Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
At least one regular observer of the state Capitol's reflecting pools thinks that a new method for treating algae growth is working. Capitol pools
cleaner, officials sayBy Rosemarie Bernardo
Star-BulletinJoe Kaleiwohi has spent many lunch breaks over the past year near the pools.
Until recently, he said, he often couldn't see the bottom of the shallow pools because of the algae.
But since Berkley Engineering Inc. installed an ozone treatment system in the pools in August, Kaleiwohi has noticed the murky water clearing up.
"It's much more appealing to sit by it now," said Kaleiwohi, who works at the nearby Hawaii State Library.
The $90,000 treatment system is the latest in a long line of attempts to clarify the algae-prone pools. The combination of brackish water and sun exposure creates ideal growing conditions for algae.
Past attempts at solving the smelly problem have included a mixed-oxidant generator ($74,000 a year) and tilapia fish ($31,000 a year). After the initial investment, this method is expected to cost $5,000 a year.
Curtis Lee, Berkley's service manager, trained several state maintenance workers on the upkeep of the ozone system yesterday. Maintenance of the system includes keeping the pool's pumps and nozzles free of debris and keeping ozone equipment in the underground parking garage in order.
"All of the algae has been eradicated, and the quality of the water has improved tremendously," according to state Comptroller Ray Sato.
Algae in the pools has been a problem since the Capitol was built in 1969.
Further work is being done to determine the optimum level of ozone that should be injected into the water to maintain clarity, said Sato.
But Linda Asato Kaichi, Rep. Noboru Yonamine's administrative services manager, hasn't seen much of a difference since the installation of the ozone system.
"The water has a lot of meaning," she said, referring to the reflecting pools' symbolic representation of the ocean surrounding the Hawaiian Islands.
"The way it is presently, it's very disappointing. It's not kept up to the level that it should be," said Kaichi, pointing out the green build-up in the pools. "It doesn't do justice to the Capitol."