Storm water is everybody’s business!
Construction is a major industry in our islands. However, while great for the economy, construction can have potentially disastrous effects on the environment. Construction activities can increase the rate of erosion by as much 1,000 times the natural rate. Sediment, the most common pollutant from construction activities, has been proven to cause monetary damages up to $16 billion per year.
Fortunately, HDOT Highways has a comprehensive construction site runoff control program to prevent water pollution during construction activities on State highways. Visit the tabs below for helpful information for design consultants and construction contractors working on HDOT Highways projects or with HDOT Highways right-of-way.
Designers
The plan to keep our water clean starts with design. Designers should consider both construction BMPs and permanent post-construction BMPs to minimize the environmental impact of the project. For files to assist in the development of site-specific construction BMP plans, please see below.
- Storm Water Permanent Best Management Practices Manual
- Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
- Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
- Application and Permit to Connect to the State of Hawaii Highways Storm Drain System
- Application and Permit to Discharge to the State of Hawaii Highways Storm Drain System

Contractors
Contractors play a critical role in mitigating the pollutants generated from active construction sites.
If you currently work for HDOT, or are thinking about doing work in HDOT rights-of-way, here are FAQs to consider before starting work on construction projects.
Do I need any permits for my project?
If you answer “YES” to any of the following questions, you will need a permit in order to start work:
Am I working within HDOT right-of-way?
PERMIT NEEDED: State of Hawaii Department of Transportation
Permit to Perform Work Upon State Highways
Will my project discharge into an HDOT storm drain?
PERMIT NEEDED: State of Hawaii Department of Transportation
Application and Permit To Discharge to the State of Hawaii Highways Division Storm Drain System
Will my project connect to an HDOT storm drain?
PERMIT NEEDED: State of Hawaii Department of Transportation
Application and Permit For A Private Drain Connections To The State of Hawaii Highways Division Storm Drain System
All HDOT permits are available at the Oahu District Office at 727 Kakoi Street in Mapunapuna.
Does my project disturb an acre or more of land?
PERMIT NEEDED: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit Coverage or Individual Permit Coverage
For more information about General Permit or Individual Permit coverage, please visit the State of Hawaii Department of Health website.
Do I need a Site-Specific Construction BMP Plan?
If you answer “YES” to any of the following questions, you need a Site-Specific Construction BMP Plan:
- Am I working on a project requesting a State of Hawaii Department of Transportation Application and Permit To Discharge to the State of Hawaii Highways Division Storm Drain System?
- Am I working on a project requesting a State of Hawaii Department of Transportation Application and Permit For A Private Drain Connections To The State of Hawaii Highways Division Storm Drain System?
- Am I working on a project requesting a State of Hawaii Department of Transportation Permit to Perform Work Upon State Highways?
For more information, please contact us. For permits and for files to assist in the review and implementation of BMPs, please see below.
- Construction Best Management Practices Field Manual
- Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Review Checklist for HDOT Contract Projects
- Application and Permit to Connect to the State of Hawaii Highways Storm Drain System
- Application and Permit to Discharge to the State of Hawaii Highways Storm Drain System
- Enforcement Response Plan
- Contractor’s Certification of NPDES Compliance
- Sample Written Best Management Practices Plan
- Construction BMP Checklist

2015 Permanent BMP Workshop
To learn more about our Permanent BMP criteria, download the presentation from our 2015 Permanent BMP Workshop.
2019 Protect Our Water Conference
Mahalo to everyone who attended the 2019 Protect Our Water Conference. Below you’ll find the presentation materials available for download:
- Keynote (Presenter: John McCullah, CPESC, Geomorphologist)
- Guarding the Future – Protecting Post Construction BMPs During Construction (Presenter: Jon Lowry, P.E. – EnviroServices & Training Center, LLC))
- Dirt Cheap: The Cost of Erosion (Why Be Compliant?) (Presenter: Eddie Snell – Applied Polymer Systems, Inc.)
- Lessons Learned: Internal Audit of DOT’s Construction Program (Presenter: Vijaya Tummala, P.E. – EnviroServices & Training Center, LLC)
- HIGHWAYS – Have You Ever Seen the Rain: Intro/Overview of Storm Water Requirements for Construction (Presenter: Larissa Sato, P.E. – WSP)
- It’s Not Brain Surgery, It’s Harder: The Best of the BMPs (Presenter: John McCullah – Salix Applied Earthcare)
- Back on the Road: Emergency Highway Restoration After A Hurricane (Presenter: Eddie Snell – Applied Polymer Systems, Inc.)
- Construction Activities & Contaminated Media (Presenter: Lauren Cruz & Iris van der Zander, PhD – DOH HEER)
- Rain or Shine; It’s Inspection Time: Independent Inspections (Presenter: Claudia Akroyd – Bowers + Kubota)
- Mission Impossible: Advanced Methods for Extreme Slopes (Presenter: John McCullah – Salix Applied Earthcare)
- Your BMP Inspector: BFF or Mortal Enemy (Presenter: Eddie Snell – Applied Polymer Systems, Inc.)
- HARBORS: Construction & Post Construction Program Requirements (Presenter: Jon Lowry, P.E. & Marleina Lyons-Wolfe – EnviroServices & Training Center, LLC)
- Nowhere to Run: Tips on Runoff and Sediment Control BMPs (Presenter: John McCullah – Salix Applied Earthcare)
- You Get What You Pay For: Inlets, Entrances, Perimeter Controls (Presenter: Eddie Snell – Applied Polymer Systems, Inc.)
- New Appendix C: General Permit Review & Enforcement Case Studies (Presenter: Bobbie Teixeira – DOH CWB)
Presentations from the 2019 Protect Our Water Conference can be found on our YouTube page.