Genki balls vs. debris debacle: Struggle over Oahu’s infamous Ala Wai
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Debris in the Ala Wai Canal was the worst it has ever been just one week ago, according to residents who live in the area.
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The Genki ball project has made a dent in the sludge at the bottom, large creatures have even returned to the Canal, but more resources might be needed for the project’s vision to become a reality.
The nasty condition of Oahu’s most infamous canal on Saturday, Oct. 26 did not just get the attention of the Genki Ala Wai Project.
Hawaii’s Genki Ala Wai Project spreading beyond the once-stinky canal
“People saw how bad it was, right? And so I think it will help to boost people’s activity, you know, wanting to do something about it,” said project coordinator Kouri Nago. “I think that was a call to action for a lot of people.”
“That was definitely a big reason why I’m also here today,” said first-time volunteer Christine Gardner. “This is for everybody! Our ocean is the place that we go for healing and for me, that’s something I always want to give back to and it heals me, and I’m giving back!”
The balls have Effective Microorganism (EM-1) Fluid that eats away at the gross sludge at the bottom of the Ala Wai. A few areas had over 20 inches of foul-smelling crud back in 2019.
“But now it’s been fluctuating anywhere between like 2 and 0,” Nago said, “so, we’ve been keeping it in check with Genki balls for sure.”
The goal of the project is to make the Canal swimable by 2026 — it is an audacious goal but there have been positive signs.
A Hawaiian monk seal was spotted about a mile up the Ala Wai a few days before the debris debacle.
Genki balls tamp down stench of Ala Wai Canal
“And she was breathing loudly, so that’s the thing I remember,” said area resident Marie Sugio. “It was so gorgeous, especially the timing too, it was sunrise so the sky was pink and the Ala Wai reflecting that water and there’s this majestic creature swimming.”
“This is like the third recorded sighting in like two years,” Nago said.
A viewer photo taken on Oct. 26 showed a clear border between a debris-filled stream that feeds into the Ala Wai and the Canal itself. Residents said most of the junk that was seen in the Canal came from those very streams.
Nago said they are doing their part, but are not able to tackle every problem.
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“It’s going to involve addressing the whole system, but we can do our part in terms of remediating the Ala Wai Canal through EM technology,” he said.
Community events to make and toss Genki balls are held at least once per month, click here for more info.
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