EPA v. HONOLULU, CITY AND COUNTY

Case summary

THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TREATS ITS SEWAGE AT TWELVE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS. THESE TREATMENT PLANTS TREAT DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER FOR THE MAJOR PORTIONS OF THE ISLAND OF OAHU. EIGHT OF THESE WWTPS DISCHARGE TO SURFACE WATERS AND HAVE NATIONAL POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMITS. EPA APPROVED A PRETREATMENT PROGRAM FOR CCH IN JULY 1982. PURSUANT TO THE PRETREATMENT REGULATIONS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED PRETREATMENT PROGRAM, CCH WAS REQUIRED TO DEVELOP AND ADMINISTER A PRETREATMENT PROGRAM FOR ITS EIGHT TREATMENT PLANTS. HOWEVER, EXCEPT FOR THE SAND ISLAND TREATMENT PLANT, CCH HAS FAILED TO DEVELOP AND ADMINISTER A PRETREATMENT PROGRAM AT THE OTHER SEVEN TREATMENT PLANTS. MOREOVER, CCH HAS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE PRETREAMENT CONDITIONS OF THE SAND ISLAND NPDES PERMIT. FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH ITS COLLECTION SYSTEM, THERE HAVE BEEN CHRONIC OVERFLOWS AND SPILLS RESULTING IN RELEASES OF RAW WASTEWATER TO SURFACE WATERS. Complaint filed 10/03/1994.

Defendants (1)

• HONOLULU, CITY AND COUNTYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (18)

• WAIANAE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT

  86-100 FARRINGTON HWY, WAIANAE, HI, 96792

  Registry ID: 110013775548

• SAND ISLAND WWTP

  1350 SAND ISLAND PARKWAY, HONOLULU, HI, 96819

  Registry ID: 110005726802

• CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM

  PIPES NEAR KALIHI AND NUUANU STREAMS (OAHU), KAPOLEI, HI, 96707

  Registry ID: 110015753807

• HONOLULU CITY AND COUNTY

  530 SOUTH KING STREET, HONOLULU, HI, 96810

  Registry ID: 110006615270

• HONOULIULI WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

  91-1000 GEIGER ROAD, EWA BEACH, HI, 96706

  Registry ID: 110020728943

• C&CH WAIANAE WWTP

  86-100 FARRINGTON HIGHWAY, WAIANAE, HI, 96792

  Registry ID: 110013775548

• WAHIAWA WWTP

  111 CALIFORNIA AVENUE, WAHIAWA, HI, 96786

  Registry ID: 110013774111

• SAND ISLAND WWTP

  1350 SAND ISLAND PARKWAY, HONOLULU, HI, 96819

  Registry ID: 110005726802

• C&CH KAILUA REGIONAL WWTP

  95 KANEOHE BAY DRIVE, HONOLULU COUNTY, HI, 96734

  Registry ID: 110000867054

• C&CH SAND ISLAND WWTP

  1350 SAND ISLAND PARKWAY, HONOLULU, HI, 96819

  Registry ID: 110005726802

• KAILUA REGIONAL WWTP

  95 KANEOHE BAY DRIVE, KAILUA, HI, 96734

  Registry ID: 110000867054

• WAHIAWA WWTP

  111 CALIFORNIA AVENUE, WAHIAWA, HI, 96786

  Registry ID: 110013774111

• C&CH HONOULIULI WWTP

  91-1000 GEIGER ROAD, EWA BEACH, HI, 96706

  Registry ID: 110020728943

• WAIANAE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT

  86-100 FARRINGTON HWY, WAIANAE, HI, 96792

  Registry ID: 110013775548

• C&CH HONOULIULI WWTP

  91-1000 GEIGER ROAD, EWA BEACH, HI, 96706

  Registry ID: 110020728943

• …and 3 more

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/307 — Effluent Limitations - NPDES Toxic & Pretreatment Effluent Standards
• CWA 402 — Clean Water Act
• CWA 309 — Violation of Existing AO
• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations
• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit

Enforcement conclusions (3)

• HONOLULU, CITY AND COUNTYentered 2015-09-15

  Primary law: CWA

• HONOLULU, CITY AND COUNTYentered 1995-05-15

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $950,000

• HONOLULU, CITY AND COUNTYentered 2010-12-17

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $800,000 · State/local: $800,000

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1987-09-16Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1991-09-30PRN Sent
• 1994-06-29Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1994-10-03Complaint Filed With Court
• 2004-09-28Supplemental Referral-Other
• 2015-09-15Final Order Lodged
• 2015-09-15Final Order Entered