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Committee approves settlement IGA with HIOSH for Kihei wastewater facility violations
Summary
The committee approved an intergovernmental agreement to settle alleged HIOSH violations at the Kihei Wastewater Reclamation Facility for $28,062.30 after staff reported that identified violations were addressed; members said corrections were made promptly and the department will continue safety work across plants.
The Maui County Water and Infrastructure Committee recommended first reading of Bill 16 (2025), an intergovernmental agreement with the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations's Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division (HIOSH) to settle alleged violations at the Kihei Wastewater Reclamation Facility for $28,062.30.
Director Shane Agawa (Department of Environmental Management) told the committee that HIOSH inspected the Kihei plant in July 2024 and identified multiple violations. He said department staff treated the findings seriously, and many items were corrected immediately; the department later negotiated a 30% reduction from the original fine amount. Director Agawa said, "the violation amounts to a little over $28,000 the original violation was more than that, and then Hayash gave us a 30% reduction." (Quotation as spoken in committee record.)
The department presented that all cited violations have been addressed and that the requested council authorization is to allow the mayor to execute the intergovernmental settlement agreement and payment. Theo Leon, wastewater operations training officer, confirmed the inspection focused on the Kihei treatment plant's central maintenance area and said the department is applying lessons across other plants.
Committee members emphasized worker safety and asked whether other plants had been proactively reviewed. Leon said the department has undertaken follow-up inspections and training and that the department is seeking to fill supervisory vacancies so safety oversight workload is not disproportionately borne by one staff member. Members praised the department for prompt corrective action and emphasized the importance of staffing and safety retention.
Votes and next steps: The committee recommended the settlement agreement for first reading; the committee recorded a 7-0 vote in favor with two members excused. The item will move to the full council for consideration.
Sources and attribution: Quotations and attributions are taken from the March 17, 2025 committee transcript, including Director Shane Agawa and Theo Leon (wastewater operations training officer).
