HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	587
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there are approximately eighty three thousand cesspools across the State, with 48,596 on the island of Hawaii, fourteen thousand three hundred on Kauai, eleven thousand thirty eight on Maui, 7,491 on Oahu, and one thousand four hundred on Molokai.  The legislature recognizes that pursuant to section 342D-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes, every cesspool in the State, excluding cesspools exempted by the director of health, shall be upgraded or converted to a director-approved wastewater system or connected to a sewerage system by January 1, 2050.

     The legislature further finds that converting, upgrading, or connecting eighty three thousand cesspools by 2050 will be a massive infrastructure project and require proper planning and administration across various stakeholders and governmental entities, including several counties.  According to the Cesspool Conversion Working Group Final Report, which was submitted to the legislature before the 2023 regular session, the cost of conversion for most private and residential property owners is significant, from $880,000,000 to more than $5,300,000,000.  More than ninety seven per cent of all residents in the State will be financially burdened by the costs of conversion.  Moreover, conversion programs are time-consuming and require concerted long-term effort, planning, outreach, and adaptation.  Many properties in rural areas, especially on the neighbor islands, are located in areas where existing county infrastructure inhibits cesspool conversion or connection to sewer systems.  Accordingly, the legislature finds that each county should identity its wastewater management infrastructure needs so that residents can comply with the mandate to successfully upgrade or convert all cesspools by January 1, 2050.

     The purpose of this Act is to require each county to submit to the legislature a comprehensive integrated wastewater management plan report that addresses and identifies the county's wastewater management needs, including financial needs.

     SECTION 2.  No later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2024, the mayor of each county shall submit to the legislature a comprehensive integrated wastewater management plan report.  The report shall address the county's wastewater management and shall specifically identify:

     (1)  Planned connections to centralized public and private treatment systems;

     (2)  Locations where individual treatment systems will continue to be necessary;

     (3)  Locations where smaller-scale cluster treatment systems might be used;

     (4)  The individual treatment system needs of homes having cesspools, and whether there is an appropriate infrastructure capacity to handle the conversion of cesspools by January 1, 2050; and

     (5)  Financial needs, funding mechanisms, and financing strategies to assist with cesspool conversions in the county.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000.

 

 

Report Title:

Wastewater Management; Cesspools; Conversion; Upgrades; Counties

 

Description:

Requires each county to submit to the Legislature a comprehensive integrated wastewater management plan report that addresses and identifies the county's wastewater management needs, including financial needs.  Effective 6/30/3000.  (HD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.