Committee advances bill to add endorheic lakes to stream-maintenance rules

The Honolulu City Council Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation and Technology voted to report Bill 52 out for passage on second reading and to schedule a public hearing. The bill would add endorheic lakes to the municipal definition of “streams and other bodies of water,” giving the Department of Facility Maintenance additional authority to require maintenance by private owners through notices and potential enforcement. Warren Mamizuka, deputy director of the Department of Facility Maintenance, told the committee the department supports the bill and that clarifying the definition would add tools such as notices of violation to encourage private owners to maintain streams and similar bodies of water. He said most endorheic lakes on Oahu are privately owned and would remain private, but the clarified definition would allow DFM to notify owners when maintenance is needed. Public testimony included a brief online comment from Angela Melody Young, who supported the amendment and suggested pairing cleanup work with community-service training and environmental restoration. Vice Chair Okimoto asked how many endorheic lakes the deputy director believes exist on Oahu; Mamizuka replied his current knowledge estimate was “maybe 3” and named Enchanted Lakes (Hawaii Kai), and two others in Moanalua and Salt Lake, while acknowledging the figures were approximate. The chair recommended Bill 52 be reported out for passage on second reading and the committee ordered the bill moved forward and scheduled for public hearing.