Council Approves EPA Settlement on Lahaina Injection Wells

In a unanimous vote, the council gave final approval to a bill authorizing the proposed settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over allegations that inadequately treated sewage injected into the ground at the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility is a violation of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The county would increase the amount of treatment the wastewater receives, under the negotiated agreement. Lucienne de Naie of the Sierra Club, Maui Chapter, urged support of the settlement. “It’s been a long time coming to get the EPA and the county wastewater department on the same page, so we can get the water quality we deserve,” she said.