# [ 2013 ] Sewer smell at WKORV? [update]



## TDS (Aug 20, 2013)

I've recently seen a couple of reviews on TUG and Trip Advisor complaining of sewer smells coming from the treatment facility nearby.  I've not noticed this when I've been at the resort.  Anyone with recent experience at the resort who can provide insight on whether this is truly a consistent issue?


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## Henry M. (Aug 20, 2013)

I've been going there for a long time and it was not much of a problem. There was a lot more stink when I was there a couple of weeks ago. It was even evident being in the ocean. I did not feel it the first couple of weeks at WKORV, but it was unmistakeable at WKORV-N a couple of days of the last week I was there. 

What some people said is that every so often they harvest the remains in the tanks for fertilizer and during those times there is more smell.


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## DeniseM (Aug 20, 2013)

The sewage treatment plant is up the road, but we don't hear a lot about it here on TUG. I'm guessing it's wind or weather related:


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## PamMo (Aug 20, 2013)

We were there from August 3-10, and never smelled anything offensive. We were outside every day at the resort beach, pools, bar, restaurants, Dukes... Like Denise and Emuyshondt posted, maybe it has to do with the wind or "muck" harvesting?


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## YYJMSP (Aug 20, 2013)

PamMo said:


> We were there from August 3-10, and never smelled anything offensive. We were outside every day at the resort beach, pools, bar, restaurants, Dukes... Like Denise and Emuyshondt posted, maybe it has to do with the wind or "muck" harvesting?



We were there the week before that and it was quite noticeable in the parking lot coming in to Duke's, but no scent at all once you entered the building or were on the other side...


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## DeniseM (Aug 20, 2013)

For those not familiar with the area, Dukes is at the resort north of the Westin - the Honua Kai -  as you can see from the map, it's right across the street from the plant.


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## Henry M. (Aug 21, 2013)

It most definitely is affected by the wind and exactly where you are on the resort. I smelled nothing at WKORV, or even at the Pailolo restaurant at WKORV-N, but there was a lot of smell at the northern boundary of WKORV-N, as you got close to the greenbelt/park, at the beach, and in the far north rooms of building 8. I don't think there was any smell in the pool areas or as you got closer the WIORV. It lasted a couple of days, and by the end it seemed to be clearing up. I was there August 4-11. I was on the first floor of building 8, and a couple of days we couldn't sit outside in the lanai due to the bad smell. However, it was not resort-wide, so we still enjoyed our stay.


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## AKE (Aug 21, 2013)

Before the resort was built there was concern about the smell so why is anyone surprised? We have stayed at the old Embassy Kaanapali many times and if the wind was right the smell was not pleasant.  I was surprised when I heard that Starwood was going ahead with the building given the smell at times. We did tour the resort and no-one ever mentioned the sewage treatment facility though you would think that such disclosure should have been required.


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## PamMo (Aug 21, 2013)

emuyshondt said:


> It most definitely is affected by the wind and exactly where you are on the resort. I smelled nothing at WKORV, or even at the Pailolo restaurant at WKORV-N, but there was a lot of smell at the northern boundary of WKORV-N, as you got close to the greenbelt/park, at the beach, and in the far north rooms of building 8. I don't think there was any smell in the pool areas or as you got closer the WIORV. It lasted a couple of days, and by the end it seemed to be clearing up. I was there August 4-11. I was on the first floor of building 8, and a couple of days we couldn't sit outside in the lanai due to the bad smell. However, it was not resort-wide, so we still enjoyed our stay.



Wow, that is weird. We were on the sixth floor of Bldg 5, and didn't smell a thing. I would certainly be unhappy if sewage odor kept me from enjoying my lanai!


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## bastroum (Aug 21, 2013)

We've been staying at WKORV-N since it opened. We have noticed the smell mostly on the north side of the complex when walking to units in Bldg's 6 & 7. We never have the smell in the units. In all the week's we've been there (about 15) I can only remember 1 day you could smell the odor by the a north pool.


