Ask the Mayor: What’s That Bad Smell in Lahaina?

Lahaina Aquatic Center. Photo by Wendy Osher.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his office staff.

Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, call 270-7855 or send them by mail to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.

Dear Mayor Arakawa:

Q: I am writing to ask you for help getting rid of the terrible smell in Lahaina. It has been here for more than a week. We live off of Lahainaluna Road and Wainee Street. I have heard that it may be from a sewage leak or the standing water on the mauka side of the highway by the aquatic center. Please find out where it is coming from and have it fixed.

I have heard that it may be from a sewage leak or the standing water on the mauka side of the highway by the aquatic center. Please find out where it is coming from and have it fixed.

Please find out where it is coming from and have it fixed.

A: The smell is originating from the retention basin adjacent to the Lahaina Aquatics Center. The basin served its purpose in capturing excess rainwater that in the past caused flooding in Lahaina Town, but now the standing water needs to be pumped out.

Our Parks and Public Works Departments are working together to get that done very soon if it hasn’t already been completed by the time this column is published.