David Y. Ige

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) is warning the public stay out of sewage contaminated water that has collected in a drainage ditch located in a residential area near Waianae Mall that terminates at the Lualualei Beach Park. Warning signs have been posted on either end of the drainage ditch. The warning signs are posted on the West side of the drainage ditch within the Lualualei Beach Park and on Farrington Hwy.

The public is advised to avoid contact with the water within the drainage ditch as it is a mixture of sewage and storm water. The discharge is not believed to have reached coastal waters.

The DOH Clean Water Branch began investigating a sewage spill from a private commercial property located along Farrington Hwy., across from Ala Poko St. in Waianae Mall on Feb. 6, 2018. It is estimated the spill may have involved more than 10,000 gallons of raw sewage discharged from a damaged sewer pipe. The sewage flowed from the broken lateral onto Farrington Highway before collecting in a drainage ditch that ends at the Lualualei Beach Park.

The Clean Water Branch has notified the owners of the damaged sewage lateral who are required to remove contaminated water from the drainage ditch to prevent further damage to the environment and risk to human health. The Clean Water Branch is continuing to monitor the area and investigate the cause of the sewage spill.

The DOH Clean Water Branch responds to sewage spills which reach state waters. The Clean Water Branch protects public health and the environment by prohibiting discharges which impair water quality, keeping Hawaii’s waters fishable and swimmable for everyone. Owners and operators of wastewater systems must comply with environmental regulations that are in place to protect the public. Failure to do results in legal action by the state, federal partners and/or private citizens.

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Media Contact:
Janice Okubo
Communications Office
Department of Health
Phone: (808) 586-4445