Wendy Osher at MauiNow is reporting that:

Maui County could end up paying $2.5 million for projects to divert and reuse wastewater from Lahiana injection wells, under a settlement reached in a federal lawsuit over Clean Water Act violations.

The lawsuit was filed by the environmental law firm Earthjustice on behalf of four community groups including the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club-Maui Group, and West Maui Preservation Association.

Under the agreement the county is required to come up with safer ways to dispose of wastewater at its Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility.

A dye study showed that the injected R2 water was seeping into the ocean near Kahikili reef.

Sierra Club-Maui Group representative, Lucienne de Naie said,

“This settlement is a major victory in getting the County to stop using the reef off of Kahekili Beach as its wastewater dumping ground.  It requires the County to invest in sensible alternatives to injection, meeting existing demand for precious water in West Maui by constructing infrastructure to get treated wastewater to golf courses, resorts, and others.”