Wai‘anae Ecological Characterization

Ka Po‘e
The People
Environmental Management

Storm Water Runoff

photo of Kaupuni Stream which is channelized at the mouth

Concretized channel at the mouth of Kaupuni Stream.

Source: CZM Hawai‘i

Polluted storm water runoff is a major cause of water quality degradation. Hawai‘i's Implementation Plan for Polluted Runoff Control is designed to meet state and local concerns, as well as federal requirements. The State of Hawai‘i Department of Health, Polluted Runoff Control Program administers grant money it receives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through Section 319(h) of the Federal Clean Water Act to manage the storm water runoff program. The program is administered through the State's Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Management Plan, Volume 1, dated June 1996, prepared by the Hawai‘i Coastal Zone Management Program.

Hawai‘i Polluted Runoff Control Program. Hawai‘i's Polluted Runoff Control program is intended to meet the goals and objectives set in "Hawai‘i's Implementation Plan for Polluted Runoff Control," dated July 2000. The implementation plan includes:

  1. The nine key elements required by EPA for Hawai‘i to receive priority for multi-year grant work plans, streamlined review of grants applications, increased technical assistance, reduced reporting requirements, and reduced oversight by the EPA
  2. Long and short-term goals and activities to control nonpoint source pollution control based on the Coastal Zone Reauthorization Act of 1990 (CZARA) and conditionally approved by EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1998
  3. The 15-year strategies and 5-year implementation plans to prevent and reduce polluted runoff in six categories (agriculture, forestry, urban, marinas and recreational boating, hydromodification, and wetlands and riparian areas) and schedules to evaluate the effectiveness of these and other polluted runoff controls

The State of Hawai‘i, Department of Health administers the Polluted Runoff Control Program through its Clean Water Branch. Program reviews, documents, and evaluations can be found at: http://www.hawaii.gov/health/environmental/water/cleanwater/prc/index.html.

photo of people swimming in Pokai Bay

Many children from Wai‘anae learn to swim in Pōka‘ī Bay.

Source: CZM Hawai‘i

Grant Funding Opportunities. At least annually, the state issues a request for proposals (RFP) to identify projects for grant funding. Interested parties can contact the state at (808)586-4309 to be placed on a mailing list to receive a copy of the RFP when it is issued. Parties requesting the grant must match the grant funds with one-to-one funding or in-kind contributions. Funding is provided to projects that demonstrate efforts to reduce pollutants to receiving waters, improve water quality, and increase awareness of polluted runoff prevention. Monitoring or surveying of conditions before the proposed project and following completion of the project are required. All approved projects are contracted with the Department of Health and managed by the Clean Water Branch, Polluted Runoff Control Program.

Storm Water Public Notices. The State of Hawai‘i Department of Health advises that the public stay out of beaches or streams that are contaminated by storm water that is brown or turbid. Storm water can contain harmful micro-organisms (pathogens) and other harmful pollutants from overflowing sewage systems, such as cesspools or septic tanks, and animal feces flowing into storm drains. Excessive storm water can also contain sewage from overflowing manholes or chemicals from polluted runoff from commercial and industrial facilities. Standing water from heavy rains can contain pathogens from cesspools in unsewered areas in Wai‘anae.

Reporting Spills. The State of Hawai‘i, Department of Health monitors water quality and invites the public to report any concerns or questions regarding water quality to the Department of Health, Clean Water Branch at (808) 586-4309 during normal business hours. Sewage spills should be reported to the City and County of Honolulu at (808) 523-4423. Chemical spills should be reported to the Department of Health, Hazard Evaluation & Emergency Response Office at (808) 586-4249 during normal business hours and (808) 247-2191 after normal business hours.

Related Reference

State of Hawaii Department of Health. 2004. Clean Water Branch: Polluted Control Runoff Program. http://www.hawaii.gov/health/environmental/water/cleanwater/prc/index.html

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