The city announced Friday revised restrictions on new sewer connections from Halawa to Pearl City that previously threatened to slow down or halt new construction in the area for as long as four years.

The interim solution involves installing new valves and separating sewage flows through pipes from the Pearl City and Waipahu pump stations, the city Department of Environmental Services said in a news release.

Officials say the city will continue processing applications for new sewer connections, although applications for projected flows of 2,000 gallons or more per day will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. 

According to a memo from Steinberger in April, the Pearl City pump station had reached its limit of 28.4 million gallons of wastewater per day. Any additional flow would put it over capacity and at greater risk of sewage spills. Improvements, budgeted at $60 million, were expected to take at least four years to complete.

Until then no sewer connections that increased the amount of flow into the system would be allowed from Halawa to Pearl City, according to the memo.

The city said the interim solution will allow timely connections for the larger construction projects proposed in the area, including The Plaza assisted living development project in Pearl City and the planned redevelopment of the old Kam Drive-In site, as well as smaller projects and individual home connections.