Waikiki sewer upgrade thankfully almost completed

Today marks the eight-year anniversary of the largest raw sewage spill in state history.

On March 24, 2006, during the now-infamous 40-day stretch of constant rain, a 42-year-old sewer force main ruptured in Waikiki.

It was our city’s worst nightmare. Then-Mayor Mufi Hannemann had already initiated planning for a new permanent force main to begin in 2007. But when the break occurred, he had to make the difficult decision to discharge some 48 million gallons into the Ala Wai Canal. That was the only option besides risking raw sewage backing up into hotels and residences, which could not be allowed to happen.

The emergency forced officials to close beaches in Waikiki due to unacceptable bacteria levels. It was a huge story locally, and it also went national. The reported: "What’s it like coming to Hawaii and not swimming at the beach? Frustrated visitors offered a few analogies: It’s like going to Disneyland and not riding a single ride; like visiting the Grand Canyon and not peering down the hole; like touring Kansas City, Mo., without trying the barbeque."

From a visitor industry standpoint, the analogies were painfully true. From those who live here, the Waikiki sewer break was a wake-up call that if we don’t upgrade our aging sewer infrastructure, we risk our health, safety and economic well-being.

I am proud to report that we are well on our way to fixing Honolulu’s sewers. As I outlined in the recent State of the City speech, we finished the first 63 miles of sewers in June 2013. And as part of a federal consent decree, we are working on repairs and upgrades to the next 81 miles of sewer lines through 2020, and our two major treatment plants and numerous wastewater pump stations through 2035.

The total cost of these upgrades is $4 billion. That covers hundreds of ongoing projects that have been overdue for repairs and upgrades.

The temporary emergency repairs prompted by the 2006 Beachwalk break included those unsightly but necessary above-ground bypass sewer pipes on both sides of the Ala Wai Canal. The pipes were also visible at the entrance to Waikiki near Ala Moana Beach Park.

And then there was the 5,000-foot-long pipe that area residents dubbed the "black noodle" that snaked its way down the canal and sunk as part of the emergency bypass.

All those emergency pipes are thankfully gone. In their place is a new permanent 5,800-foot force main line, plus a repaired existing line.

This means we now have redundancy that didn’t exist in 2006. There are now two reliable ways to remove wastewater out of Waikiki. And that means chances of a repeat of the 2006 disaster are slim to none.

That’s not to diminish the major disruptions the Beachwalk project brought to various communities. Hundreds of bikers, pedestrians and park users were affected. The good news is we are in the final stretch of park remediation.

The Ala Wai Recreation Center and the park area behind Ala Wai and ‘Iolani schools, which contains the popular walk and bike path along the canal, will soon reopen following extensive soil, grading, irrigation and repaving work.

And there’s an added bonus: A new dog park — a project long requested by area dog owners — will open next to the walk and bike path.

To those who have waited for a project of this magnitude to come to a successful conclusion, mahalo for your patience. And to those whose communities will undergo needed repairs, we ask for your understanding. Sewage is best unseen and it’s not dinner-time conversation. But if Honolulu is to thrive as a 21st-century community, upgrading sewers must remain a major priority.