The mechanical failure of a blower caused at the Papaikou Wastewater Treatment Plant caused an estimated 30,500-gallon discharge of partially treated, disinfected wastewater between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
According to a written statement from the county’s Wastewater Division, a “redundant blower” was activated to restore the facility to normal operations.
“While the disinfection system was not affected by the mechanical failure of blower, contaminated water warning signs are in the process of being posted in the area at access points to the shoreline as a precautionary measure,” the document states.
The discharge is the third of partially treated sewage in East Hawaii in the past two months, and the second involving the Papaikou facility.
An effluent pump malfunction caused the discharge of about 7,600 gallons of wastewater at the Papaikou plant on Aug. 13.
And an electrical failure at the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant caused a spill of more than 71,000 gallons of wastewater on Sept. 26.