State, city investigating after company caught dumping brown water down storm drain

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The city says it plans to issue a notice of violation to one of the state’s largest construction companies over an illegal dumping incident captured on camera.

A bystander captured the company dumping brown water into a storm drain.

The witness says it happened around noon when he was driving down Young Street near Piikoi Street. That’s when he noticed a Nan, Inc. truck sitting in a lot and a river of brown water flowing it. “It was a torrent of water going right down the gutter,” said the witness.

“Absolutely clear that majority of water was coming out of this construction vehicle. I thought how could they be doing this. This is illegal,” said the witness, who asked to remain anonymous.

The city says investigators spoke to Nan Inc., and confirmed the discharge.

A statement to HNN read:

“The Department of Facility Maintenance will be issuing the contractor a Notice of Violation for the discharge of sediment and sediment laden water, and the city has verbally ordered the company to cease the discharge and cleanup the silt that entered the City’s drainage system.”

The Department of Health is also investigating the incident, saying:

“Hawaii water pollution law (established in the Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 342D) strictly prohibits the discharge of pollutants to state waters unless in compliance with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit. These laws allow enforcement actions and penalties to be issued to a person or entity who causes polluted discharges to state waters like streams, wetlands, and the ocean.

“On July 8, 2024, the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Facilities Maintenance, Storm Water Quality Division received notification of the situation. They have already investigated the discharge into their drainage system (NPDES Permit No. HIS000002). The DOH is working with the Storm Water Quality Division to investigate further and to ensure the responsible party is held accountable and cleans up as much of the sediment as possible.”

Nan Inc. declined to comment for the story.