Update at 1:36 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2026: Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works advises the public Saturday, April 11, that a wastewater spill in Waimea was at about 140,000 gallons.
The spill — which happened just before 8 a.m. and just prior to 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 10, at Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant — is thought to have reached Kīkīaola Harbor; signs are posted warning about the dangers of potential exposure to the wastewater spill.
The map accompanying this story (above) shows where the spill might enter Kīkīaola Harbor in blue and where warning signs are posted in red.
Warning signs will remain posted until Hawai‘i Department of Health provides clearance that the waters are back to safe levels.
Kaua’i County Department of Public Works Wastewater Management Division continues working on immediate repair projects to address the infiltration and inflow problem.
Story last updated at 12:07 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2026: Heavy rain on Kaua‘i resulted in a wastewater spill of treated and disinfected wastewater from Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant holding tanks.
According to Kaua‘i County, the ongoing spill has discharged approximately 72,000 gallons in the vicinity of the Kīkīaola Small Boat Harbor. The spill began at 7:50 a.m. However, the rate of the spill subsided, corresponding to the rate of inflow to the plant.
The spill is thought to have reached Kīkīaola Small Boat Harbor; signs have been posted warning of the dangers of potential exposure.
The spill is the result of high flows from heavy rainfall and high infiltration and inflow from the recent storm. High flows could continue depending on the direction of this rain event, and future spills might happen until the storm passes.
The spill was isolated to overflow from the effluent tank after passing through the biological treatment process and UV disinfection.
Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works Wastewater Management Division is working on immediate repair projects to address the infiltration and inflow problem.
The division also is working with Hawai‘i Department of Health to identify options and expand the capacity of the injection wells and reuse distribution to handle the higher storm flows.
Anyone with questions can contact Donald Fujimoto with Wastewater Management Division at 808-241-4083 or via email at dfujimoto@kauai.gov.
Click here for more information and updates.
