Bill > HR63

This Resolution urges Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) to improve its sewage treatment plant by increasing its capacity and adding redundant components, which means having backup systems in place. The goal is to ensure that the treated wastewater, known as "final effluent," meets the quality standards set by the state, as required by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. MCBH has exceeded these standards multiple times due to insufficient treatment, and its current wastewater facility infrastructure, originally built in 1947, lacks the necessary backup systems for maintenance. The resolution also encourages MCBH to restart its water reuse system to irrigate its golf course and supply other areas of the base, thereby conserving precious drinking water and reducing the amount of treated wastewater discharged into Kailua Bay, a popular recreational area. Furthermore, it requests all Department of Defense installations in Hawaii to aim for higher treatment standards (R1 instead of R2) to maximize water reuse, decrease reliance on potable water, and minimize discharges into Hawaii's waters.