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## Westin5Star (Aug 21, 2013)

I am here now at WKORV.  This is our 12th or so visit to this resort.  I have smelled the sewer smell in the past as I walked closer to Duke's / Honua Kai.  The smell was so bad this week at WKORV that I actually went to the front desk on Sunday to complain.  In sitting at our usual seats (in front of the bar / restaurant and as you are able to see the waterslide) the smell is horrible.  The winds are very mild this week so that it not the problem.  Yesterday we changed seat locations and did not have the odor.


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## folashade (Aug 22, 2013)

I'm heading there Sat and hoping its not bad. Is it mainly in the north side?


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## Westin5Star (Aug 23, 2013)

It was better the past couple days.  Don't sit in the seats facing the water slide near the restaurant. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2


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## Westin5Star (Aug 23, 2013)

Today we decided to try our preferred chairs in front of the slide near the restaurant / bar.  It smelled great.  Whatever smell was there earlier in the week is now gone.


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## DavidnRobin (Sep 11, 2013)

Robin and I went for a stroll up the walkway north towards Dukes from south resort (B3) and the sewer smell became noticeable between the two OF buildings (B5 and B8) of the north resort (where the sports bar sits) and became very pungent on the north side of the resort boundary.  I would not be happy if I were in those north facing villas of WKORVN.


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## jcl718 (Sep 16, 2013)

I am currently at WKORV, south. My fiance and I have walked the resort end to end several times now and so far, on our second full day and no smell at all. It is beautiful and warm and has such a friendly atmosphere.


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## DavidnRobin (Sep 16, 2013)

Did you walk north on the path north of WKORVN? (on way to Dukes).  We smelled it again - when walking north 2 days later.

We smell the same odor when driving between the WKORVN and the next 2 roads north. Driving a convertible with the top down - it is quite noticible.  We also smell the same odor when driving south around Ka'anapali Parkway (where you turn off to Whalers Village).  Not sure what causes it since it was also down south - or if it is constant or not - or depends on wind.  Regardless, when it is present - it is very noticable - and would suck to be on the north side of WKORVN when it is.


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## Westin5Star (Sep 17, 2013)

We walked to Duke's twice on our visit and no sewer smell.  We have smelt it in years past.  The only time we smelled it was by the waterslide but I think that they must have fixed that problem as we didn't experience it our last week that we were there.



DavidnRobin said:


> Did you walk north on the path north of WKORVN? (on way to Dukes).  We smelled it again - when walking north 2 days later.
> 
> We smell the same odor when driving between the WKORVN and the next 2 roads north. Driving a convertible with the top down - it is quite noticible.  We also smell the same odor when driving south around Ka'anapali Parkway (where you turn off to Whalers Village).  Not sure what causes it since it was also down south - or if it is constant or not - or depends on wind.  Regardless, when it is present - it is very noticable - and would suck to be on the north side of WKORVN when it is.


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## DavidnRobin (Sep 18, 2013)

Westin5Star said:


> We walked to Duke's twice on our visit and no sewer smell.  We have smelt it in years past.  The only time we smelled it was by the waterslide but I think that they must have fixed that problem as we didn't experience it our last week that we were there.



Seems sporadic (wind, water, process, ???) - may not even be the water treatment (although unlikely). Regardless, it was pretty stanky and can see why there have been complaints.


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## blondietink (Sep 18, 2013)

We are in the north villas now. Got here Sunday. Have not noticed any bad smells.


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## jcl718 (Sep 18, 2013)

We have been here now for four days. Walked the entire resort multiple times and went to dukes as well. Not once have we smelled anything. My fiance is very sensitive to smells so I trust her nose...


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## DavidnRobin (Sep 18, 2013)

jcl718 said:


> We have been here now for four days. Walked the entire resort multiple times and went to dukes as well. Not once have we smelled anything. My fiance is very sensitive to smells so I trust her nose...



Aparently it is sporatic - however, it does exist - it was quite obvious (meaning not minor...) both time we walked north of WKORVN, and driving on 25 between Kai Ala (WKORV/N) and Akahele (Airport) roads - this has always been the case.  We also smelled similar odor on 25 by the Ka'anapali Parkway (as we have the top down on our convertible) during our stay last week.

