WASTEWATER SYSTEMS
PUBLIC NOTICE OF
VARIANCE APPLICATION NO. WW 244
DOCKET NO. 07 – VWW – 02

Pursuant to H.R.S. §342D-7(i), Hawaii Revised Statutes, the State Department of Health (DOH) seeks written comments from interested persons regarding the following. Ms. Gail Tsuboi, has applied for a five (5) year variance from Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Section 11-62-03 Definitions which states “Individual wastewater system means a facility which is designed to receive and dispose of no more than 1000 gallons per day of domestic wastewater. Individual wastewater systems may involve treatment processes and include, but are not limited to, septic tanks and household aerobic units with disposal system and cesspools. Each individual wastewater system shall be an independent system and shall have all of its plumbing, treatment (if any), and disposal components separate from any other wastewater system.”
Dr. Roger Babcock, of CH2MHill has been designated as the Hawaii contact. The applicant states that at the back-end of the warehouse, one (1) domestic wastewater (DWW) line and one (1) food wastewater (FWW) line exits the warehouse into separate seepage pits. Based on the metered water consumption, the estimated total wastewater flow currently exiting the back-end is approximately 3,195 gpd. Wastewater from the FWW generated by the butcher and bakery areas flows through an existing 950 gal grease interceptor. DWW flows from the employee restroom is estimated 625 gpd. The subject project, Costco Wholesale Corporation is located at 73-5600 Maiau Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and identified as TMK: (3) 7-3-051: 001. The total area of the subject lot is 16.1 acres.
The applicant has made the following comments.
1. The large capacity septic system proposed to serve the facility would not comply with HAR Section 11-62-03 because the IWS would receive more than 1,000 gallons per day of wastewater. The estimated flow into the system would be 3,905 gallons per day.
2. The existing large capacity cesspool(s) must be closed and replaced with a new treatment individual wastewater system by April 5, 2005 to comply with federal requirements.
3. The current State requirement of a wastewater treatment plant would significantly add to the construction cost as well as require a much greater outgoing maintenance cost.
4. There currently is no nearby conveyance for wastewater to the existing wastewater treatment plant. The proposed treatment system is designed to reduce the higher strength food wastes down to domestic levels before discharging into the existing seepage pits until the independent wastewater system (IWS) is able to connect to the Hawaii County wastewater system.
5. The back-end wastewater treatment plant improvements are shown in Figure 2. The FWW leaving the existing 950 gal grease interceptor discharges into a proposed 2_chambered, 500 gal capacity, grease interceptor where the downstream chamber is used as a wet well for a pump station. The CWW line exiting the front-end grease interceptor will connect to this proposed back-end grease interceptor. Wastewater from the wet well will be pumped into a proposed 25,000 gal aerobic treatment unit and gravity flow into a 3,500 gal settling tank and 6,000 gal septic tank before discharging into an existing seepage pit(s). The back-end DWW will also discharge into the same 6,000 gal septic tank, mixing FWW and DWW before exiting into the same seepage pit(s).
6. The applicant believes this variance request is in the public interest because the LCC will be upgraded to an IWS (septic system). The IWS plans will be designed by an engineer and will be submitted to DOH for review and approval. The new IWS will provide a better wastewater treatment system compared to the existing LCC. Therefore minimizes impact to the environment.
7. The existing LCC will be upgraded to an IWS (septic system). The IWS will provide a better treatment system prior to effluent disposal. The IWS will be designed and constructed to meet the Department of Health standards. The impact to the environment will be minimized compared to the current wastewater disposal.
8. The variance is requested for the maximum of five (5) years.
Plot maps and Figures have been attached to the application for variance but can not be shown here. If you would like to review the complete application, please call or write to the Wastewater Branch, 919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 309, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814_4920, telephone (808) 586_4294 fax (808) 586_4300 to obtain a facsimile. DOH will consider all written comments received within thirty days of this notice. If warranted, DOH may hold a public hearing on the variance application, after a separate related documents, written comments and the public hearing, if any.
Chiyome Leinaala Fukino, M.D.
Director of Health (SB03511020 3/10/07)