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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, December 9, 2002

HAWAI'I'S ENVIRONMENT
Be diligent about what goes down the drain

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Columnist

I recently drove by a house whose washing machine wastewater had been diverted through a pipe to drain into a roadside grate.

I could smell the soap and see the suds. It meant the dirty, soapy water would enter the storm drain system, pour into the nearest stream and run on down to the ocean.

And the next time the neighbor kids went to the beach, they'd be swimming in it.

The City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services has launched a campaign to remind people that what they dump on the streets or near most outdoor drains has an immediate impact on water quality. And while the campaign is aimed primarily at Waikiki resorts, the message is important for people statewide.

The city has a number of recommendations to reduce the negative impact of flows into storm drains. Here are some of them.

  • Leaks of fluids from vehicles should be cleaned up with rags or other absorbent materials, not washed down with water that ends up in storm drains.
  • It's better to sweep walkways than wash them down with water; if you plan to pressure-wash a driveway or sidewalk, sweep up the loose debris first.
  • When preparing building surfaces for painting, don't let old paint chips enter storm drains. Use water-based paints when possible. And don't pour old or excess paint down storm drains.
  • Whether oil or water-based, if paint is being disposed of, it should be rendered solid first, either by letting it dry or soaking it up with absorbent material and disposing of it as solid waste. One tip: you can often reuse solvents used to clean brushes. After washing out the brush, pour the used solvent into a container. Solid materials will settle to the bottom, and the remaining solvent can be poured off and used again — saving money and helping protect the environment.
  • Collect your greenwaste, such as leaves and grass, and compost them — but don't dump them on the roadside, where they'll be washed into the drain systems.
  • Fats, oils and grease used in cooking, if you can't reuse them, should be soaked up with paper towels or other absorbent materials and discarded, but not poured down the drain. Even if a greasy pan is cleaned with soap and hot water, the grease can end up coagulating in sewer lines, the city says.

In Honolulu, if you see something you think is a threat to storm drains, you can call the city's environmental concern line at 527-5091. You can also arrange to get more information through that number.

There's also a lot of information at the Web site, www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com.

Jan TenBruggencate is The Advertiser's Kaua‘i bureau chief and its science and environment writer. Reach him at (808) 245-3074 or jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.