What a Cesspool Priority Rating Means
A cesspool priority rating is a category shown by a statewide mapping tool. It does not show the condition of a cesspool, select a replacement system, or set a deadline for a particular property. Use the map for background, then verify legal and technical questions separately.
How should you read the map?
Open the current Hawaiʻi Cesspool Prioritization Tool and search with the property address or tax map key (TMK). Read the tool's current legend, record the displayed result, and note the date of the search.
A mapped result should be treated as screening information. It does not prove parcel boundaries, ownership, contamination, a violation, or the exact location and condition of a cesspool.
What does a priority rating leave unanswered?
The rating does not tell you which wastewater system will work, whether sewer connection is possible, what the project will cost, or how long it will take. Those answers depend on the property, the design, and the rules in effect when the work is reviewed.
The rating also does not show whether the property has received a notice or qualifies for financial assistance. Check actual agency records and current program rules for those questions.
Does the rating change the statewide deadline?
Current Department of Health guidance says Hawaiʻi cesspools must be upgraded, converted, or closed before January 1, 2050, subject to exemptions and other applicable requirements. The Department also identifies property conditions that can require action outside that general deadline.
A priority rating by itself should not be presented as an earlier legal deadline. Confirm any notice, enforcement issue, or timing for the property directly with the Department of Health.
What should you do next?
- Save the current map result with the address or TMK and lookup date.
- Gather any Department of Health notices and existing wastewater records for the property.
- Request an evaluation of the property before choosing a system or relying on a cost or schedule.
Send us the address or TMK. We will connect you with a licensed professional who can review the property.
Need to understand a property priority rating?
Send the TMK and the rating shown for the property. We will help connect you with a professional when the next question requires a site-specific review.
Official sources
- University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant: Hawaiʻi Cesspool Hazard Assessment and Prioritization Tool
- Hawaiʻi Department of Health: General Information and Frequently Asked Questions