LIHUE — Surfrider’s Blue Water Task Force has been sampling the waters of Kauai’s ocean, beaches and streams every month since 2007 and presenting this data to the community and the Hawaii Department of Health.
HDOH only samples about 10 beaches regularly, and because of staffing problems, sites have been sampled irregularly since 2024. The data they collected has not been made public on their website since June of last year. Surfrider feels that the community needs to know which waters are polluted and which are not.
Whereas the DOH samples in shallow waters at a few public beaches, Surfrider samples many stream mouths where children play, out in the ocean where people surf, and other shorelines. Surfrider samples early in the morning on the second Saturday of each month, regardless of rainfall or tides. That way, its results give an unbiased value of how polluted the waters are. Surfrider uses the standard EPA-approved test that HDOH uses, and its valid results have been published in scientific journals.
All agencies test for Enterococcus bacteria, an indicator of fecal material from warm-blooded animals in the water. Additional tests using other indicators have shown that most polluted streams contain human waste. This is of great concern for the health of everyone who plays in the waters.
Surfrider now samples approximately 30 sites around the island, from Pakala’s surf on the West Side to Wainiha Stream on the North Shore. More sites are added at the request of community members.
According to Hawaii’s regulations, a sample should not contain more than 130 bacteria per 100 ml of sample water. In the May 10 sampling, most surf sites were clean, while those with water from the Hanalei River were slightly elevated. Hanalei River was heavily polluted ( 341), as were the other streams, because of recent rainfall.
Rainfall washes fecal matter from animals on the ground into the stream. Rainfall also percolates into the ground, mixes with cesspool water, and passes through the ground into the streams or beaches. It is best to avoid brown water, which carries bacteria and pollutants from surface runoff. HDOH does put out Brown Water Advisories when officials notice the water is especially brown after rainfalls.
To determine if a water is chronically polluted, Surfrider and DOH, according to Hawaii Administrative Rules, take the average (geometric mean) of all the samples collected this year, considering samples taken during dry spells and those after rainfall. Hawaii’s regulations state that the geometric mean should be less than 35 bacteria per 100 ml.
In the table, 15 of the 28 sampling sites have values greater than 35. Moloaa Stream had a geometric mean value 59 times the standard. Nawiliwili Stream at Kalapaki Bay has a geometric mean value 35 times the standard.
A caution sign has been placed at Nawiliwili Stream to warn people of pollution. Signs are also up at Hanalei River, Hanamaulu Stream and Moloaa Stream. Hopefully, a sign will soon be posted at Koloa Landing (Waikomo Stream), a high-use area by snorkelers and divers.
Surfrider recommends avoiding all areas with high chronic pollution levels and that everyone rinses off with clean fresh water after coming out of the water.
