The Navy is ramping up efforts to complete upgrades to its troubled wastewater plant at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam as the facility ages.
The site is a flurry of workers and construction equipment working on projects throughout the plant and JBPHH public works officer Capt. Rob Kleinman said that so far there is roughly $75 million invested in contracts to refurbish or replace aging equipment and facilities.
The base’s wastewater plant occupies 11.61 acres and processes household and industrial wastewater, providing service for up to 40, 000 people. But the facility operations have always been a challenge.
In September 2022 the state Department of Health slapped the Navy with a notice of violation and order that included an $8.7 million fine over repeated spills and maintenance problems with the Navy’s wastewater system. Its proximity to the ocean and Hawaii’s tropical climate have subjected it to heavy corrosion and the Navy has struggled to keep maintenance and funding at pace with the wear and tear of the elements.
Many parts of the facility itself are also old, and many of those who work there readily describe some systems as “antiquated ” and say they welcome the boost in resources. Plant manager Wayne Salas, who has overseen operations for almost four years after a decades-long career working for the city said he’s hoping to see “more efficient equipment, easier maintenance and a smaller…
