HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Two temporary groundwater monitoring wells will be installed at the Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site in Olowalu.
This effort is part of the County of Maui and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' commitment to protecting public health and the environment during the wildfire cleanup.
Crews will install one well uphill (upgradient) and one downhill (downgradient) of the TDS, drilling down to the uppermost groundwater source.
While groundwater impacts are not anticipated, the wells will monitor TDS site operations.
"Although impacts to groundwater are not expected, the wells will be installed to further monitor TDS site operations," said a spokesperson for Maui County. "Samples are expected to be collected shortly after the wells are installed and have had time to stabilize. The temporary groundwater monitoring wells will continue to be sampled every three months, which is typical for waste management facilities."
Groundwater in this area is not currently used for drinking or irrigation, and the nearest drinking water well is about 1 mile away.
Sampling data, along with other environmental data (air, leachate, etc.), will be shared at Maui Recovers.
Bill 120, which authorized an intergovernmental agreement between the County of Maui and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources for right-of-entry to the TDS site, mandates using best efforts to prevent debris or leachate runoff from the TDS site to the ocean.
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This includes controls for run-on and run-off, groundwater-detection monitoring, air quality monitoring, stormwater-pollution prevention and maintaining transparent public reporting.