David Y. Ige

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR

VIRGINIA PRESSLER, M.D.
DIRECTOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2018 18-027

Hawai‘i Department of Health warns public about
contaminated water in Waimalu Stream

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) is warning the public to stay out of Waimalu Stream due to sewage contaminated water. The affected area is located near a residential area below the H-1 freeway in Waimalu. Warning signs have been posted along Waimalu Stream to the shoreline of Pearl Harbor fronting Neil Blaisdell Park and Harbor Center. Water samples have been collected.

The public is advised to avoid contact with the water within the stream and at the mouth of the stream in Pearl Harbor as it is contaminated with a mixture of sewage and storm water.

The DOH Clean Water Branch began investigating a sewage spill from a manhole near the Hillside Terrace Four townhomes on Kaahumanu Street on March 20, 2018. It is estimated the spill may have involved more than 13,000 gallons of raw sewage discharged from the manhole due to a clogged pipe. The sewage flowed through undeveloped brush-covered land and into Waimalu Stream, which empties into Pearl Harbor. The discharge has been stopped and the Clean Water Branch is continuing to monitor the area.

As more information becomes available, this and other advisories will be updated at: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/landing. Visit the site to sign up and receive notifications when a beach advisory, brown water advisory, or sewage spill is posted, or any water quality advisory is closed.

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

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Janice Okubo
Communications Office
(808) 586-4445