A malfunction in the automated disinfection system at the Pāpaʻikou Wastewater Treatment Plant caused up to 98,300 gallons of fully treated but insufficiently disinfected wastewater to be released into the shoreline area sometime between the afternoon of Feb. 11 and the morning of Feb. 12.
Crews manually disinfected the water, restored the system by 9:03 a.m. yesterday, and alerted relevant agencies.
As a precaution, the shoreline from Lyman Bay (Mill Beach) to Waipahi Point is closed to swimming, fishing, and boating.
Warning signs are posted and will remain until bacterial levels return to acceptable levels, at which point the public will be notified.
