$450M pact won by Kaua'i company

By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer

Aqua Engineers of Lawa'i, Kaua'i, received a $435 million, 50-year contract to operate and expand the Schofield Barracks wastewater treatment plant.

In announcing the deal yesterday, U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawai'i, said Aqua Engineers was selected over larger, foreign-owned competitors American Waterworks and U.S. Filters.

"The selection of Aqua Engineers is a local small-business success story," Case said, "demonstrating how the ingenuity and resources of small businesses throughout Hawai'i can compete on a national and international scale for major military projects."

Aqua Engineers, which has 50 employees, operates 23 wastewater treatment plants in the state. It was the only local and U.S. company competing for the project, Case said.

Under terms of its new contract, the company will take over ownership, operation and maintenance of the Army's wastewater collection and treatment plant, which serves Schofield, Wheeler Army Airfield and Helemano Research Reservation.

The change in ownership and operation is part of the military's ongoing efforts to privatize some of its operations.

Many Hawai'i small businesses are especially interested in getting a piece of the $2.2 billion that the military plans to spend to build military homes on O'ahu.

Aqua Engineers' President Ian Kagimoto was unavailable for comment.

Hawai'i subcontractors working with Aqua Engineers on the project include Morikawa & Associates on Maui and O'ahu firms Austin Tsutsumi & Associates, Wilson Okamoto & Associates, Brown and Caldwell Consultants and ITC Water Management. Bodell Construction on O'ahu is the contractor.

Reach Sean Hao at shao@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8093.