Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann yesterday announced the start of a $45-million project to rehabilitate and reconstruct the sewer system in Waimalu.

"We’re fulfilling our promise to repair our sewer system and waste water treatment plants with these major capital investments,” Hannemann said. “Projects like these are constructed with the money collected in sewer fees, and this one in particular is benefiting from federal stimulus funding. This is another example of the commitment we’re making to improve our infrastructure, while also generating jobs for the construction industry.”


Most of the sewer lines were constructed in the mid- to late-1950s. They are in poor condition because of ground settlement.



The project will involve the replacement of 5,820 linear feet of defective sewer lines by conventional open-cut trench methods. It also includes the installation of 630 linear feet of new sewer lines, including a line crossing underneath Kamehameha Highway using a trenchless micro-tunneling method.
The construction will take place in the area mauka of the Waimalu Shopping Center. The streets affected include Hekaha Street, from Kamehameha Highway to Pahemo Street; Lokowai; Olepe Loop; Lii Ipo Street; and portions of Kanunu Street.

A total of $7,438,075 was provided from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and locally from the Hawaii Department of Health.

Preliminary work has begun. The project will take 27 months to complete.