Mamala Bay re-opened Published April 19, 2007 By 2nd Lt. Melanie McLean 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs HICKAM AFB, HI -- The Mamala Bay beach at Hickam was re-opened Monday after two tests affirmed the safety of the water, following Saturday¹s treated effluent discharge from the Navy¹s Wastewater Treatment Plant at Fort Kamehameha. Hickam¹s biological environmental engineering team conducted two safety tests following the discharge to ensure the water¹s cleanliness and the safety of the Mamala Bay beach-goers. ³We closed the bay to all water activities for 24 hours and, as suspected, we concluded there was no impact by the effluent after the environmental tests were accomplished,³ said Col. John J. Torres, 15th Airlift Wing commander. The Navy¹s Wastewater Treatment Plant at Fort Kamehameha discharged approximately 20,833 gallons of treated effluent without ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection Saturday evening. The UV light system is normally the final step prior to effluent discharge and completes the plant¹s requirements to kill any residual bacteriological organisms that were not eliminated in the advanced secondary treatment process. The Navy immediately made all necessary notifications to the State Department of Health as required by the wastewater treatment plant¹s operating permit. ³We were not overly concerned with the effluent release into Mamala Bay since the water had been treated, however, we still wanted to ensure the safety of our base population and families who recreate on the beach and in the bay,² said Colonel Torres.