Honolulu sewer infrastructure upgrade
From dKosopedia
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has made sewer improvements a priority. He has said that the previous Mayor Jeremy Harris ignored the aging sewer infrastructure and failed to raise sewer fees since 1994 to underwrite those mandated improvements. Hannemann has proposed that sewer fees double in as the city plays catch-up. The mayor has proposed spending $231 million, half the budget, on sewer work.
Honolulu residents may see 10 years of sewer fee hikes resulting in a 154 percent increase in average monthly bills. [1]
The average single-family monthly sewer bill under increases proposed by the city administration is shown on the following table. [2]
Proposed Single-Family Monthly Sewer Fee
- 2005 -- $33.05
- 2006 -- $41.31
- 2007 -- $45.44
- 2008 -- $49.99
- 2009 -- $54.99
- 2010 -- $60.49
- 2011 -- $66.54
- 2012 -- $73.19
- 2013 -- $77.58
- 2014 -- $80.68
- 2015 -- $83.91
The City and County of Honolulu is under a 1995 judicial consent decree to improve its sewer system over a 20-year period.
According to a Honolulu Star-Bulletin article dated March 28, 2005 and entitled, Chronic spills spur scrutiny of sewers, the following are proposed:
Proposed sewer projects Major sewer construction projects proposed for fiscal year 2006, which begins in July:
- $30 million to replace Beach Walk force main, the main pipe serving Waikiki
- $15 million for completion of the Kalaheo Avenue sewer lines in Kailua, from Wanaao Road to the intersection of Mokapu Road and Kalaheo
- $10 million to replace the Niu Valley force main that broke three times in February
- $21 million to rehabilitate sewer lines in St. Louis Heights
- $72 million to complete the upgrade and expansion of the Sand Island treatment plant, adding a disinfection step and increasing capacity to 90 million gallons a day from 82 million gallons a day
- $17 million for Waimalu sewer rehabilitation in Pearl City
- $18 million to reconstruct Wanaao Road and Keolu Drive sewers in Kailua and Enchanted Lake [3]
- SOURCE: CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU
The following tables from the same Star-Bulletin article show past sewer spending and planned spending [4]:
Contents |
External Links
- Leone, Diana. Damage Control: City officials face sharp criticism for not doing enough to thwart the sewage spills Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 14, 2004.
- Chronic spills spur scrutiny of sewers -- Years of work and millions spent on improvements fail to cut spill amounts Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 23, 2005.
- Dingeman, Robbie. City still clogged in sewer woes Honolulu Advertiser, April 18, 2005.
- Kua, Crystal. Sewer fee hike forecast climbs -- City officials say a lawsuit could extend increases for 10 years Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 19, 2005.
- Kua, Crystal. Council passes increase in taxes -- Rate hikes are meant to help generate more revenue to help balance city finances Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 7, 2005.
Ala Wai Sewage Spill
- Advertiser staff. Big sewage spill into Ala Wai Canal Honolulu Advertiser, March 25, 2006.
- Blakeman, Karen. Ala Wai awash in sewage after spill Honolulu Advertiser, March 26, 2006.
- Dingeman, Robbie. Ala Wai Canal now an open sewer Honolulu Advertiser, March 28, 2006.
- Advertiser staff. Waikiki beach warnings posted Honolulu Advertiser, March 29, 2006.
- Dingeman, Robbie. Raw sewage spill largest in 20 years Honolulu Advertiser, April 1, 2006.
- Dingeman, Robbie and Hoover, will. City faces questions, sanctions over spill Honolulu Advertiser, April 9, 2006.
- Perez, Rob. Was dumping into the Ala Wai the only option? Honolulu Advertiser, April 9, 2006.
- Park, Gene. SEWAGE CRISIS AVERTED: Waikiki bypass works as planned -- The system is put to the test when a crack is found in the main Honolulu Star-Bulletin, November 22, 2006.
