Kaneohe/Kailua Tunnel Influent Facility

Kaneohe, HI

The Kaneohe-Kailua 17 million gallons per day (MGD) Tunnel Influent Facility project, located at the Kaneohe Wastewater Pre-Treatment Facility (WWTF), marked the final phase of the City and County of Honolulu’s comprehensive $350-million Kaneohe-Kailua Wastewater Conveyance and Treatment Facilities project.

This phase of work encompassed a range of work, including:

• Structural finishing
• Mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation installations
• Architectural work at diversion, drop structures, and junction structures for the new conveyance tunnel
• Construction of a new generator building
• Upgrades to odor control systems

To meet a U.S. EPA consent decree, further work entailed the installation of fiberglass to seal ports and joints in the tunnel, ensuring the City’s compliance with environmental regulations. All work was completed within a live treatment plant.

To help coordinate and align project team members, a formal Construction Partnering program was implemented and supplemented by weekly team meetings including the owner, construction manager and contractors. At the partnering kick-off meeting, the team developed shared “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” related to issue resolution, submittals, environment, public perception, budget, schedule, safety and quality. These goals were evaluated through monthly surveys and at subsequent partnering sessions.

At the project’s completion, Honolulu Mayor, Kirk Caldwell described the entire project as a model for other city projects to follow, saying that collaboration was a big part of its success.