The city yesterday halted a large sewage spill in Waikiki, but hours later had to respond to five sewage spills in Windward O'ahu caused by storm waters overwhelming the wastewater system.

The five Windward spills — four in Kailua's Enchanted Lake neighborhood and one in Waimanalo — involved a total of 13,700 gallons of untreated sewage, officials said.

That figure is dwarfed by the estimated 375,000 gallons of sewage that spilled into the Ala Wai Canal after a sewer main ruptured Friday under Kai'olu Street in Waikiki.

Repair crews dug 10 feet down and found a complex crack at a tapered joint of the 42-inch-diameter concrete pipe, the city said.

Officials of the city Department of Environmental Services and Department of Design and Construction decided to seal the exposed area of the pipe in two types of lightweight concrete as a temporary fix, the city said.

"This is one of the most challenging main breaks our department has faced in many years," Eric Takamura, city Environmental Services director, said in a statement. "Those challenges include the constant load on this particular system, heavy rains that added to the load and required deployment of staff and resources elsewhere, lack of alternative systems and the presence of other underground infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of the rupture."

Water samples are being taken by the city's Environmental Quality Division. Warning signs have been posted along the canal and at various points downstream. In addition, Environmental Services personnel have contacted canal users and are patrolling the Ala Wai to warn people away from the water.

Surfers are being warned to avoid Ala Moana Bowls, Rock Pile and In Betweens because the current clips those surf spots near the mouth of the canal. The state Department of Health was notified and is being updated about the spill.

People should avoid contact with the waters of the Ala Wai Canal. Anyone exposed to the waters should wash thoroughly with soap and water. Objects that are exposed to the canal waters should be disinfected.

The pressurized main was built in 1964 to carry untreated wastewater away from the Beachwalk Wastewater Pumping Station and toward the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. It handles most of the sewage generated in Manoa, Mo'ili'ili and Waikiki.

The Department of Design and Construction is designing a replacement main. Construction is expected to begin next year.

Officials also posted warning signs in Windward O'ahu after those sewage spills were contained. Here are details of those spills: