After a lot of buildup, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in a closely watched wastewater case turned out to be less than definite.
The case involved Maui County in Hawaii, which for years has disposed of effluent from its wastewater treatment plant in deep injection wells. Scientists found that effluent migrates through the soil and groundwater and enters the Pacific Ocean. Environmental groups sued and asked federal courts to require a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for the wells, just as permits are required for other discharges into navigable waters. The worry for wastewater professionals was that the court would
