Kualoa Park Sewer Fixes Up For Public Hearing Friday

The city Department of Planning and Permitting will hold a public hearing at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Kahaluu Community Park (next to the elementary school) on a plan to improve Kualoa Regional Park’s wastewater system.

The project includes building a new, centralized sewage treatment facility, upgrades to three comfort stations and the food service building systems, as well as the demolition of another comfort station, and installing a new one farther inland (to avoid erosion by the shoreline).

The city is working under a settlement with the state health department that requires the extensive work, following the system’s failure years ago, accompanied by discharges and penalties.

An archaeologist will be onsite during construction, according to Jeff Overton of Group 70 International, the contractor. Ancient human remains have been unearthed at the park in the past, and more may be uncovered in the future. Planners have designated the former military airstrip as the site for a new comfort station, where there is less chance of disturbing graves.

Kahaluu Neighborhood Board voted unanimously in May for the improvements because of the critical need to resolve the park’s sewage problems, but recommended “at least one cultural monitor from the Koolaupoko and Koolauloa Hawaiian civic clubs be present whenever any earth disturbing activities take place.”

For details, call 768-8024.