Every year, the Kaua'i Chapter publishes a summary of the previous year's water testing program conducted by both their Surfrider volunteers and the Hawaii State Department of Health. This summary presents which beaches, surf breaks & other recreational sites are monitored and explains how the testing is conducted. This article is also a great tool for the Chapter to explain to the public how to intrepret water quality data and to raise awareness of where the real water pollution problems are on Kauai'i.
reprinted from The Garden Island:
Kauai Ocean Safety Report
Polluted waters: Some streams have problems
Posted: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 12:30 am
Carl Berg - Special to The Garden Island | 0 comments
In 2013, Kauai’s ocean beaches and surfbreaks were mostly clean, but some were definitely not. Our streams, with run-off and ground water contamination, are often polluted. This is a summary of water quality for Kauai.
Water quality monitoring data is collected weekly by the Hawaii Department of Health at ocean beaches around the island and monthly samples are collected by the Blue Water Task Force of the Surfrider Foundation Kauai Chapter at surfbreaks and streams around the island.
Most of the time the waters are clean. The exception is when heavy rains cause runoff from the land to turn the waters brown. The DOH then usually issues a “Brown Water Advisory” to stay out because the runoff can contain sewage and other pollutants.
During water quality monitoring, water samples are collected and the bacteria Enterococcus, an indicator of feces contamination, are cultured and counted in a 100 ml water sample.
To read more click here: TheGardenIsland.com
View the Kaua'i Chapter's latest data here and learn more about their Blue Water Task Force water testing program here.