Don’t Inject – Redirect!

DIRE Coaltion

The  DIRE Coalition is a group of Maui organizations, residents and visitors committed to protecting our precious coral reefs and ocean and to wise use of scarce water resources.  DIRE stands for Don’t Inject, Redirect.  The DIRE Coalition advocates reclaiming and using our treated wastewater for irrigation, stream restoration, green belts and fire prevention, rather than injecting it into wells were it migrates to the ocean, promotes algae growth, and suffocates our reefs.  Why should we “salinate” these valuable waters, when we could be beneficially using them on land?

Over the last year and a half, we have sparked a movement on Maui.  We led the effort to challenge the County’s request for a new 10 year permit to continue injection of wastewater at Lahaina.  As a result of our testimony and community education work, over 70 people attended the Nov. 2008 EPA public hearing on the county’s 10-year application to renew the Lahaina wastewater injection well permit in November 2008.  All of those who testified favored phasing out the injection wells and re-directing these waters for beneficial use on land.

Then in May 2009 EPA proposed a new permit with somewhat improved terms and conditions. We appreciate these changes.  But the EPA proposal would still allow 10 more years of injection well operation at Lahaina. We in the DIRE Coalition want to see a commitment to phasing out these wells and to take that action sooner.

So we were extremely pleased when on May 22, 2009, Mayor Tavares announced a new goal for the county: ” Our goal is to use all of the water that’s produced by our treatment plants and not put it down any injections wells.  That’s our goal.”

Over 200 people supported our request for a second EPA public hearing, and on August 20, 2009, EPA did hold a second public hearing on the Lahaina injection well permit.  This time over 50 people came and again, all the public witnesses testified in favor of a five year requirement for ending injection wells on Maui and increased treatment of pathogens and removal of nutrients in the interim.  The Mayor of Maui, Charmaine Tavares also testified, indicating that she supports ending all injection wells and going to 100% wastewater reuse, but she indicated that the County might not be able to do that as soon as DIRE wants.  To read the Aug. 20, 2009 hearing record, click here.

Now we are waiting for EPA’s decision.  In the meantime,

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

1) Write a letter to the editor of Maui News explaining how important it is to take urgent action to save the reefs and end the discarding of a precious resource — nutrient laden waters that could be beneficially used on land.

2) Write to the members of the County Council.  Ask them to take action to support Mayor Tavares’  goal of zero injection of county wastewater and 100% reuse. Ask them to support the DIRE Coalition and mandate the achievement of this goal by December 31, 2015.

3) Write to Senators Inouye and Akaka and Rep. Hirono and ask them to help appropriate the money to pay for upgrading Maui’s treatment plants, phase out the county’s injection wells, and beneficially and safely reuse the water on land — as per the Mayor’s goal.   Together, we can keep Maui no ka oi.

—-

DIRE (Don’t Inject, REdirect) is a coalition of Maui residents, visitors, and organizations concerned about environmentally harmful wastewater disposal at a time of severe drought and water shortages.

For more information, contact Irene Bowie at Maui Tomorrow Foundation (808.268.0303)