Other than be annoying during our walk up the boardwalk- I really have nothing in this odor game as we have never smelled it at the south resort or our OFD villa.  But, if we did - I would be up in arms (like I would be if I smelled it while staying in the north part of WKORVN) - and I am sure WKORV/N would as well if the complaints became numerous.  No way that WKORV/N management is not aware of this issue...

See the OP - this thread started because of TUG and TripAdvisor reports of this odor - and we (and others) have smelled it first hand.


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## blondietink (Sep 19, 2013)

We drove south today and that sewer smell was evident around the Sheraton hotel.There is also some burning of sugar cane going on in Maui now leading to some haze.


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## siesta (Sep 19, 2013)

If you can occasionally smell raw sewage being treated at a very nearby facility, what does that say about the air quality.  Could this not have been placed further inland? Or somewhere else?


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## DavidnRobin (Sep 19, 2013)

The sewer treatment plant was there before WKORV/N and many other developments.  Do you think Maui would really move the sewer treatment plant and its infrastructure?  To where? I highly doubt this would ever happen - or find another Maui community that would allow this.  More likely - improve the plant to reduce emissions, or prevent discharge into water (during our stay a few years ago - storms had overwhelmed the system, overflowed and discharged into water, and closed beaches.

Also, I am not sure the odors necessarily always comes from the facility based on the odor being smelled other places.


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## siesta (Sep 19, 2013)

DavidnRobin said:


> The sewer treatment plant was there before WKORV/N and many other developments.  Do you think Maui would really move the sewer treatment plant and its infrastructure?  To where? I highly doubt this would ever happen - or find another Maui community that would allow this.  More likely - improve the plant to reduce emissions, or prevent discharge into water (during our stay a few years ago - storms had overwhelmed the system, overflowed and discharged into water, and closed beaches.
> 
> Also, I am not sure the odors necessarily always comes from the facility based on the odor being smelled other places.


 no, you understood me backwards.  My point was, why put this near the ocean in the first place just off the most popular beach on the island, where you know either hotels or expensive homes will be built and when you know odor is an issue, and as you just demonstrated disharge can contaminate the local beach.

It seems to be very poor planning.


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## Ken555 (Sep 20, 2013)

siesta said:


> It seems to be very poor planning.



Welcome to Maui!


Sent from my iPad


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## Born2Travel (Sep 20, 2013)

DavidnRobin said:


> Seems sporadic (wind, water, process, ???) - may not even be the water treatment (although unlikely). Regardless, it was pretty stanky and can see why there have been complaints.



It is sporadic and we have noticed it periodically for years.  (in April)   Also noticeable just driving down the highway.


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## oneohana (Sep 20, 2013)

siesta said:


> no, you understood me backwards.  My point was, why put this near the ocean in the first place just off the most popular beach on the island, where you know either hotels or expensive homes will be built and when you know odor is an issue, and as you just demonstrated disharge can contaminate the local beach.
> 
> It seems to be very poor planning.



Depends on when the water treatment plant was built. Maybe they shouldn't have built the expensive homes so close to the water treatment plant. 

Kaanapali was not always a resort town.  I remember when my grandfather was working on some of the hotels in Kaanapali and it was still being built up.


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## siesta (Sep 21, 2013)

After doing some research, it seems that this a continuous problem that has launched a Federal investigation to determine whether this facility has violated the Clean Water Act. A suit was filed April 2012 in Federal court by community groups alleging  "that wastewater or sewage from the treatment facility is injected into the wells, and then flows via groundwater through the subsurface into *near-shore Maui ocean waters.*" 

And just this month "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a final report, 'Lahaina Groundwater Tracer Study' with results from a University of Hawaii investigation of the fate of effluent injected at Maui County’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility near the Kaanapali coast.  *The results of the study conclusively demonstrate that a hydrogeologic connection exists between two of the Lahaina facility’s injection wells and the nearby coastal waters of West Maui*. EPA is carefully reviewing the final study results and is consulting with the Hawaii DOH on appropriate next steps in light of the research findings."

