Kaua‘i’s beaches and surfbreaks are usually clean. Some are cleaner than others. I have received numerous comments and queries about The Garden Island article on the NRDC annual report of the pollution in the ocean and streams around Kaua‘i. The
Kaua‘i’s beaches and surfbreaks are usually clean. Some are cleaner than others.
I have received numerous comments and queries about The Garden Island article on the NRDC annual report of the pollution in the ocean and streams around Kaua‘i. The most significant comment was a request to know where the cleanest beaches are. The public can then choose to go to those, rather than one that is polluted 25 percent of the time. There are two sets of data currently being collected.
The first table below lists the surfbreaks and streams that the Surfrider Foundation’s Kaua‘i Chapter samples on a monthly basis and tests for enterococcus bacteria; this is the same test as used by the Hawai‘i Department of Health and reported in the NRDC annual “Testing The Waters” report.
One DOH standard (rule) is that a single sample should not have an enterococcus concentration of greater than 104 per 100 ml sample. The sites are listed in the percent of the samples that exceed that standard. Another standard is that the geometric mean of 5 samples (taken within a month) should not exceed 34 colonies per 100 ml. Here I have taken the geometric mean of the monthly samples, where there are enough samples, to give a rough idea of relative pollution levels.
The most important thing to note is that 9 of the 20 sites never exceeded the single sample standard and had very low geometric means, i.e. they were really clean. The ones of most concern are those where they were polluted at least 25 percent of the time. That means that your chances of surfing in polluted water are 1 out of every 4 days. Of course when it is has rained and the water is muddy, it is most certainly polluted and the DOH will have issued a “Brown Water Advisory” to stay out until it clears up.
The most recent values for Surfrider Foundation – Kaua‘i samples taken on the second Saturday of each month can be found at: http://surfriderkauai.ning.com/notes/Notes_Home
The DOH data for the same period of time (2009) was collected by DOH staff in approximately mid-calf deep water on the beaches, at approximately weekly intervals. DOH data is present in the table below. Again the sites are listed from cleanest on down to most commonly polluted.
Note that five of the 18 sites never exceeded the single sample “polluted” standard and most are polluted less than 10 percent of the time. Only the Hanalei River mouth at Weke Road was polluted greater that 25 percent of the time and with a geometric mean greater than 34 colonies per 100 ml. That site has been posted for over a year with two signs warning of possible contamination by sewage.
Note that not all of the county beach parks or beaches on Kaua‘i are tested (e.g. Niumalu, Lucy Wright, Anahola, Kekaha) and none of the rivers or streams are tested (except Hanalei River at the end of Weke Road). The most recent values from the DOH are posted on their website at: http://emdweb.doh.hawaii.gov/CleanWaterBranch/WaterQualityData/default.aspx
• Dr. Carl Berg is vice president of the Kaua‘i Chapter of Surfrider Foundation and head of the Blue Water Task Force.
