Goodfellow Bros., LLC, was issued a Notice of Violation Order (NOVO) and fined after accidentally discharging thousands of gallons of untreated domestic sewage into Reed’s Bay in November.
The spill occurred on Nov. 30, 2020. Goodfellow Bros., LLC, a contractor for Hawai‘i County’s Department of Environmental Management, Wastewater Division, was installing a sidewalk when crews punctured a sewer pipe, according to a press release from the Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH).
DOH was notified the spill originated from the Banyan Sewer Pump Station, located at 280 Banyan Drive in Hilo. As a result, approximately 28,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled from a sewer main and entered the “Ice Pond” portion of Reed’s Bay.
“The discharge of raw sewage into state waters is unacceptable,” stated Keith Kawaoka, Deputy Director of Environmental Health. “When working near our beaches and streams, contractors need to take extra care and pay additional attention to the location of underground utilities.”
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In response to the spill, health officials oversaw bacterial monitoring of the nearshore waters around the spill site. Warning signs were posted for seven days until water quality returned to normal levels.
The NOVO includes a requirement for Goodfellow Bros., LLC to provide a report that describes how spills will be prevented in the future and pay a penalty of $25,000. Goodfellow Bros., LLC has 20 days to contest the findings and request a hearing.
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