The state Department of Health has issued a citation to Marine Corps Base Hawaii for unauthorized wastewater discharge from its Kaneohe Bay Water Reclamation Facility. The DOH slapped the base with a $240,250.00 penalty and ordered it to make upgrades to the facility.
For its part, the Marine Corps has submitted a request to the state for a contested case hearing.
“The Marine Corps’ actions demonstrate a disregard for protecting our precious ocean waters,” said DOH Deputy Director of Environmental Health Kathleen Ho in a press release Wednesday evening. “We will continue to hold violators accountable and protect public health and the environment.”
In a press release this morning the Marine Corps acknowledged receiving the Notice of Violation and Order from the DOH on May 6.
“MCBH takes this NOVO and the deficiencies that led to it very seriously,” the Marine Corps press release stated. “Environmental stewardship is critical to our relationship with the local community.”
The Marine Corps also said the facility is “currently operating effectively and treated wastewater is being discharged within all permit limits.”
The Marine Corps has a permit to release treated wastewater into the ocean, which is generally combined with treated waters from the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. But the DOH said The Marine Corps discharged water with enterococci bacteria contamination levels above permit limits “on numerous occasions” between August 2020 and February 2022. The DOH also accused the Marine Corps of failing to notify DOH of exceedances in a timely manner.
In addtion to the fine, the DOH is ordering the Marine Corps to “take corrective action to upgrade its wastewater treatment system.”
In October the facility reported an accidental release of treated sewage into the ocean, with enterococci levels exceeding the set permit limit. In that case, the Marine Corps said that the release occurred during an improvement project designed to modernize the wastewater facility which it said has since been completed.
In February the Marine Corps reported an enterococci count estimated at 70,000 colony forming units per 100 milliliters, exceeding the maximum daily discharge limit of 57,850 CFU. The Marine Corps attributed it to “ongoing maintenance activities” contributing to higher levels of bacteria, but did not elaborate.
“MCBH is working to improve operations and oversight, upgrade our (water treatment facility) to eliminate reoccurrence of these issues, and to more efficiently treat wastewater and implement additions to the facility that will reduce the overall water consumption of the installation,” the Marine Corps said in its press release. “In advance of a hearing, MCBH is pursuing discussions with DOH to further the mutual understanding between our organizations regarding the violations and to develop an executable plan that will ensure future violations do not occur.”
