HONOKOWAI — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a consent order that requires Maui County to fully disinfect all wastewater at the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility (LWRF).

EPA determined that treated wastewater discharged into the facility’s underground injection wells contains levels of coliform bacteria that could exceed federal standards protecting the drinking water aquifer.

The facility’s federal underground injection control permit requires the federal standards to be met.

The negotiated order, approved by the county in July, requires the installation of a non-chlorine disinfection system at the facility by the end of December 2013.

After December 2013, the injected wastewater may not exceed the state’s R-1 level for fecal coliform. Water treated to the R-1 level is the highest quality of reclaimed water specified in Hawaii State Regulations.

According to EPA, treating all of the wastewater at LWRF to R-1 water disinfection standards will ensure that pathogens will not contaminate the aquifer or be released into nearby coastal waters.

The additional treatment will also substantially increase the supply of recycled wastewater available for reuse by the county.

For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/region9/water/drinking/dw-enforcement.html.