Ship-repair company Marisco Ltd. will pay penalties of $710,000 — the largest Clean Water Act civil penalty against a ship repair facility nationwide — as part of a settlement with the federal and state governments regarding violations at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor, officials announced today.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Health announcement said Marico was cited for violations of water pollution controls at its ship repair and drydock facilities at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor.

The settlement was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval.

An EPA complaint against Marisco said the company failed to use water pollution controls required by its Clean Water Act discharge permit at its main ship repair facility and at its separate 3,500 metric ton “Lil’ Perris” floating drydock.

During a 2008 inspection, state Department of Health inspectors observed storage of leaking equipment, workers washing down work areas directly into the harbor, and sandblast material from Marisco’s operations discharged into the harbor, a news release said.

The settlement requires Marisco to use clean water to wash the drydock after paint removal and sandblasting, collect the water used for washing and treat it to ensure that it is not discharged when the drydock is lowered into the harbor.

Marisco must treat and dispose of the water used for washing the drydock following federal, state and local laws and ordinances. These steps should result in the reduction of about 295 pounds of copper, 94 pounds of zinc, 14 pounds of solids and 8 pounds of oil and grease discharged into harbor waters each year, the release said.