Clean Water Branch

Warning Signs Posted 8/4/2016 at Both Areas on Oahu and Kauai

 HONOLULU – The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) is providing public notification of the potential health risk associated with recreating in and on Keehi Lagoon, Oahu and Waiopili Stream, Kauai by posting caution signs in these areas on August 4, 2016.

The signs posted at both areas notify the public to use caution before recreating on or in the water, due to high bacteria levels. Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or open wounds are the most likely populations to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming. DOH is not closing the areas for recreational use, but advising people to take precautionary measures.

DOH and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are concerned about elevated counts of bacteria in Keehi Lagoon in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Darby, and at Waiopili Stream near Gillin’s Beach. Bacteria levels found at both areas exceed water quality standards and may pose a potential health risk to recreational users of these waters.

A specific type of bacteria (Enterococcus sp.) is used as the indicator of the potential presence of pathogens which are harmful to humans. The posting of caution signs is based on the test results for this indicator bacteria.

DOH and EPA will continue to work together to improve the monitoring of Hawaii’s recreational waters, including specific standard protocols for public notification and posting of recreational waters with caution signs when bacteria levels exceed standards established to protect public health.

Keehi Lagoon sign locations

Gillin’s Beach sign locations

Water Pollution Control (WPC) Viewer for Public Access to Government Documents

The WPC Viewer offers quick and easy access to NPDES permits/WQC/documents, inspections, and enforcement actions.  All non-confidential NPDES and Section 401 WQC documents, applications, correspondence, fact sheets, rationales, final permits/certifications, completed inspections, and enforcement actions can be viewed and downloaded through the WPC Viewer website.  You can search for records by typing the permit number, facility name, or facility location in the search field; clicking on the link to the record; and pressing the Permit Information button.  Alternatively, you can zoom into the map and locate the facility you are interested in.  Note: Once you’ve found your desired facility/project, an easy way to locate documents in the WPC Viewer is to press “CTRL+F” and type a keyword.  For example, if you are looking for an issued NPDES permit, press “CTRL+F” and type “fnl”.  If you are looking for the fact sheets or rationales, press “CTRL+F” and type “fact sheet” or “rationale”.

Under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, the Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) is responsible for issuing or denying Section 401 WQCs for any project/activity that requires a federal license or permit and may result in a water pollutant discharge to State surface waters.  The DOH-CWB issued the Blanket Section 401 WQC to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for certain 2012 DA NWPs which became effective August 31, 2015.  Seven (7) NWPs are covered under the Blanket Section 401 WQC.  A discharger’s project/activity may be covered under the Blanket Section 401 WQC if the project/activity is covered under only one (1) of these NWPs and the discharger can comply with all conditions and requirements of the Blanket Section 401 WQC.

If you would like to request coverage under the Blanket Section 401 WQC:

• Download, read, and understand the Blanket Section 401 WQC.  Response to public notice comments are also available to download.
• Understand your responsibilities and legal obligations.
• Determine if your organization can and will comply.
• Design your project to incorporate the Blanket Section 401 WQC and USACE NWP requirements.
• Complete and submit the e-Permitting NWP Blanket WQC Notification Form as required in the Blanket Section 401 WQC.

If you need a Section 401 WQC, but cannot comply with the requirements in the Blanket Section 401 WQC, you are required to complete and submit the Section 401 WQC form.  This application is available at:  https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/epermit/.  Type “Section 401 WQC” in the Form Search field.  Click on the link to the form.  Read the instructions and complete the form.

• HAR 11-54 (Effective November 15, 2014)
• HAR 11-55 (Effective November 15, 2014)
• HAR 11-54 Rationale
• HAR 11-55 Rationale
• Response to the October 2, 2014 Public Hearing Comments

• HAR 11-55, Appendices B and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activities (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices C and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Construction Activities (Expires December 5, 2018)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices D and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Effluent from Leaking Underground Storage Tank Remedial Activities (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices E and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Once Through Cooling Water Less Than One (1) Million Gallons Per Day (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices F and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Hydrotesting Waters (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices G and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Dewatering (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices H and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Process Wastewater Associated with Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices I and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Process Wastewater Associated with Well Drilling Activities (Expires December 5, 2017)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices J and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Occasional or Unintentional Discharges from Recycled Water Systems  (Please contact the DOH, Wastewater Branch at 808-586-4294 if you wish to be covered under this NPDES General Permit.)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices K and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water and Certain Non-Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Expires December 5, 2016)
• HAR 11-55, Appendices L and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Circulation Water from Decorative Ponds or Tanks (Expires December 5, 2018)

2.     Determine if your project/activity and your organization will comply with every requirement in the applicable NPDES General Permit.

3.     Only after you determine that you can comply and you understand your responsibilities and legal obligations, you may submit the CWB NOI Form through the e-Permitting Portal website at: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/epermit/.  You will be asked to do a one-time registration to obtain your login and password.  After you register, click on the Application Finder tool and locate the “CWB NOI Form.”  Follow the instructions to complete and submit this form. 

If you have any questions, please download and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) before contacting the DOH-CWB.  If you do not see an answer to your specific question in the FAQs, please contact the DOH-CWB, Engineering Section at (808) 586-4309.

• FAQs (Updated 2/13/15)

• A link to the U.S. EPA VGP website.  Please visit the EPA website if you wish to obtain VGP coverage and submit a Notice of Intent through the EPA eNOI system.
• EPA contact information.  Please contact the EPA if you have any questions on the 2013 VGP.
• WQC0833.  If you have any questions on WQC0833, please read WQC0833 and review the VGP DOH Notification Form on the e-Permitting Portal before contacting the DOH-CWB at (808) 586-4309.

Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP)

EPA intends to finalize the sVGP later this year (2013).  DOH-CWB has issued a Section 401 WQC (File No. WQC0832) for the sVGP.  WQC0832 becomes effective on December 19, 2013.

The e-Permitting Portal Section 401 WQC website contains:

•    A link to the U.S. EPA VGP website.

•    EPA contact information.  Please contact the EPA if you have any questions on the sVGP.

•    WQC0832.  If you have any questions on WQC0832, please read WQC0832 before contacting the DOH-CWB at (808) 586-4309.

• HAR 11-55 Appendix M

To request coverage under this NPDES General Permit, you must submit the CWB NOI Form M through the e-Permitting Portal website at:  https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/epermit/.  You will be asked to do a one-time registration to obtain your login and password.  After you register, click on the Application Finder tool and locate the “CWB NOI Form M.”  Follow the instructions to complete and submit this form.