Sewer Surfing

[Miulang]

Re: Sewer Surfing

Yeah... keep telling "us" Oahu folks how to do things...

I'd rather Mufi focus on stuff like the crime rate and property taxes as his "A#1" priority.

Eh, crime rates and property taxes are important yes, but much of your tax base is coming from da tourists (especially the Japanese ones) who are scared, if you pardon the expression, "shitless" by the reports of the contaminated beaches. You want the tourist trade to go away, fine by me, but I'm sure that isn't how the State Legislature and the HCVB see it. When you talking about public health and safety, if you don't do something about it, the State, the EPA and the Feds will come knocking on your door and FORCE you to do something about it. And the Feds may want the City to do MORE than you can afford to do. Besides, the issues of the sewers have been known for years, and it took a catastrophe for people to finally realize "yeah, I guess we better do something about this." Maui's a disaster waiting to happen too, so they have to struggle with this very same issue, except they haven't had to deal with the bad publicity like there's been about the Ala Wai...yet.

Miulang

[Palolo Joe]

Re: Sewer Surfing

Besides, the issues of the sewers have been known for years, and it took a catastrophe for people to finally realize "yeah, I guess we better do something about this."

No, it didn't. There were plans to replace the pipe that broke. It burst before construction could begin.

[Miulang]

Re: Sewer Surfing

When the Feds come knocking on your door, you don't try to stall and beg for more time...if the City can't produce the reports the EPA wants on the Ala Wai sewer spill by April 24, Honolulu will have to cough up $32,500 for every day the City Environmental Services Dept. can't provide the information...this is just to report on what happened and the steps taken to repair the broken main, it's not even about what the City needs to do to make sure this doesn't happen again (the major infrastructure repair that's required)!

Miulang

[hawaiianmanaman]

Re: Sewer Surfing

I found this today about Poopee
http://www.cafepress.com/poopeehannemann

[Miulang]

Re: Sewer Surfing

I love the mentality of officials of the City of Honolu as an independent group (Healthy Hawaii Coaltion) is taking it upon themselves to do microbial testing on beach sand where the City says it's not required:
"...sand is always dirty and wounds should be cleaned if they come in contact with sand..."

Try to tell that to the tourists who are running around bare footed on the beach, or the tiny keiki who put fistfuls of sand in their mouths! Is the City really saying that they believe it's not important to do lab testing of the sand to PROVE it's safe now? Just because the water is testing OK doesn't mean the sand is free of uggy bugs.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: Sewer Surfing

It's up to the City of Honolulu to provide proof that the waters and the beaches around Oahu are safe now. Just taking down signs doesn't appear to be convincing many locals that everything is back to normal.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: Sewer Surfing

The way to regain public trust that the State and City are doing all they can to insure the safety of residents and tourists is certainly NOT to go around saying that testing the beaches near the sewage spills and overflows is unnecessary.

And apparently the money spent this week on cleaning the Ala Wai of debris is not as complete as the State says it is: more cleanup work is being scheduled. The contractor was scheduled to work for 2 days and ended up working 4 days, so there will also be additional charges over and above the $50,000 unless it was a fixed contract job.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: Sewer Surfing

Power to the people! The State Legislature today amended HR bill 3248 to require tresting of sand immediately after sewage spills.

"...House Bill 3248 requires that sand testing for bacteria levels be done in contaminated areas where warning signs have been posted. However, even the author of the bill realizes the Department of Health lacks such resources standards and the expertise.

"Because the department has no standards or guidelines, we are telling them we want them to start developing those standards and guidelines and a budget and whatever it's going to take to put this in place," Rep. Dennis Arakaki said.

Arakaki said he is reacting to public concern about bacterial infections that may have been caused by contaminated sand...."

The revised bill isn't available for viewing yet, but it appears that at least some politicians are listening to the voters. The next issue is creating the funding to make this testing possible now and in the future.

In the meantime, the HCVB continues to send out press releases to mainland news outlets telling them the beaches are safe, while everyone anxiously awaits test results from the sand that was collected by the Healthy Hawaii Coalition the other day and while some beaches still have pollution signs posted.

Miulang

[Palaina]

Toxic Water!

TOXIC NIGHTMARE ON THE SOUTH SHORE
Giant sewage spill fouls Ala Moana and surrounding spots; surfer dies

The big news amongst surfers and environmentalists on Oahu is the recent catastrophic raw sewage spill emanating from the Ala Wai Canal. The canal, which feeds smack dab into the lineup at Bowls, is literally defecating into the ocean. Over 50 million gallons of the putrid slosh is contaminating beaches and surf spots between Sand Island and Diamond Head, putting a skidding halt to all ocean activities except boating for weeks.

[LikaNui]

Re: Toxic Water!

Giant sewage spill fouls Ala Moana and surrounding spots; surfer dies

Thanks anyway, but that's old OLD news.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Sewer Surfing

You know it makes me wonder if the sewage nightmare could have been less apparent if the Ala Wai was properly maintained over the years.

I can understand raw sewage but for decades now we've come to an understanding that the Ala Wai is a septic tank not worthy of fishing in on any given day! Now flush that tank into the south shores from a heavy downpour and suddenly you've got a problem.

I think the lack of more frequent dredging of the Ala Wai contributed more than less to the bacterial count the day the pipe broke. Someone should do a bacterial count on the Ala Wai now that it's been "flushed".

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Sewer Surfing

I think the lack of more frequent dredging of the Ala Wai contributed more than less to the bacterial count the day the pipe broke. Someone should do a bacterial count on the Ala Wai now that it's been "flushed".

I'm sure someone is. Here's a list of all the water sampling locations. The problem is, they're not releasing any of results for the O'ahu sites online, yet.

I read that the Ala Wai Canal's typical bacteria level is about 1,400 cfu/100ml. For comparison, the Health Department says that the average level for recreational waters should be 7 cfu/100ml. (Or maybe 33, or 35, or 100. It depends on the situation and on how you do the measurements. It's confusing.) But anyway, it definitely shouldn't be 1,400!

[kimo55]

Re: Sewer Surfing

Hawaii's severe water noose source KHON hands us the happy news the local gvmt wants us to believe;
the waters are safe, they have been for a while and it ain't their fault if people go in and get ill or mah-ke die dead. Cuz the bacteria that chills, ills and kills, is everpresent anyway in the water.
Here's the scientific study wording:
"The levels of vibrio bacteria in the canal and boat harbor were not unusually high when compared with other local near shore waters."
there. feel better?
Don't get too comfy;
Vibrio vulnificus is a natural inhabitant of marine environments, especially warmer waters and near shorelines where freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from oceans.
It's my contention, SINCE this bacteria is usually found in these waters, albeit in natural, smaller 'doses'... it behooves the local gvmt to preVENT the intentional dumping of millions of gallons of raw human waste, sewage etc. which of course would only exacerbate the problem. leading to the escalation of this deadly bacteria. It is reprehensible that they use the fact it is already in the water, to excuse this thirdworld country handling of our land and waters. and i apologize for the insult... to third world countries in general... who may very well see their towns better managed than ours here.



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http://www.khon.com/khon/display.cfm...14116&sid=1152