It looks like the smell is the least of the problems, you have been swimming in waters that are *consistently contaminated!!*

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/489DB9FBCA4F58EB85257BBA00713942


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## jarta (Sep 21, 2013)

^^^  Here is the final EPA report on the Lahaina Wastewater Treatment groundwater problem.  Partially treated effluent pumped into the ground eventually reaches the ocean through "seeps" which run right under WKORV-N.

The final report was issued in June of this year: 

http://www.epa.gov/region9/water/gr...na-gw-tracer-study-final-report-june-2013.pdf

In 2012, several community organizations filed suit against Maui County for polluting the ocean with sewage.  2 newspaper reports:

http://www.lahainanews.com/page/con...wsuit-against-County-of-Maui-may-proceed.html

http://mauinow.com/2013/07/24/wastewater-from-injection-well-traced-to-kahekili-beach/

Connection between discovery of the problem confirmed by the preliminary report and failure to issue WKORVN-N permits and discrimination against timeshares in the property tax classification by Maui County?  Time may tell.

The smell earlier this month.  Look here:

http://mauinow.com/2009/09/03/10600-gallon-wastewater-overflow-occurs-in-lahaina/

Salty


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## work2travel (Sep 21, 2013)

Abandon injection well 3 and 4


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## jarta (Sep 21, 2013)

work2travel said:


> Abandon injection well 3 and 4



Sure, that would help.  

But, then, what do you do with the partially treated sewage now pumped by injection wells 3 and 4 (some of which comes from Kaanapali hotels and timeshares, including WKORV/N, which have been developed over the past 40 years)?  Where do you put it?  How do you treat it?

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/handle/10125/927/v39n2-230-240.pdf?sequence=1

The injection wells clog up, wastewater overflows and a stench develops until the wastewater in cleaned up.  Plus, there is the problem of pollutants leaking into the ocean water.

No easy fix or answer.   Salty


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## work2travel (Sep 21, 2013)

I am sure there could be many possible ways that can be considered to mitigate impacts and  address this issue.  None inexpensive.  
Drilling injection wells at alternate locations to avoid continuous seepage into the coastal waters could be one. Considering use of updated UV technology to treat wastewater may be another.


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## AKE (Sep 21, 2013)

It depends on the winds as well as how humid (heavy) the air is on any given day.  You can go for weeks even without a smell and then all of a sudden it becomes very noticeable.


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## jarta (Sep 30, 2013)

Interesting interview with the President of the West Maui Preservation Association from the August 8 issue of MauiTime: 

"MAUITIME: How long has your organization been speaking out against the Lahaina wastewater facility?

LANCE COLLINS: Since it was formed [in 2003]. We’ve sent stuff to the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] and DOH [Department of Health]. Nothing happened with DOH but the EPA wanted to hear what the public had to say. But that wasn’t until a couple years later.

MT: What’s the significance of the UH study?

COLLINS: WMPA has always said that it doesn’t take a biologist to see that the treatment plant has a negative impact on the near-shore waters. This [study] shows that conclusively. The water has to go somewhere. It’s not like there’s a big black hole under the ground. Would a tourist snorkel there knowing that 60 percent of the injection from the treatment plant is bubbling up there? The water they’re shooting into the ground is coming up. We have to figure out how best to eliminate the problems that’s causing.

MT: Sixty percent seems high. Did the results surprise you?

COLLINS: It did, though the exact amount is 65 percent. I thought [the result] was low. In my mind it was 100 percent, it’s at least consistent with my experience. In 10 to 15 feet of water, you can see these submarine springs. The water is warmer there. You don’t need special equipment to see these springs.

MT: Why has the issue regarding the treatment plant injections gone on so long?

COLLINS: I think from the state’s perspective, I think it’s better for them to do something instead of nothing. Injection is better than direct discharge into the ocean–except in this case where it’s direct discharge into the ocean. Now there’s science to back up the connection between injection and the submarine springs in the Kahekili shoreline area. Before this study, they said there was no scientific evidence of sewage coming up. And remember that there are injection wells in Kahului and Kihei as well.

MT: Where do you go from here?

COLLINS: WMPA and Earthjustice are in settlement discussions with the County in the lawsuit. There aren’t really any details on that. We’re hopeful, and if not we’ll press ahead and get a judgment.

