NOTICE OF PROPOSED WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PERMIT FOR THE HILO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT HILO, ISLAND OF HAWAII NPDES PERMIT NO. HI 0021377 DOCKET NO. HI 0021377 February 7, 2020 The State Department of Health (DOH) tentatively proposes to issue a renewal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge secondary-treated wastewater from the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant, to receiving State waters, subject to special conditions to: COUNTY OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT The proposed NPDES permit for the existing discharge will expire five (5) years from the date of issuance. The Permittee owns and operates the facility, located at 150 Kekuanaoa Place, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 and serving a population of 31,000 in the immediate Hilo area. The facility is a secondary wastewater treatment plant designed to treat domestic wastewater at an average flow of five (5) million gallons per day (MGD) and a peak wet weather flow of 13 MGD. The plant uses a combination of physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes. The treated domestic wastewater is discharged into the Pacific Ocean (Puhi Bay, east of the Hilo Bay breakwater), a Class A designated water, through an outfall and diffuser system which runs approximately 4,500 feet offshore. Discharge is through a 210 feet long diffuser section at an average depth of approximately 52 feet, at coordinates: Latitude 19°44’38″N and Longitude 155°02’58″W. The organic solids removed from the wastewater are subjected to further treatment to reduce, concentrate, and stabilize the sludge. After additional dewatering, the stabilized, treated sludge is disposed of at an approved landfill. Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed NPDES permit or to request a public hearing, should submit their comments or requests in writing no later than 30 calendar days after the date of this notice, either through e-mail at: cleanwaterbranch@doh.hawaii.gov or by mail at 2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225, Pearl City, Hawaii 96782. Copies of the proposed public notice permit and other information are available for public inspection, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:45 a.m. until 4:15 p.m., at the DOH Clean Water Branch (CWB) office located at the 2827 Waimano Home Road, Room 225, Pearl City, HI 96782; the Hilo District Health Office located at 75 Aupuni Street, #201, Hilo, HI 96720, and the Kona District Health Office located at 79-1015 Haukapila Street, Kealakekua, HI 96750. Copies may be bought. The public notice permit and fact sheet are also available on the internet at: http://health.hawaii.gov/cwb/site-map/home/public-notices-and-updates. For more information or if you have special needs due to disability that will aid you in inspecting and/or commenting on the public notice permit and related information, please contact Mr. Darryl Lum, Supervisor of the Engineering Section, CWB, at the above address or (808) 586 4309 (Voice) at least seven (7) calendar days before the comment deadline. For those who use a TTY/TDD, please call through Sprint Relay Hawaii, at 1-711 or 1-877-447-5991. All written comments and requests received on time will be considered. If DOH determines that there is significant public interest, a public hearing may be held after at least 30 calendar days of public notice. If DOH’s position is substantially unchanged after considering all timely written comments and all oral comments at any public hearing that may be held, then the DOH will issue the NPDES permit and this action will be final. Please notify anyone you know who would be interested in this matter. BRUCE S. ANDERSON, Ph.D Director of Health (HTH1263726 2/7/20)