For starters I think I know what the smell might be from on the Ala Wai. A recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser revealed that the extremely high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the sediment (bottom muck) lead to the “notorious odor” of the Ala Wai Canal.

But where to those high level of nitrogen and phosphorous come from in the first place?

Well one place is sewer spill from 2006. Having millions of gallons of sewage dumped into the canal will definitely raise the levels. The other places are the rivers, canals, and run-off that feed into the Ala Wai. The article just mentioned fertilizer and pet waste from wash off in the streets and land but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few other types of waste heading into the canal.

So the big question is, how is the Ala Wai Canal going to get clean? The next dredging of the canal isn’t scheduled until 2013. The last one occurred in 2003 and cost $7.4 million. From what I’ve been told by others opinions is that the dredging cleaned the canal for all of a month. It was back to merky and nasty in no time.

The next idea is those mysterious plants near the Ala Wai Golf Course. Those plants, called ‘akulikuli have recently lost all available funding and have been all but halted. The plants were successful at removing pollutants in their limited locations but it is unknown how useful they would be if the project were expanded down the length of the Ala Wai. Also the project is estimated to cost $1.5 million. Getting an unproven method that kind of funding might not be possible.

Others fell that the streams and waterways leading to the Ala Wai must be cleaned. To me that sounds like a solution that would require rerouting thousands of sewer drains off road ways, diverting land based waste away from draining into feeder streams, and countless other efforts that would cost a lot of money. Probably a lot more that $1.5 million.

Another option would be educating everyone in the state what you can and can’t leave laying around. But even with education, stopping every animal, ferrel cat, dog etc, and every car from leaking fluids on the road, would be nearly impossible. Plus theres thousands of new people who come to the islands every single week. How do you stop all these people?

I think the best option to get the Ala Wai clean is to try out the ‘akulikuli plants and expand the project for the length of the Ala Wai Canal. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the use of the canal why not?

Plus the plants would make an otherwise dismal storm drain looking body of water, look a little better. Every time I go to the driving range I see birds and fish surrounding those plants. It looks a lot better than the trash I see at the other end of the Ala Wai. I see we find some state funding and go for the project.

• What Are They Dumping or Pumping Into The Ala Wai
• More road woe for Honolulu….
• Sewage Eyesore Disappearing!

Tags: Ala Wai, Waikiki

               
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