Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management outlines wastewater upgrades, landfill lifespan and recycling gaps
Summary
Director Wes Segawa told council members the county is beginning conditional work on the Hilo wastewater rehabilitation, must meet multiple AOC obligations and faces a landfill airspace shortfall estimated at about 15 years — prompting questions about diversion and revenue options.
HILO — The County’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) briefed the County Council on May 20 about a large slate of wastewater rehabilitation projects, landfill airspace limits and related recycling programs, saying the agency is under pressure to deliver on court-ordered cleanups and soon-to-be-implemented upgrades.
Wes Segawa, DEM director, and senior staff reviewed the agency’s FY26 program and capital priorities. The Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant rehabilitation project is moving toward construction: DEM issued a conditional notice to proceed (NTP) allowing the winning contractor to purchase equipment and materials while county staff finalize terms and ready construction management resources. Segawa said contractors’ schedules anticipate months of lead time for long-lead equipment.
The county must also comply with multiple administrative orders on consent (AOCs) and a recent…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
