City: Rain leads to sewer overflows in East Honolulu
Flooding led to an overflow of 40,000 gallons of stormwater and untreated waste into Maunalua Bay and the Ala Wai today.
(Tue., March 6, 2012) – Heavy rains pounded the east side of Honolulu today as the Department of Environmental Services responded to two sanitary sewer overflows.
The first call came in at 8:40 a.m. with an ENV crew dispatched at 8:46 a.m. and the site secured at 1:40 p.m. Wet weather caused an overflow at 1542 Pukele Avenue in Palolo releasing an estimated mixture of storm water and raw wastewater of at least 10,000 gallons into Palolo Stream, eventually leading to the Ala Wai Canal.
A second call came in at 11:08 a.m. with a crew dispatched at 11:16 a.m., securing the site at 2:30 p.m. However, heavy rains surcharged the site again at 3:45 p.m. as crews still work to secure the site. Wet weather produced a sewer overflow at 5307 Kalanianaole Highway spilling a combination of storm water and raw wastewater of more than 30,000 gallons into Wailupe Stream, which empties into Mauanlua Bay.
ENV notified the state Department of Health. Signs are posted and water sampling will be conducted once storm event concludes. Oahu is still under a brown water advisory since yesterday.