MT: How serious would that judgment be for the County of Maui?

COLLINS: For the County, a violation of the Clean Water Act is pretty serious. The money goes to the federal government. It would be very sad if the County won’t face facts and has to give a fat check to the federal government that will never come back to the community.

* * *

When UH released the study in late July, and Earthjustice distributed it to media across Maui, the County of Maui’s press office declined to comment. But what the various media outlets (including this one) missed when they first reported on the UH study was that one county official had commented on the results in writing.

Buried at the end of the 502-page report is a copy of a four-page letter dated June 10, 2013 from Scott Rollins of the county’s Wastewater Reclamation Division to UH Geology Professor Craig Glenn, the study’s principal author (the UH researchers’ response to Rollins is also included at the end of the report). In his letter, Rollins makes dozens of comments and critiques about the study, including his belief that the report is just too damned long.

“This is one of the longest and most detailed executive summaries we have ever seen,” Rollins wrote. “Seems like it might be a good idea to move the report index ahead of it so we can find things like the acronym table, and understand the layout of the entire 450+ page report.”

In response, Glenn dryly noted, “Good idea. We did that.” But Collins, who admitted that he hadn’t known about the county’s letter until asked about it for this story, couldn’t get over Rollins’ critique. “I find it amusing that the County is trying to tell scientists how to typeset their report,” he said.

For the most part though, Rollins disputed the certainty that sewage from the Lahaina plant is in fact making its way to the nearshore waters–and repeatedly asked researchers to water down their conclusions by using terms like “possible cause” instead of “primary cause” when discussing the dye tracer results.

“Where is the physical proof that this is true?” Rollins asked at one point. “Isn’t this the best guess cause for the data collected and the models that were developed[?]”

But the report shows Glenn and his fellow researchers weren’t buying Rollins’ skepticism. “We strongly dispute the contention that no evidence was provided to support our conclusion,” they noted in response to Rollins’ question.

Indeed, the EPA seemed to back them up (though that agency made many technical comments and criticisms on the report as well). “The Lahaina Groundwater Tracer Study Draft Final Report (June 2013) (the ‘report’) is informative and interesting to read,” noted that agency in a comment letter on the report dated June 10, 2013. “The report provides important and useful information on the fate of effluent from injection wells and on Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) in West Maui. We now know that Lahaina’s effluent discharges 3-25 m from shore in two fairly discrete areas off the Marriott and that it takes 3 months to under a year for most of the plume to reach the ocean. This is very different from the historical thinking that wells discharged far off shore in deep water over large areas.”

http://mauifeed.com/headline/new-un...stewater-facility-migrates-to-kahekili-beach/

Salty


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## Ron98GT (Sep 30, 2013)

jarta said:


> Interesting interview with the President of the West Maui Preservation Association from the August 8 issue of MauiTime:
> 
> ...
> 
> ...



From Maui TV News, August 1, 2013:

http://mauitvnews.com/blog/2013/08/01/epa-says-injected-wastewater-may-reach-sea-in-90-days/

"

HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a final report, “Lahaina Groundwater Tracer Study” with results from a University of Hawaii investigation of the fate of effluent injected at Maui County’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility near the Kaanapali coast. 

Funded by the U. S. EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), the University of Hawaii has been studying the effluent flow from Lahaina’s injection wells to the near-shore ocean water since July 2011. 

The results of the study conclusively demonstrate that a hydrogeologic connection exists between two of the Lahaina facility’s injection wells and the nearby coastal waters of West Maui.  A tracer dye added to the facility’s injection wells 3 and 4 took approximately three months to first emerge from submarine seeps near the shore along North Kaanapali Beach.  The seeps are located roughly one-half mile to the southwest of the facility. The results suggest an average travel time from injection wells 3 and 4 to the seeps in excess of one year. The study also estimated that 64 percent of the treated wastewater injected into wells 3 and 4 discharges within two discrete near-shore zones where the submarine seeps are located.  Additional key results detailed in the final report include the temperature, salinity, pH, nutrient concentrations, and discharge rate of the monitored submarine discharges.  