Sewer rate hike
- Daranciang, Nelson. Mayor wants sewer rate hike -- The proposed increase would double fees for the average household by 2011 Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 1, 2007.
- Hanneman, Mufi. Sewer fee hike unavoidable after decades of neglect Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 4, 2007.
EPA mandate for upgrade of Honouliuli waste-water plant
March 2007
- Leone, Diana. Groups go to court to get sewage fixes -- Remedies sought to prevent a repeat Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 23, 2007.
- Leone, Diana. Mayor blasts EPA mandate -- EPA orders upgrade of waste-water plant Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 29, 2007.
- Leone, Diana. No ‘big fight’ needed, says EPA -- The agency says its stance on Honouliuli does not stop the city from settling lawsuits Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 31, 2007.
April 2007
- OUR OPINION: Time has come to improve city’s sewage treatment system THE ISSUE: A federal agency has refused to exempt a city wastewater treatment plant from Clean Water Act standards. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 2, 2007.
- Kua, Crystal. Gov and mayor talk stink over sewage plant upgrade order Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 5, 2007.
- Awana, Bob. Governor understands wastewater issues -- Mayor shows poor form with statements Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 6, 2007.
- Borreca, Richard. Like tossing your money down the ... Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 8, 2007.
- Hannemann, Mufi. City has tried to solve the sewer problem Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 8, 2007.
- Rollman, Keith. Disconnect between city and state could cost taxpayers Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 15, 2007.
- Da Silva, Alexandre. $41M sewage retrofit still afoul of EPA -- Unveiling the Honouliuli upgrade, the mayor says he will keep fighting the extra treatment required Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 17, 2007.
- Leone, Diana. Sewer repair estimate bulges to $300 million -- Meeting mandates from both the courts and federal agencies will add to city costs Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 20, 2007.
May 2007
- Leone, Diana. City required to fix 6 key sewer pipes -- The federal agreement comes after last year's spill of 48 million gallons Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 9, 2007.
- Leone, Diana. City urges residents to lobby EPA -- Officials say the city cannot afford sewage plant upgrades that the agency demands Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 10, 2007.
- Madlener, Fred. Cost of not treating our sewage would be higher Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 12, 2007.
- OUR OPINION: Sewage system improvements cannot be put off THE ISSUE: Mayor Hannemann has asked the public to lobby the EPA to continue exempting the city from the 1970 Clean Water Act. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 13, 2007.
- Leone, Diana. Measure urges city sewage compliance -- Two councilmen call for the city to follow orders from the EPA Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 15, 2007.
- Leone, Diana. Plant upgrade a waste, EPA told Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 16, 2007.
- Takamura, Eric. Sewage demands ignore scientific, financial data Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 19, 2007.
- Leone, Diana. City defends waste-water info campaign -- Djou charges the sewage campaign is 'propaganda' Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 21, 2007.
August 2007
- Au, Laurie. City counters EPA’s sewer plan Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 31, 2007.
November 2007
- Star-Bulletin staff. City violated water law, judge rules -- Penalties in the suit could reach hundreds of millions of dollars Honolulu Star-Bulletin, November 9, 2007.
- Niu Valley sewer work nearly pau Honolulu Star-Bulletin, November 10, 2007.
- Oahu road projects will take hiatus for holidays -- Merchants overjoyed by road work reprieve Honolulu Star-Bulletin November 21, 2007.
December 2007
- Vorsino, Mary. Hawaii gearing up for $48M sewer project Honolulu Advertiser, December 10, 2007.
March 2008
- Au, Laurie. Hearing weighs waste-water proposal Honolulu Star-Bulletin", March 11, 2008.
- Abe, Roy K. COMMENTARY: Sewage treatment waiver backed by science Honolulu Advertiser", March 11, 2008.
- Katahira, John H. Gathering Place: EPA offers Honolulu a lose-lose proposition Honolulu Star-Bulletin", March 11, 2008.
