Updated at 2:56 p.m., Monday, November 5, 2007
Nearly 2M gallons of wastewater enter Pearl Harbor
Advertiser Staff
The U.S. Navy reported last night that an estimated 1.97 million gallons of wastewater entered storm drains leading to the waters of Pearl Harbor.The heavy rains caused a power surge that occurred around 8 a.m., causing the wastewater collection system's main lift station to go off line. Two manhole covers were displaced and wastewater spilled into nearby storm drains at Shipyard Dry Dock #4, and at the intersection of South Avenue and Lake Erie, the Navy said.
Navy personnel also said that Wastewater Lift Station #1 was off line and immediately corrected the problem, bringing it back on line at approximately 1:30 p.m. The area around the two manholes was cleaned and sanitized.
Warning signs have been posted along the Navy and Hickam Air Force Base water-front, from Dry Dock #4 to the Hickam Officer's Club. The impacted areas are within the secured Department of Defense fence line, and since this particular area of the harbor is not normally used for swimming, human exposure to the impacted water body is not anticipated.
Water samples were taken yesterday near the two storm water drainage outlets that discharged the wastewater into the harbor, with more to be collected in the morning. Samples will continue to be taken until there is no further evidence of the wastewater spill. The warning signs will remain posted until analytical results indicate that the nearby harbor water has returned to background conditions. Environmental impacts are expected to be minimal.
