Hilo to get $2.3M to rebuild wastewater system following 2018 Kilauea eruption
Hawaii County is set to receive $2.3 million in new federal funding to help rebuild a wastewater collection and treatment system in Hilo damaged in the 2018 Kilauea eruption, according to U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz.
The funding will go toward the creation of a new, centralized system instead of repairing the previous cesspool system.
“This grant will help create a centralized waste treatment system that’s safer for Hilo families and improves the resiliency of the community,” said Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in a news release. “As we recover from the 2018 natural disasters, we’ll keep fighting for more federal funding at every opportunity so we can rebuild stronger than before.”
The grant comes from the Economic Adjustment Assistance program administered by the Economic Development Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In December, Schatz also announced the award of $9.3 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover administrative expenses following the 2018 Kilauea eruption. The state has received more than half a billion dollars in total federal relief funding to recover from 2018 natural disasters, Schatz said.