The County Council supports phasing out sewage injection wells, as does the mayor. But the Environmental Management Department seems to be on a different page, denying that a problem even exists.

The department needs to take the impending injection well lawsuit seriously. Earthjustice and the Sierra Club do not file lawsuits unless they’re pretty darn sure they’re going to win them. And they only file lawsuits after a string of bad-faith actions and broken promises.

The public is fed up with waiting for the injection well problems be remedied. They’re affecting our tourists and our residents. It is economic suicide to let our nearshore waters get a reputation for making people sick. And it is foolish to pollute what might serve as a future source of semi-potable water in an effort to do things on the cheap.

Meanwhile, we’re throwing away what should be used as irrigation water while drawing down the Iao aquifer in a disastrous course that will lead to it becoming salty.

At this point, the department can either do what it takes to clean up the injection water (which is expensive) or lose a lawsuit (which is even more expensive because then it will have to clean up the water and pay hefty fines).

Logical people would go ahead and clean up the water.

Karen Chun
Paia