“It’s good to be able to contribute to solving some of our states most challenging issues,” Dr. Chris Shuler stated. Dr. Shuler, a hydrologist and researcher with WRRC, spearheaded the creation on a new user-friendly webpage (www.hawaiicesspooltool.org) with information regarding Hawai‘i’s 83,000 cesspools, which represent an outdated wastewater disposal method and have been found to impact drinking water and coastal ecosystems. This webpage provides free resources pertaining to cesspools, including access to the interactive Hawai‘i Cesspool Prioritization Tool (HCPT) that shows each cesspool and their conversion priority level based on location.
The HCPT is a comprehensive and easy-to-use tool that both homeowners and policymakers can use as they make decisions to reach the goal outlined by Act 125 Session Laws of Hawai‘i, passed in 2017, which requires all the state’s cesspools be upgraded, converted, or connected to the sewer line before 2050.
This informative website is the result of the collaboration between the University of Hawai‘i Water Resources Research Center, UH Sea Grant College Program, and the Hawai‘i State Department of Health Wastewater Branch.
Figure caption: The Hawai‘i cesspool prioritization tool: 15 risk-factors.
Visit HCPT webpage: www.hawaiicesspooltool.org (March 2023)