HILO — The state Department of Health estimates about 2 million gallons of wastewater mixed with storm water was discharged Sunday from Big Island Dairy’s wastewater lagoons.
DOH spokeswoman Janice Okubo said the discharge entered into Kaohaoha Gulch beginning Sunday morning and continued until 11 p.m. that night.
“The dairy informed DOH that the heavy rains had overwhelmed their lagoons, and although they pumped the water from the lagoons, they were unable to prevent the overflow into the gulch because of too much rainwater,” Okubo said Monday.
Pumping consists of pumping water from the lagoons onto the ground at the dairy.
Residents of Ookala have long complained about releases of manure-laden water from the dairy into nearby gulches that run through or next to the community. Dairy owners confirmed in November, however, that they will discontinue dairy and milk processing operations at the facility.
According to Okubo, the DOH is in the final stages of negotiating an administrative order of consent with Big Island Dairy’s owners “that will result in the orderly final closure of all operations and, among other things, eliminating the wastewater lagoons, if a buyer cannot be found before the AOC is signed.”
That order also will include a settlement with penalties for past violations of the Clean Water Act and will stipulate penalties for any violations going forward, she said.
“In the interim, the dairy is reporting monthly herd reduction numbers, is complying with a nutrient management plan and is reporting any discharges,” she said.
According to information provided by Okubo, the dairy’s nutrient management plan sets forth how much animal waste, or water from the lagoons, and/or commercial fertilizer the dairy can use to fertilize fields.
Such plans consider a number of factors including soil moisture, rainfall and site conditions and topography.
“A nutrient management plan was required for the dairy, and they are following it,” Okubo said.
However, while the dairy is removing cattle from confinement as it proceeds toward closure, there will be a risk of discharges during prolonged periods of wet weather, Okubo added.
“As we understand, the last milking is this week, and after that there are no milking cows, just cows preparing to move to pasture,” she said.
According to a report from the dairy to the DOH, there were 1,073 head of cattle, including mature cows and young stock, in confinement at the dairy at the end of January.
A phone call to dairy management was not immediately returned.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.