Waiawa Stream overflows again, flooding Pearl City homes and frustrating residents

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Heavy rain Friday night caused Waiawa Stream in Pearl City to overflow again, pushing debris and floodwaters into nearby neighborhoods and leaving residents dealing with another round of cleanup.

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Neighbors say the flooding has become a recurring problem during periods of heavy rain, blaming debris buildup and a lack of consistent maintenance along the stream.

Video shared by Pearl City resident Albert Kim shows floodwaters covering a nearby bike path that normally runs alongside Waiawa Stream.

Kim said residents now go into emergency mode whenever rain is forecast.

“Every time rain, we’re on red alert. We got to move our stuff. We got to take precautions. We got to call people who are not going to come up and are talking about the state and the federal government. And they’re not coming to help. There’s always after the fact,” Kim said.

He said Friday’s flooding marked the fourth time the stream has overflowed since February, forcing repeated preparations and property protection efforts.

“Today, yesterday, I’m going to put this board up. Yeah. Just give it some time. And then it went, the water came about to here. So whenever I put this in, the thing would have went in. I would have the same problem as I had the last time,” Kim said.

“The last time this thing went flood, the water in here was right up to here. And I was knee high in it. You can see some of the residual, the mud. Still got a lot of work to do,” he added.

According to city officials, the portion of Waiawa Stream near Kim’s property falls under state jurisdiction, a situation residents say complicates maintenance responsibilities.

Kim said he was told preventative work would improve following earlier flooding events.

“The last time they came, you know, they said they’re going to be more preventive. When they get these alerts, they’re going to come out and look, see what’s got to be done. Nobody came. Well, at least I never see,” he said.

Neighbor Corrie Young said she had only recently begun recovering from earlier Kona low flooding when the latest overflow hit.

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“Now we’re scooping mud again. This time we’re dealing with sewer water in the house. So that’s, you know, a scare for me, especially for all my helpers. And we’re getting very tired,” Young said.

Walking through her home, Young pointed to exposed walls and flooring she had delayed rebuilding out of concern another flood would happen.

“I’m like, yes, I can rebuild. Luckily, I didn’t because of this flood. I would have had to rip it out again. But now all this has to dry out. I still have to go and clean,” she said.

Flood impacts were also reported upstream near Camp Agape, where residents said high water and debris moved through the area Friday.

Young said this flooding raised additional concerns because of possible wastewater contamination.

“And they were saying that they smell sewer smell too. So everything’s getting affected worse this time because we didn’t have to deal with sewer water, you know, this time,” she said.

Residents say repeated flooding and cleanup efforts are taking a physical and emotional toll, and they are calling for improved maintenance and infrastructure upgrades.

“They need to step up and they need to clear the bridge. Fix the bridge. Somebody even mentioned that the bridge is falling apart. Make it higher,” Young said.

Hawaii News Now contacted the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources, which oversees portions of the stream, and is awaiting a response.

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