EPA Closes 10 Illegal Cesspools in Hawai‘i

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement actions this year in Hawai‘i led to closures of 10 large-capacity cesspools and over $640,000 in fines.

“We will continue working to close all remaining large cesspools,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Stoker. “This enforcement effort will help protect Hawai‘i’s drinking water and coastal water resources.”

EPA actions to close prohibited LCCs this past year include:

• Hawai‘i Country Club: EPA inspectors found a cesspool operating on Hawai‘i Country Club’s property in Wahiawa (O‘ahu). As part of the agreement, Hawai‘i Country Club will close the LCC by November 30, 2018, and to pay a $40,000 penalty.
• Kloeckner Metals Corporation: The company failed to close an LCC on its property in Campbell Industrial Park, O‘ahu. Kloeckner Metals will pay $46,608, close the LCC, and perform a supplemental environmental project to close two small-capacity cesspools at Kloeckner’s facility. The three cesspools will be closed by December 31, 2018.
• Smith Waterhouse Family of Koloa: EPA inspectors found two LCCs at the Old Koloa Town Shopping Center on the island of Kaua‘i. Under the settlement, the company will pay $81,549, close the LCCs and replace them with a wastewater treatment plant approved by the Hawai‘i Department of Health.
• Honolulu, LLC/Hon Realty: Inspectors found an operating cesspool in operation on Hon Realty’s property in Campbell Industrial Park, O‘ahu. Hon Realty also disclosed a second cesspool located at a nearby property. As part of the agreement, Hon Realty will close both LCCs by April 30, 2019, and will pay a $126,652 penalty.
• Kamehameha Schools: The largest landowner in Hawai‘i agreed to a landmark initiative to audit over 3,000 properties spanning more than 365,000 acres to identify and close large-capacity cesspools. As part of this agreement, KS is also settling an administrative action for $99,531 related to an LCC at the Volcano Golf Course and Country Club, a property owned by KS and leased to Hawai‘i International Sporting Club on the Island of Hawai‘i. In July 2017, the lessee closed the cesspool and replaced it with an approved septic system.
• Dole Food Co.: The company failed to close two LCCs at its Pu‘uiki Beach Park property on O‘ahu. The company has since closed the two cesspools and replaced them with state-approved septic systems and paid a $145,000 penalty. The private 9-acre Pu‘uiki Beach Park in Waialua is used by Dole employees for company gatherings and recreational activities.
• NF Kawakami Store: The property owner of the Koloa Big Save Supermarket did not close a large-capacity cesspool on Kaua‘i. Under the settlement, company will pay a civil penalty of $110,000, close the large cesspool and replace it with a wastewater treatment plant.

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA banned large-capacity cesspools in 2005. Since then, more than 3,400 LCCs have been closed statewide; however, many thousands remain in operation.

Cesspools collect and discharge untreated raw sewage into the ground, where disease-causing pathogens and harmful chemicals can contaminate groundwater, streams and the ocean. Groundwater provides 95% of all domestic water in Hawai‘i, where cesspools are used more widely than in any other state.