Technical Memorandum Report No. 37
Bacterial Indicators in Kapalama Canal, Oahu
Jerry M. Johnson, Michael D. Ells, Reginald H.F. Young
January 1974
ABSTRACT
A four month study was made of the levels of bacterial indicators in Kapalama Canal in the open portion from just mauka of School Street to Honolulu Harbor. The study was made between March and July 1971 and compared the levels of total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococcus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the latter a pathogen only of man. Results showed that the levels of coliform bacteria as determined by the MPN test exceeded the State Water Quality Standards in all of the samples taken from both the Class 2 and Class A portions of the Canal. The levels of fecal coliforms exceeded the limitations of the Standards in 94% of the samples in the Class 2 and in all the samples in the Class A portions of the canal. Mean levels of fecal streptococci in the Class 2 and Class A portions of the canal were 99 x l02 and 16 x l07/100 ml, respectively. The fecal coliform: fecal streptococcus ratio for all stations exceeded 0.7:1 and was as high as 25:1, giving strong indication of sewage contamination possibly from, illegal household connections or cesspool leakage. This research was supported in part by the Allotment Project “Pollution in Hawaiian Watersheds” (A-027-HI). Portions of the results were originally published in the WRRC Technical Report No. 59, Water Quality of Kapalama Canal.