EPA is carefully reviewing the final study results and is consulting with the Hawaii DOH on appropriate next steps in light of the research findings.   

To see the Final Report please visit:  www.epa.gov/region9/water/groundwater/uic-permits.html#lahaina

"

Yuck - at least one of the seeps is off the Marriott TS (MOC).  The stinky treatment plant and injection wells are located in North Ka'anapali, but the off shore seeps are in South Ka'anapali.


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## jarta (Sep 30, 2013)

> Yuck - at least one of the seeps is off the Marriott TS (MOC).  The stinky treatment plant and injection wells are located in North Ka'anapali, but the off shore seeps are in South Ka'anapali.





There are three seeps that run right under WKORV-N and exit not far offshore with a diagram on the 1st page (IIRR) of the report.   Salty


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## crf450x (Sep 30, 2013)

This information is VERY DISTURBING.  

I found this on the Natural Resources Defense Council's website:  http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/hi.asp  It doesn't indicate any particular warnings on the sewage or abnormal levels at the Kaanapali beaches.  In fact it is rated 4th out of 30 states they test for water quality.  The areas that seem to be tested are both south and north of the WKORV.  Perhaps they should start regularly testing the waters directly in front of the WKROV and Marriott's Maui Ocean Club.

I know that after a storm in the Los Angeles area, they always say to stay out of the water because the water quality is quite bad.  Have there ever been warnings about the water quality around the Lahaina/Kaanapali area?

How often do they pump/inject the "treated sewage" into the underground wells or is it pumped/injected in there continuously?  How big are the wells and do they just pump the sewage in there until it is full then wait till it seeps out then pump more in?  What is treated sewage?  Does raw sewage ever accidently get injected into the wells?  What ever they do it does not sound good.  We have been at WKORV many times and have several exchanges already confirmed in the future plus a week at Marriott Maui Ocean Club around Thanksgiving time and have always enjoyed the beach and having fun in the ocean, swimming, snorkeling, surfing, etc...  Now we have second thoughts.


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## crf450x (Sep 30, 2013)

Well, found many of the answers in regards to Maui's Waste water injection wells here:  http://www.co.maui.hi.us/faq.aspx?TID=83

One of the faqs on there states that prior to the mid 1970's, RAW SEWAGE was discharged directly into near-shore ocean waters.


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## DavidnRobin (Sep 30, 2013)

crf450x said:


> This information is VERY DISTURBING.
> 
> I found this on the Natural Resources Defense Council's website:  http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/hi.asp  It doesn't indicate any particular warnings on the sewage or abnormal levels at the Kaanapali beaches.  In fact it is rated 4th out of 30 states they test for water quality.  The areas that seem to be tested are both south and north of the WKORV.  Perhaps they should start regularly testing the waters directly in front of the WKROV and Marriott's Maui Ocean Club.
> 
> ...



A picture is worth... (I think this was Nov 2007 - outside WKORV/N after big storm)






Hard to see, but looking north from OFD B3 - you can see discolored water that was overflow from water/sewer treatment plant.  Notice no one on beach or in water.


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## pharmgirl (Sep 30, 2013)

Takes from 3 months to a year to ocean, bacteria in sewage should not be a problem since this time in ground would seem act as a filter?


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## DavidnRobin (Oct 1, 2013)

crf450x said:


> This information is VERY DISTURBING.
> 
> I found this on the Natural Resources Defense Council's website:  http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/hi.asp  It doesn't indicate any particular warnings on the sewage or abnormal levels at the Kaanapali beaches.  In fact it is rated 4th out of 30 states they test for water quality.  The areas that seem to be tested are both south and north of the WKORV.  Perhaps they should start regularly testing the waters directly in front of the WKROV and Marriott's Maui Ocean Club.
> 
> ...



Want another thing to worry about? radiation from Japan meltdown in water around HI is due in 2015 - drag...

The articles (scientific) sited in previous posts list the processes for both disposal and measurement - as well as modeled - for this disposal site.


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## jarta (Oct 1, 2013)

pharmgirl said:


> Takes from 3 months to a year to ocean, bacteria in sewage should not be a problem since this time in ground would seem act as a filter?



