On Tuesday, three local agencies worked together to clean the Ala Wai Canal, which was filled with mud and debris after heavy rains from the weekend. The storm also caused a sewer spill at Mānoa Stream, which flowed into the canal, according to the City and County of Honolulu.
With more severe weather expected this week, efforts to help minimize the impact on neighboring communities are underway.
Leading the cleanup are the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, the state Department of Transportation and the City. Residents have also begun to chip in, per Hawaii News Now.
Ian Scheuring, the City and County of Honolulu Deputy Communications Director, told Aloha State Daily by email that though “the Ala Wai Canal is a state waterway … The City generally handles much of the stream clearing in the watershed mauka of the canal, including our well-documented efforts to conduct stored property ordinance enforcement in areas like the drainage ditch near the intersection of Kalākaua and King.
“Unfortunately, reckless and careless behavior by a very small number of individuals can indeed have a dramatic effect, as we saw this week with the debris that washed into the Ala Wai Canal. The aftermath of that heavy rain – with more to come – is an example of why the City believes that stored property ordinance enforcement is primarily about health, safety and sanitation.”
Scheuring confirmed that City crews would be on-site Wednesday “clearing streams and opening stream mouths to help minimize the potential impact of heavy rains.”
According to a DLNR release, “state and county officials are encouraging people who live along the Ala Wai Canal, as well as along streams that flow into the canal, to secure anything on their properties that could end up in the canal. The harbor trash trap was filled with large coolers and a huge variety of debris [Tuesday] morning.”
State agencies are also working with the University of Hawai‘i College of Engineering and area legislator Senator Sharon Moriwaki on long-term solutions to help reduce trash in the Ala Wai.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
