An old canal in Iwilei is creating quite a stink in the community.
The state says the Kapalama Drainage Canal has been a problem spot for years.
But residents can be part of the solution.
This small waterway behind Nimitz Center, looks like a stream of milk, but it’s actually the Kapalama Drainage Canal. The water is white, and filled with trash and debris. Every so often, more water is pumped out. But what’s even more distinct:
"Smells like rotten eggs, actually," said Laura Vonderhaar, employee at Design for Living, located nearby.
"Sort of like rotten eggs or something strange," said Ruby Minamishin, customer.
"This is similar to the Ala Wai Canal," said Gary Gill, deputy director at the State Health Department.
He is well aware of the problems.
"Just leaves that blow into the storm drain system often settle down to the bottom of the canal or an estuary and as they decay, sulfur gas is given off," Gill said.
The state responded to this site three times last year. But those who work nearby at Design for Living, say, things have not improved. One of the employees contacted KHON2′s Action Line looking for answers.
"We know petroleum product in the soil from all the tank farms and the oil pipelines that have been in that area for more than 100 years," Gill said.
Gill says there are many things that contribute to this sight and smell. He also believes the canal is like this, because it exists at the base of our drainage system. And since the ocean tide doesn’t change too much, water doesn’t get sucked out and flushed back into the ocean. But he says this can be prevented, if people stop dumping trash down the storm drain system.
"The more pollution that goes in there, it’s just going to end up in the ocean, and where it ends up in these confined canals, it really creates a stink," Gill said.
And as for that pump that keeps pushing out more water, the state says it’s only storm water, and they do not believe it’s creating the problem. Still:
"I mean, it’s hard to be a wellness center and have people come here and it smells so bad," Vonderhaar said.
Gill also says maintenance could be done on the canal to help flush it out.
But the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources owns the waterways and he says unfortunately, it may not have the money to do the work.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
