Where We Live: Hawaiian Waters

CLEANING HAWAIIAN STREAMS

Despite the image of Hawai`i as a tropical paradise, many of its streams, rivers, and coastal areas do not meet water quality standards or are likely to slip below the standards in the near future. Although the Clean Water Act provides clear guidelines to combat water pollution, the EPA has repeatedly approved plans by the state of Hawai`i that do a poor job of stopping water pollution.

The Clean Water Act requires every state to list streams, lakes, and other waters that do not meet state water quality standards. For each waterbody on the list, the state must decide how much of a pollutant is allowed to enter in a given day. This amount is called the “Total Maximum Daily Load.” If a state fails to do this, the Clean Water Act requires the EPA to step in and do the job.

In September 2001, Earthjustice won a significant victory for Hawaiians when a federal court ordered EPA to identify all the state’s polluted waterways in light of Hawai`i’s failure to do so. Our legal victory will be the first step in restoring Hawai`i’s lakes and streams so that residents can once again fish and swim in clean, healthy water.

View our full list of victories!

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