A break in the wall of a storage plant at the Kahului Wastewater Treatment Plant in Maui led to a spill of approximately 1.4 million gallons of treated effluent.
The effluent was being held for use as irrigation water, but The Maui News reported that the department was still required to report the incident as a wastewater spill.
The spill happened after a section of the earthen berm around the holding pond ruptured, which allowed the water in the pond to drain into the ocean.
The effluent had already been through the final processing for use as irrigation water, but the water was not suitable for consumption. Signs were posted along the shoreline and the county advised against fishing or swimming in the area.
