After all this rain, it's hard to imagine sunny days being anything but a pleasure. And as much as everyone welcomes blue skies — or, at least dry skies — the work doesn't end when the downpour stops.

On the top of the job list for Hawai'i parents will be vigilance to see that keiki don't endanger their health by exposure to contaminated water. Setting aside just for a moment the dreadful tarnishing of our image as a visitor destination, sewage spills that affected the Ala Wai Canal and Waikiki beaches also have put local and tourist families on notice to keep away from the water, which harbors high levels of bacteria.

Beyond that painful reality, which could extend for many weeks, we can't expect cleanup chores to evaporate in the sunshine. Residents already can see the weeds sprouting up to the sky — in public parks and along the roadside, as well as in their own yard.

And they already might be slapping at the mosquitoes that have proliferated in the ponding water that ordinarily dries up much more quickly. These bug bites can cause serious diseases. Mosquitoes can spread encephalitis associated with West Nile virus and dengue. The next job once the rain stops should be to clear out all those puddles of standing water.

The cleanup project extends beyond individual yards. Now would be a great time to show some community spirit and rev up the weed-whackers for the public good. Nonprofit organizations and neighborhood associations: Have you been contemplating a service project? Here it is.

Granted, it's the job of the counties to clean up public places, and they'd get around to it eventually. But they have a full plate at the moment. In the meantime, let's all pitch in with the cleanup.