Cesspool Conversion Working Group

The Cesspool Conversion Working Group was established to develop strategies for replacing Hawaii's estimated 88,000 cesspools — which discharge untreated sewage directly into the ground — with septic systems or sewer connections. Hawaii law requires all cesspools to be converted by 2050, and this working group developed recommendations on financing mechanisms, technical standards, and priority areas for conversion. Its work directly addresses one of the state's most significant water quality and public health challenges.

If your home relies on a cesspool, state law requires you to convert it, and this working group's recommendations on financial assistance programs and technical resources affect how affordable and feasible that conversion will be. All residents benefit from the groundwater and coastal water quality improvements that cesspool elimination will produce.