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After noticing something unusual about a stream in the Waipio Valley, independent reporters from the news site Hawai News Now proactively went to test the water from this stream. They discovered that the water had an alcohol concentration of 1.2% – almost a quarter the strength of Budweiser beer.
Although an alcohol content of 1.2% is low, a large amount would certainly be enough to get someone drunk, since non-alcoholic beer must have an alcohol content of 0.5% or less.
Many people were extremely surprised by this, and described the stream as a place where "wine flows freely".
Those who have visited the area say that because the stream has a high alcohol concentration, anyone passing by will smell a strong beer odor. "If you come here, you'd think you're stepping into a pub that's been closed for three or four days," said environmental activist Carroll Cox. He said this is bothersome to him and many tourists visiting the Waipio Valley, and he has reported the situation to the U.S. Department of Health.
Waipio Valley is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Oahu Island.
The alcohol spill has been identified by U.S. officials as originating from a drainpipe in a warehouse in the vicinity of Paradise Benks, Hawaii's largest alcoholic beverage distributor. However, the exact cause of the spill remains undetermined.
"We are working with representatives from the Department of Transport to resolve this issue, and the Department of Health has also contacted us in recent days," said Anthony Rowe, Chief Operating Officer of Paradise Beverage. "This incident originated on our end, so we will work in the most cooperative manner to resolve the issue."
