FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     April 2, 2006

STATE ORDERS WAIKIKI BEACHES CLOSED

            The City Department of Environmental Services is posting contaminated water warning signs this evening on Waikiki Beach from the Hale Koa Hotel to the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, on the orders of the state Department of Health.

            The state’s order, which in effect closes that stretch of beach, was prompted by results of  water samples taken yesterday morning. State officials informed the City that they were concerned about levels of clostridium perfringens in the samples collected from that portion of the beach.

            Duke Kahanamoku Beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Fort DeRussy Beach fronting the Hale Koa Hotel, the Magic Island Lagoon and Ala Wai Canal remain closed since last week because of a rupture in a pressurized sewer main under Kaiolu Street on March 24. Some wastewater spilled from the rupture.  In order to repair the 42-inch pipe, untreated wastewater was discharged into the Ala Wai Canal from March 26 to March 29. Heavy rain since then, including Friday’s destructive deluge, washed debris of all kinds into the Ala Wai and the ocean.  Prior to Friday, bacteria counts in the area appeared to be dropping off.      

            The City has been collecting water samples from four spots along the Ala Wai Canal and 12 shoreline locations from Makalei Beach near Diamond Head to Point Panic at Kewalo Basin daily since the main broke. The samples are analyzed in a laboratory – a process that takes 24 hours – and the results are given to the state Department of Health on a daily basis.

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Contact:

            Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767

            Bill Brennan, 527-6928