The 2012 pending suit against Maui County says the filter is not working that well.  Maui County's motion to dismiss the suit has been denied.  The 2013 study by the U of HI confirms that 64% of the partially treated wastewater pumped into the ground reaches the ocean through the sinks and carries "nutrients" for the algae which are killing the reef.

I have been in that water before.  I won't be back in until I know the water in front of WKORV/N is unpolluted.  The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the WKORV/N pools are inadequate for the number of guests.   Salty


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## waterwiz (Dec 15, 2013)

Very interesting thread and lots of good background info. Sorry I did not see it earlier.

The Univ. of Hawaii study is very thorough.  Thanks to jarta for pinpointing pertinent info in a very long report.  

I think some clarification is needed though.  The effluent being pumped into the wells at the sewage treatment plant and making its way to the ocean in front of the WKORV-N&S is not raw sewage.  It has gone through three phases of treatment and has been chlorinated.  It probably does not contain live bacteria and probably does not constitute a health hazard to humans (a significant portion of this treated effluent is used to irrigate the Kaanapali golf courses).  

But the high loading of nutrients and higher temperature of the treated effluent is a direct threat to the health of the coral reef and secondarily to all the coral reef creatures we all like to see.  While I was snorkeling there last Thursday I saw the NO2 bubbling up not 25 feet from shore.  Never knew what it was before!

I attended the WKORV Homeowners Association meeting on Friday.  No quorum again so no real business.  During the Q&A, I day-lighted the issue of the effluent surfacing in front of the resort and asked the Board to consider supporting the ongoing lawsuit against Maui County to require them to stop pumping effluent.  We'll see what happens.


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## DavidnRobin (Dec 15, 2013)

I had always wondered what those bubbles were, and where they were coming from - I read the salient points of the publication - very interesting.


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## fasha39 (Mar 23, 2016)

jarta said:


> ^^^  Here is the final EPA report on the Lahaina Wastewater Treatment groundwater problem.  Partially treated effluent pumped into the ground eventually reaches the ocean through "seeps" which run right under WKORV-N.
> 
> The final report was issued in June of this year:
> 
> ...



Apparently this lawsuit(s) is (are) still going on. For the past week they have been testing the water every four hours in front of building 2. I was chatting with one of the testers and there isn't a concern for humans more for the coral, marine life - they estimate the size of the reef is 30% smaller than it was 25 yrs ago.  Belief is that it's a combination of several factors; people standing on it, sunscreen, increased ocean temperature and increased levels of nitrates (allegedly coming from the treatment plant).


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## Ken555 (Mar 23, 2016)

fasha39 said:


> Apparently this lawsuit(s) is (are) still going on. For the past week they have been testing the water every four hours in front of building 2. I was chatting with one of the testers and there isn't a concern for humans more for the coral, marine life - they estimate the size of the reef is 30% smaller than it was 25 yrs ago.  Belief is that it's a combination of several factors; people standing on it, sunscreen, increased ocean temperature and increased levels of nitrates (allegedly coming from the treatment plant).




I also spoke with them, and they are from the USGS (Santa Cruz and St Petersburg offices). They asked me numerous questions about historical sand erosion (as I've been visiting since 2006) as this week they noticed a significant change over a few day period...fwiw, currently there is just more than enough room for a single towel or two from the end of the tree line before the water while normally there is much more sand.

BTW, if you're up at 7am they would like a latte with one sugar. 


Sent from my iPad


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## krj9999 (Feb 19, 2019)

And now this goes to the Supreme Court.


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## controller1 (Feb 19, 2019)

krj9999 said:


> And now this goes to the Supreme Court.



I thought it might be easier to follow if there was a link:

https://www.courthousenews.com/maui-water-pollution-case-faces-supreme-court-resolution/


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## cindylou (Feb 22, 2019)

It has rained a lot here in the last 4 weeks, and here is a picture of the "pond" to the north of WKORVN, taken today.  It does not smell pleasant.  I have sensed a sewer aroma several times in the last 4 weeks, usually after a big rain.


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## Negma (Feb 22, 2019)

We have been here as well, but we have not noticed any odor. Could be the Mai Tais. Mahalo


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