A Viable Cesspool Alternative Emerges On Hawaiʻi’s Coasts
Summary
Residents in Puakō, Hawaiʻi, have developed a new sewer system to replace harmful cesspools that damage nearby coral reefs. The plan uses low-pressure liquid-only sewers to better manage wastewater and protect coastal environments, and local officials are considering this model for other areas.Key Facts
- Puakō is a coastal community on Hawaiʻi island working to reduce wastewater damage to coral reefs.
- The community nonprofit Puakō For Reefs plans to install a low-pressure liquid-only sewer system as an alternative to cesspools and septic tanks.
- Hawaiʻi must convert over 49,000 cesspools by 2050 to meet state regulations.
- Mayor Kimo Alameda supports the Puakō plan as a potential model for other coastal areas needing sewer improvements.
- Kahaluʻu, another coastal area, is developing a similar sewer plan to protect its reefs from nitrogen pollution.
- Septic systems allow nitrogen to leak into reefs, harming marine life even when better than cesspools.
- Low-pressure sewer systems move wastewater efficiently to treatment plants for safer processing.
- Cleaner wastewater management aims to help restore coral reefs by reducing pollution entering the ocean.
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