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Rainfall on watershed areas seeps through volcanic rock supplying underground aquifers with water, where the water is stored. The Hawaiʻi Department of Water Supply pumps water from these aquifers through wells, and potable water is delivered to homes throughout Molokaʻi through a network of water mains.
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Untreated wastewater throughout Molokaʻi is conveyed through sewer mains to the Kaunakakai Wastewater Reclamation Facility, where it undergoes secondary treatment. This facility produces R-2 reclaimed water.
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All wastewater received at Kaunakakai Wastewater Reclamation Facility undergoes secondary treatment before it is discharged into UIC wells or reused for landscape irrigation (5%).
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Treated wastewater injected into UIC wells flow through groundwater toward the ocean, often emerging through openings on the reef creating direct pathways to the reef. Similarly, improperly treated reuse water used for irrigation may leach into groundwater and emerge through these openings. Once introduced, the wastewater can mix with the seawater and be carried by currents to nearby coral reefs, potentially affecting the health of these ecosystems (Lapointe 1997, Sutherland et al. 2010, Redding et al. 2013, Vega Thurber et al. 2014, Prouty et al. 2017).
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Kaunakakai Wastewater Reclamation Facility Map
- Moloka‘i Drinking Water Sources
Do You Know What Happens After You Flush?
- Moloka‘i Drinking Water Sources
