The city’s plan to put a landfill above a Wahiawā aquifer could be blocked by state lawmakers in the coming months, providing one fewer pathway for West Oʻahu residents to see the dump leave their side of the island.
The mayor’s office has argued it has little choice besides Wahiawā — a location that has generated significant pushback from Oʻahu residents worried about groundwater safety — because state restrictions remove much of the usable land on the island from consideration.
Lawmakers have introduced numerous proposals this year to address the controversy, but the only bills to receive serious consideration are ones aimed at blocking landfill development over significant groundwater sources, further restricting where the city can place its trash in the future…