City breaks ground on $85M upgrades at Kailua wastewater treatment plant

News admin June 19, 2026 0 Comments

City breaks ground on $85M upgrades at Kailua wastewater treatment plant

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – An $85 million plan to upgrade critical infrastructure at the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant broke ground Thursday.

The first project will build a $61 million dewatering building to remove excess water from sludge prior to its disposal or reuse, demolish the existing building and infrastructure, and install a new odor control system.

A second $23 million project will renovate two biotowers, which use microorganisms to break down contaminants in wastewater before discharge.

The repairs were ordered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after wastewater discharges off Kailua in 2023 contained high bacteria levels, with readings more than six times the allowable limit in some cases.

“There was a mechanical failure actually in one of the bio towers (in 2023),” said Roger Babcock, Honolulu Department of Environmental Services director. “So they’re going to be completely gutted, all new internals put inside there, all the equipment, everything that happens inside that tank, including all its finishes, rehabilitate the concrete and make sure everything’s back to new.”

The projects are part of a broader program to replace the plant’s aging infrastructure. An $11 million UV disinfection system installed last year is “working really, really well,” Babcock said.

The plant provides wastewater treatment services for the Kailua and Kaneohe communities. It has experienced numerous wastewater spills, including during March’s Kona low storms.

“This isn’t glamorous work,” said Jenn Boneza, Department of Environmental Services public information officer. “You’re not going to see this on any travel guide, but every family in Kailua and Kaneohe will benefit from this every single day.”

Construction on both projects is expected to be finished in early 2029.