Water Resources Research Act Program

Principal Investigators: Craig R Glenn

Abstract: The risk sewage effluent released to the environment poses to human health and the environment is well documented, and human health risks and environmental impacts of terrestrial wastewater disposal are of global concern. The ecological impacts of anthropogenic loading are becoming increasingly clear. High onsite sewage disposal systems (OSDS) density or improper functioning of systems can lead to contamination of aquifers and adjacent surface waters by nutrients, pathogens and pharmaceuticals. Thus, OSDS are a substantial threat to groundwater quality and the 2nd most frequently reported cause of contaminated groundwater. Developing a complete understanding of the environmental and health risks of wastewater leakage from OSDS thus remains a fundamental and critical concern. This request for support of this project is a capacity building endeavor on behalf of American Samoa and will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program (Hawai‘i Sea Grant) . This project’s research will be conducted on the island of Oahu, Hawai’i and serve to inform ongoing work in American Samoa. The research component will be funded by the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant. The UH WRRC budget request is in support of a graduate student from American Samoa to conduct this research. This training and education along with the research experience will be brought home to American Samoa to be focused on future water resources projects in American Samoa.