Project Title
Accelerating Municipal Wastewater Disinfection at the Kīhei Wastewater Reclamation Facility

Overview
Kai Action Institute seeks philanthropic support to close a critical and widely misunderstood gap in municipal wastewater management in Hawaiʻi: the absence of required pathogen-neutralizing disinfection prior to environmental discharge in many systems. While wastewater is commonly described as “treated,” this designation does not consistently include disinfection unless the water is reused at the R-1 level (e.g., for plant irrigation). As a result, pathogen-containing effluent still enters groundwater and coastal environments across the state, shown on:

FlushAware.com

Our initiative has been supported by the development of FlushAware.com, a public information platform that documents treatment levels and disposal methods across Hawaiʻi. The platform has expanded statewide with contributions from water quality experts, providing transparency and public understanding of current system performance.

Problem Statement
There is a systemic gap between public perception and regulatory reality. Most stakeholders (including medical professionals and public health experts) reasonably assume that “treated” wastewater includes disinfection. In practice, disinfection is not universally required for disposal pathways such as injection wells, which can convey effluent to nearshore marine environments.

This gap has direct implications for public health, marine ecosystems, and culturally and ecologically significant coastal waters, including those in South Maui.

Policy and Project Context
In response to this issue, Kai Action Institute collaborated with Maui County Council Members to advance legislation requiring municipal wastewater disinfection. This effort resulted in Ordinance 5592 (2024), which establishes a long-term timeline for implementation by 2039.

A more immediate opportunity now exists. Maui County’s proposed FY2027 capital improvement project (CBS-5031) outlines a pathway to achieve disinfection in South Maui approximately 10 years ahead of the ordinance deadline. Initial design funding of $500,000 has been identified; however, approximately $4 million in additional capital is required to complete construction. Current public funding pathways for this remaining amount are uncertain and not scheduled until FY2029. We cannot wait that long!

Project Objective
The objective of this proposal is to secure philanthropic funding to fully implement municipal wastewater disinfection in South Maui on an accelerated timeline, eliminating a significant source of pathogen discharge to the environment.

Current condition: Not all municipal effluent receives full ultraviolet disinfection prior to disposal in South Maui.
Solution: Expand UV channel utilization to treat 100% of injection well flows.
Result: Elimination of municipal pathogen discharge pathways in South Maui, and full R-1 disinfection alignment.

Use of Funds
All donated funds will be directed, via formal agreement (e.g., Council-approved Memorandum of Agreement), to Maui County for the sole purpose of completing the disinfection infrastructure outlined in CBS-5031. Kai Action Institute will not retain funds for overhead or unrelated activities; 100% of contributions will support project completion with 0% overhead.

Impact
Completion of this project will:

• Eliminate pathogen discharge from a major municipal source into groundwater-connected coastal waters in South Maui (Hunt 2007)

• Improve public health protections for residents and ocean users

• Protect marine ecosystems, including sensitive and culturally significant habitats for birthing humpback whale mothers

• Demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of rapid municipal disinfection upgrades through targeted, 0% overhead philanthropy

• Support future statewide policy efforts by providing a successful, real-world implementation model

Strategic Significance
This project represents a high-leverage opportunity to achieve measurable environmental and public health benefits through a single, targeted capital investment. It also serves as a proof-of-concept for broader adoption of disinfection standards across Hawaiʻi.

Call to Action
Kai Action Institute invites philanthropic partners to fund the remaining $4 million required to complete this project. By doing so, a donor can directly enable the rapid elimination of pathogen discharge from a major municipal system and catalyze broader systemic change.

Supporting Documentation

• Kīhei WWRF 100% UV project sheet: Maui County CBS-5031

• Maui County Council Member Gabe Johnson support letter

Donation Information
kaiaction.org/donate

Contact
Kai Action Institute
info@kaiaction.org

+1 (808) 866-9320