NOTICE OF PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT FOR
HONOULIULI WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0020877
DOCKET NO. HI 0020877
December 14, 2018
The Department of Health (DOH) proposes to modify the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, including a Zone of Mixing (ZOM), issued to:
CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
1000 ULUOHIA STREET
KAPOLEI, HAWAII 96707
to discharge secondary treated wastewater from the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Pacific Ocean, subject to special conditions.
The proposed modified permit for the existing discharge will still expire at midnight, February 27, 2019. This permit is being modified pursuant to Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Section 11-55-16 and Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR), Sections 122.62(a)(2) and 122.62(a)(15). 40 CFR 122.62(a)(2) allows modification of NPDES permits if the DOH has received new information that was not available at the time of permit issuance and would have justified the application of different permit conditions at the time of issuance. 40 CFR 122.62(a)(15) allows modification to correct technical mistakes, such as errors in calculation, or mistaken interpretations of law made in determining permit conditions. The proposed modifications include:
1. Removing the DDT maximum daily and average annual effluent limitations and revising the monitoring frequency from monthly to semi-annually pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(15) (specifically, excluding non-detects from RPA calculations);
2. Removing the chlordane maximum daily and average annual effluent limitations pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(2) (specifically, consideration of additional data and new dilution study) and (a)(15) (specifically, (1) utilizing an RPA that projected daily maximum concentrations, thereby not considering the long exposure time associated with human health criteria for carcinogens (e.g. 70 years) and the fact that human health criteria for carcinogens is expressed as an annual average and (2) the treatment of non- detects in RPA calculations) and revising the monitoring frequency from quarterly to semi annually pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(15);
3. Removing the dieldrin maximum daily and average annual effluent limitations pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(2) (specifically, consideration of additional data and new dilution study) and (a)(15) (specifically, (1) utilizing an RPA that projected daily maximum concentrations, thereby not considering the long exposure time associated with human health criteria for carcinogens (e.g. 70 years) and the fact that human health criteria for carcinogens is expressed as an annual average and (2) the treatment of non- detects in RPA calculations) and revising the monitoring frequency from quarterly to semi annually pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(15);
4. Removing the ammonia nitrogen maximum daily effluent limitations pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(2) (specifically, utilization of additional data) and (a)(15) (specifically, the treatment of non-detects in RPA calculations);
5. Revising the final enterococcus maximum daily and average monthly effluent limitations, and associated compliance schedule, pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(2) (specifically, consideration of additional data and new dilution study);
6. Delaying of compliance with Specific Water Quality Criteria for Recreational Waters until completion of all of the required tasks identified in the Compliance Schedule for Enterococcus pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(2) (specifically, consideration of additional data);
7. Revising certain Whole Effluent Toxicity (“WET”) requirements, including for the Instream Waste Concentration (“IWC”) and test species pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(2) (specifically, consideration of additional information regarding projected changes to the treatment train and species sensitivities, and new dilution study); and
8. Removing Part I.5. of the 2014 Permit, “Planned Changes” pursuant to 40 CFR 122.62(a)(15) (specifically, to achieve consistency with 40 CFR 122.41(l)).
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.62 and 124.5(c)(2), only the conditions outlined above are being proposed for modification. Please note that DOH is only requesting comments on, or considering requests for a public hearing on, the items proposed for modification as described above.
Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed modified NPDES permit or to request a public hearing, should submit their comments or requests in writing no later than 30 calendar days after the date of this notice, either in person or by mail, to:
Clean Water Branch
Environmental Management Division
Department of Health
2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225
Pearl City, HI 96782
Copies of the proposed modified permit and other information are available for public inspection, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:45 a.m. until 4:15 p.m., at the DOH office address shown above and on the WPC Viewer located at: http://eha-web.doh.hawaii.gov/wpc-viewer. Copies may be bought. The proposed modified permit and rationale are also available on the internet at: http://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/site-map/clean-water-branch-home-page/public-notices-and-updates and on the WPC Viewer located at: http://eha-web.doh.hawaii.gov/wpc-viewer. For more information or if you have special needs due to disability that will aid you in inspecting and/or commenting on the proposed modified permit and related information, please contact Mr. Darryl Lum, Supervisor of the Engineering Section, at the above address or (808) 586-4309 (Voice) at least seven (7) calendar days before the comment deadline. For those who use a TTY/TDD, please call through Sprint Relay Hawaii, at 1-711 or 1-877-447-5991.
All comments and requests received on time will be considered. If DOH determines that there is significant public interest, a public hearing may be held after at least 30 calendar days of public notice.
If DOH’s position is substantially unchanged after considering all timely written comments and all oral comments at any public hearing that may be held, then the DOH will issue the modified NPDES permit and this action will be final.
Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter.
BRUCE S. ANDERSON, Ph.D.
Director of Health
(SA1157244 12/14/18)
