive offensive odor emissions emanating from the Treatment Plant; and

 

     WHEREAS, these odors have contributed to a deteriorating standard in the quality of life for both residents of and visitors to Hawaii Kai; and

 

     WHEREAS, the offensive odor is the result of hydrogen sulfide emissions, and is most noticeable during peak periods of wastewater flow, in the early morning and evening hours; and

 

     WHEREAS, hydrogen sulfide is linked to several health issues, including eye irritation, respiratory difficulties, vomiting, and nausea; and

 

     WHEREAS, the stretch of Kalanianaole Highway from Hana’uma Bay to Makapu’u, which includes several scenic lookout points, is one of the most pristine drives on Oahu, where residents and visitors alike enjoy views of Hawaii’s flora and fauna, but is often tainted by the offensive odors from the Treatment Plant;

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Constitution affirms in Article XI, Section 1, that "all public natural resources are held in trust by the State for the benefit of the people," and therefore the State is reminded to "conserve and protect Hawaii's natural beauty"; and

 

     WHEREAS, HAWC informed the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board and community that while it would not be possible to eliminate all odors entirely, the odor problem can be managed by chemical and other means; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is no government supervision or enforcement of odor mitigation procedures, and it is not known what steps, if any, have been taken at the Treatment Plant to ameliorate the problem; and

 

     WHEREAS, studies have been conducted examining the issue of odor emission from wastewater treatment plants with recommended odor mitigation solutions, the most recent completed in 2006; and

 

     WHEREAS, while representatives of HAWC have stated that they have implemented some of the recommendations of the 2006 study, they refuse to release the content of the study and the specific steps they have taken to minimize offensive odor emissions; and

 

     WHEREAS, treatment plants in other areas, including the Orange County Sanitation District in Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, California which is the third largest treatment facility west of the Mississippi River with more than 50 times the flow capacity of the Treatment Plant, have residential developments immediately adjacent to their facilities and far fewer complaints of offensive odors; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the Senate concurring, that Hawaii American Water Company is requested to develop an odor mitigation plan for the East Honolulu Waste Water Treatment Plant, identifying improvements it will take to mitigate offensive odor emissions, including a timeline for implementation, no later than September 2009; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii American Water Company is requested to present the completed plan to the State Senator from the 8th District, State Representative from the 17th District, Honolulu City Councilmember representing District 4, Public Utilities Commission, Department of Health, and Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board no later than September 2009; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to review the rates charged by the Hawaii American Water Company and determine whether they are sufficient to adequately upgrade its facilities, including odor mitigation measures, and if so, whether those odor mitigation measures have been implemented; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to monitor the implementation of these odor mitigation measures and to report any progress to the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood board; and

 

                BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the District 4 Honolulu City Councilmember, Director of Health, Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, Chairperson of the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board, and President of the Hawaii American Water Company.

Report Title: 

Hawaii Kai Wastewater Treatment Plant odor mitigation plan