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August 01, 2012 | 08:26 AM SEWER TALK
As always your paper takes on and illuminates problems here on Maui that Joe [Bradley, Publisher] over at The Maui News seems to favor ignoring ("Big Waste," July 26, 2012).
One of the most frustrating things in life is to see a solution to a major problem and not being able to get anyone to listen or consider your idea. We need to take care of wastewater in a proactive way to protect the aina and our precious water resources, both ocean and freshwater.
I believe that I have an idea that not only addresses the dilemma of how to deal with sewage and wastewater, but also could provide a source of clean, renewable electric power that is nothing short of amazing in its simplicity.
Instead of septic tanks, cesspools and injection wells, all this wastewater could be converted into renewable power while at the same time being treated and purified before being used for irrigation.
How could this be done? By combining wastewater treatment with a pumped hydro storage system. As it stands now, Maui Electric is hard pressed to deal with the surplus power from wind and P/V to the point that it now will not allow any more P/V from Maui Meadows because they can't balance the baseline power with the fluctuation of alternative power sources.
If we could pump the wastewater up-slope utilizing this surplus power, the water could then be processed and treated while at the same time being used to generate a supply of reliable and constant power that the grid and baseline could handle.
- Waldemar D. Kmentt, via MauiTime.com
Gravity Vortex Hydro Electric sounds OK, but how about connecting all septic systems up country to one or several lines that lead to a treatment plant and then a hydroelectric generator? Every time you flush your toilet, you are creating electricity. It is too simple. We need this before we need more rich people and mega malls. Infrastructure before development.
-Brian Sweeney, via MauiTime.com
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