Updated at 5:48 p.m., Saturday, January 13, 2007
Hilo's Puhi Bay closed by sewage spill
Advertiser Staff
The state Health Department is warning residents to stay out of the water in Hilo's Puhi Bay area because of a sewage spill.Officials say about 2 million gallons of treated, but unchlorinated, sewage was discharged into the bay by a county wastewater processing plant last night and this morning.
Hawai'i County officials noticed that the plant's chlorinating system was not working when they reported to work today, the Health Department said.
The unchlorinated discharge entered the water through an outfall about 2,000 feet offshore.
Officials posted warning signs from the Hilo Breakwater through Puhi Bay and advised the public to stay out of the Puhi Bay area until further notice.
Puhi Bay is named for a blowhole on the west side of the bay that was destroyed when the sewage treatment plant was constructed.
