This year marks a decade since 500,000 gallons of wastewater spilled into the Ala Wai Canal from flooded manholes in the Waikīkī area.
And remember the large spill in 2006 after an aging 42-inch sewage pipe, called a force main, broke? About 48 million gallons of raw sewage was diverted into the canal.
That event and others triggered a federal consent decree and is partially why the city has proposed hikes on our sewer fees to modernize the system.
Speaking to The Conversation, Honolulu Environmental Services Director Roger Babcock discussed these past events, and the multiple threats associated with sea level rise.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Feb. 21, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
