Simple changes to your property can make a big difference to the health of Maunalua Bay. Transform your garden or yard into a bay friendly Smart Yard! A Smart Yard is easy to design by simply adding features that capture water on your property to reduce rainwater runoff into the streets and streams that impact Maunalua Bay, and also help to recharge our groundwater supply. Smart Yards utilize standard best management practices such as: rain gardens, swales, rain barrels, permeable pavement, or even easier actions like turning downspout filters off driveways into yards/gardens. Collectively, these solutions are known as Green Stormwater Infrastructure (or GSI).
Smart Yards 2023 Workshop
Mālama Maunalua and 3RWater hosted our first Smart Yards workshop on December 2, 2023. Over 60 members from the community joined us to listen to mini-workshops on how to install a rain garden (presenter Kristin Kane, Hui o Koʻolaupoko), a permeable pavement (presenter Lauren Roth, 3RWater), and a rain catchment (presenter Board of Water Supply), as well as meet local vendors specializing in these areas.
Several lucky attendees went home with swag from a raffle, including a free rain barrel. All attendees went home with a free rain garden plant and other educational materials to kickstart their Smart Yard journey.
Other supporters of the event included Board of Water Supply, Hui kū Maoli Ola, Hui o Koʻolaupoko, and The Urban Farmer.
Resources
We also know another hiccup is needing installation support. Here are some businesses we know of that may be able to help you install various GSI techniques:
Protect and Preserve Hawaiʻi
If you are a contractor who has experience installing GSI solutions, please let us know so you can be added to the list. Email runoff@malamamaunalua.org.
List supplies
Follow the Drop (FtD) is an app which allows a homeowner to estimate the volume of stormwater runoff by area and where and what kind of green infrastructure would have the biggest impact. Go toXXX to learn more and download the APP.
Another hindrance for homeowners to install GSI is cost. MM, 3RWaters, City & County Honolulu Stormwater Water Department of Facilities Maintenance, and Birchline Planning received funding from Hawaii Community Foundation to explore an incentive program to assist homeowners in purchasing and installing GSI. The application will open in early 2025. Click here to go to the official website for more information.