The waters around the burn zone are still. off limits to surf.
Surfrider’s Maui Chapter has published data from water quality samples taken in January of this year near the Lahaina burn zone. The findings indicate levels of contaminants that would be safe for human recreation.
“We did not find evidence during our initial sampling run of fire-related contamination that would put human health at risk from recreation in the ocean,” Surfrider Maui said in a blog post. “The metal concentrations we measured appear to be within the range of typical ocean water levels, and concentrations of both metals and Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are well below the World Health Organization (WHO) recreational guidance and drinking water regulations set by both the Environmental Protection Agency and WHO.”
PAHs are chemicals that come from petroleum-based fuels and can enter the environment via incomplete burning of oil, gas, wood, and other organic materials. They are known as carcinogens and risks to human health.
Surfrider Maui took eight water samples on January 8, six from locations in the burn area in addition to samples north and south of the fire zone. The samples were intentionally taken within 24 hours of a significant four-inch rain event to ensure any potential contaminants flowing from land would be present in the water.
The water samples were sent to California for analysis, but were delayed due to a backlog of samples resulting from heavy storm patterns on the West Coast. Typically results would be returned in three weeks.
Surfrider’s findings align with other water and soil sampling done by the University of Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Geological Survey, given that, as far as dissolved metals and PAHs, virtually nothing was detected except relatively elevated concentrations of copper and low concentrations of PAHs in the samples taken from Lahaina Harbor and Papalaua Street.
While the initial samples are reason for optimism, Surfrider still stresses that more research needs to be done to understand how water quality changes over time and during different weather patterns. These results came from a single data sample and there are no universal standards for recreational ocean water quality to benchmark levels of metals and PAHs. Access to the burn zone remains restricted and ocean recreation, including surfing, around the burn zone is still off limits.
Moving forward, Surfrider Maui will continue sampling the water on a quarterly basis, as well as adding a sampling site that is further away from the burn zone to create another reference point. The investigation is happening alongside related research to measure how fire contaminants have affected the health of the region’s coral reefs.
Editor’s Note: Click here to support the campaign to bring the documentary about the fire and its impact on the community to life, and to continue to raise awareness about the people impacted by the Maui wildfires.
