The impact of sewage discharges at ocean outfalls on phytoplankton populations in waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands

Primary production rates, chlorophyll a and nutrient concentrations, particulate carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, Secchi depths and submarine light levels were measured at stations within, and near, the zone of mixing of the Sand Island and Mokapu Point ocean sewage outfalls near the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. Multiyear averages of several parameters indicated that the Sand Island outfall had no adverse impact on phytoplankton communities or water quality. The major effect of the Mokapu Point outfall was a reduction in photosynthetic rates, probably due to the rapid uptake of nutrients introduced into the mixed layer with the secondarily treated sewage. The Sand Island outfall, which discharged coarsely screened raw sewage within the thermocline, had less of an impact because the inorganic nutrient concentrations in the sewage were lower and because the sewage rarely rose into the mixed layer. The results indicate that, under appropriate conditions, ocean outfalls may be preferable to estuarine or freshwater outfalls and that secondary treatment is not always necessary to reduce the impacts of ocean outfalls to an acceptable level.