Action Alert: Protect West Kauaʻi Waters from Pollutants
We need your help to protect the waters of West Kauaʻi!
Take action by Friday, November 29th to protect public health and the local environment from the discharge of excessive pollutants into the ocean.
What is Happening?
The Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) & County of Kauaʻi are requesting a pollutant discharge permit (NPDES permit). For decades, the ADC and the County have discharged polluted water from the Mānā Plain Drainage Ditch System into the ocean from outfalls spanning the entire West Kauaʻi shoreline (from Kīkīaola Harbor to Barking Sands).
The 7 outfalls are: Kīkīaola Harbor Drain (operated by the County) and Cox Drain,
First Ditch, Second Ditch, Dry Ditch, Kawai‘ele Outfall/Kinikini Ditch, and Nohili
Drain (all operated by ADC)
Why is this Important?
The outfalls can potentially endanger public health and the local environment because they are adjacent to recreational areas where residents fish, surf, dive, swim and engage in cultural gathering practices.
The Mānā ADC lands are home to the largest footprint of agrochemical fields in Hawaiʻi. Self-reporting from the chemical companies occupying the Mānā ADC lands has shown the most frequent application of restricted use pesticides (RUPʻs) in all of Hawaiʻi, along with the greatest combination RUP’s applied anywhere in Hawaiʻi.
Pesticide runoff from agrochemical tenants combines with pollutants from the shrimp farm, livestock operations, the Kekaha landfill, the Waimea wastewater treatment plant, the military base (PMRF) and various industrial operations, including the gravel and asphalt plant before discharging into the ocean.
Studies show that the discharged waters contain pesticides, petroleum products, diesel, sediment, nutrients, and bacteria that are harmful to human health and the environment.
Impacts include harm to reef health, algae blooms, and public health. Massive fish kills have been reported in and around Kinikini ditch.
Take Action! Comments due on Friday, November 29th by 4:30pm
Email your comments to the Department of Health, Clean Water Branch at: cleanwaterbranch@doh.hawaii.gov
View the permit documents here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17KWc1f_hvOBUC5qbosjKYq_-tnd8UIc6
Talking Points:
Include your name, address (city/state), and email address in your comments
Explain how you use the ocean waters from Kīkīaola Harbor to Barking Sands (e.g., for surfing, fishing, swimming) and how pollution from the ditches has affected your use and enjoyment of these waters.
Demand a public hearing to allow public participation and transparency in the decision-making process and to ensure that stronger permit requirements are incorporated to protect human health and the environment.
Require ADC and the County to minimize the amount of polluted water it discharges
Require ADC and the County to clean up the polluted ditch waters before discharging them into the ocean by constructing wetlands and applying UV filtration and erosion control measures
Require testing for harmful contaminants (such as pesticides, petroleum products, and vibrio bacteria) that have been confirmed to be present in the discharged waters
Consolidate the Shrimp Farm’s and ADC’s permits and require protocols to prevent further fish kills to ensure coordination and accountability for their combined pollution in Kinikini Ditch
Mahalo for taking action!
The HAPA Team
