Waikiki beaches reopen after sewage spill

April 4, 2006

One and a half weeks after a broken sewer line in the Waikiki district of Honolulu spilled 48 million gallons of raw sewage, health officials for the state of Hawaii removed warning signs today from Waikiki beaches after water samples taken yesterday indicated that bacterial levels had returned to normal.

The sewage spill into the Ala Wai Canal forced the closure of Waikiki beaches when bacterial levels from the spill reached hazardous levels. Officials credit improved weather and the return of trade winds for the rapid dissipation.

Beaches in nearby Ala Moana Park near the mouth of the Ala Wai Canal remain closed for the time being. Water quality at the spill site on the Ala Wai continues to improve, and the bacterial levels in the canal are expected to return to normal within a week.

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