KAILUA NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 31

KAILUA WATER QUALITY PSPHCD SUBCOMMITTEE
MEETING AGENDA
Thursday, May 15, 2025
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
In-person at the Kailua District Park District Meeting Room with ZOOM option:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87373760906?pwd=63d3TH4ACmj1JhfmYAclIZkvhkr7uU.1
Meeting ID: 873 7376 0906
Passcode: 572991
Chair: Levani Lipton levani.knb@gmail.com Members: Kelli Ann Kobayashi, Kate Righter, Steve Trecker, and Gary Weller.
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Announcements:
a. Sign up for water quality alerts on the City & County of Honolulu’s new “HNL Alert” App.
b. Kailua Shoreline Water Quality Data – Honolulu City and County Department of Environmental Services Wastewater Treatment Plant operates a water quality data dashboard. Visit: https://www8.honolulu.gov/env/kailua-water-quality-data/ .
b. Sign up for brown water advisories and alerts with Hawaii State Department of Health: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/landing . Brown water frequently occurs after storm events. For your safety, it is recommended not to enter the waterways, ocean, or streams if they are brown or after a storm. If you have an open wound or cut, avoid the water until you are healed.
c. “FOLLOW THE DROP” is a stormwater mobile app that collects data on how much stormwater is being generated on a property and provides optimum types and sizes of stormwater capture solutions. Schedule a free rainwater assessment at: https://rainwaterhawaii.com to learn how you can use the app to minimize stormwater runoff from your property.
d. Stormwater Town Hall. A town hall addressing stormwater issues in Kailua with the Department of Facilities Maintenance and Councilmember Kia’aina will be held on Tuesday April 8, 2025 at Kailua Intermediate School at 6:00 pm.
e. Monitor water quality results along Kailua beach with Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force. Visit: https://oahu.surfrider.org/bwtf . Look for trends. If a particular spot consistently tests high for bacteria or poor water quality – it is best to avoid the area until the water has cleared.
4. Resident and Community Concerns
5. Old Business:
a. Storm drain maintenance
b. Culvert and channel cleaning maintenance schedule
c. Bacterial effluent exceedance in Kailua Bay & protocols
d. Stormwater Utility (now SWOOSH)
e. Status of 2008 and 2010 Stormwater BMPs
f. Status of Kawainui Levee Siphon
g. BMP violations
h. Mangrove removal
i. Cesspool conversions in Kailua
j. Kapa’a Quarry impacts on water quality
k. Akiohala Street CIP project
l. Hāmākua Genki Ball Study
m. Castles Beach and Kawainui Stream study
n. Street sweeping schedule & parking restrictions for pollution reduction
o. Kaelepulu Pond TMDL status
7. New Business
a. Introduction to NPDES permit process
b. Introduction to Honolulu DFM stormwater management plan
c. Kailua cesspool to city sewer hookup – update
8. Ongoing Discussion:
a. What pukas have you noticed in the government response to addressing pollution in our waterways?
b. What are your ideas for solving these challenges?
c. Sustainability of our natural resources: What steps can we take now to keep Kailua Bay and waterways thriving in the future?
d. Who are our allies in this effort
e. What community outreach and events are happening to promote awareness?
f. Who are the agencies and nonprofits who malama the ocean and waterways?
g. What steps can the public take to minimize pollution and maintain small footprints?
9. Adjournment

Kailua Water Quality PHPSCD Subcommittee
April 2025 Meeting Report
Chair, Levani Lipton
1. The subcommittee hybrid meeting was held in-person and via Zoom on April 10, 2025, chaired by Levani Lipton and attended by committee members Kelli Ann Kobayashi and Steve Trecker; KNB member Bill Hicks; and multiple residents.
2. Patrick Crile, the lead environmental engineer in the MCBH Environmental Department, and Jessica Hawkins attended and gave a short presentation on the MCBH Water Reclamation Facility Upgrades Project Environmental Assessment. They encouraged the public to ask questions and submit comments during the public comment period which is open until May 8th. The project intends to recycle water to gray water and also plans to put in new piping. Recycling wastewater will reduce the volume from 2 million gallons per day to 1 million gallons per day flowing into the outfall pipe that is currently shared with Kailua Wastewater Treatment Plant. The upgrades will allow the other 1 million gallons per day to be utilized for golf course watering instead of drawing from the BWS water supply. Comments are due May 8, 2025. You can learn more about this project by visiting the following website: https://www.mcbhawaii.marines.mil/Resources-Services/Pertinent-Information/Water-Reclamation-Facility-Upgrades-EA/
3. A motion was made and passed to extend the KNB Kailua Water Quality meeting time from 5:30 until 7:00 pm (instead of 6 to 7 pm) to allow for committee members to work in task groups focused on water quality issues in Kailua’s watersheds when needed.

To view agenda and minutes, visit our board website.

Event shows physical location; however, other options of participation may also include WebEx and phone.  If available, instructions for WebEx and phone can be found at the top of the agenda.