FAQ

Act 125 passed in 2017 requires every cesspool in the state of Hawaiʻi to be upgraded, converted or connected to an approved wastewater system by the year 2050. For homeowners this means that a cesspool cannot remain in use permanently and will need to be replaced by a permitted septic system, aerobic treatment unit or sewer connection within that timeframe. Some areas are expected to convert earlier based on state priority maps. If you want help understanding what this means for your own property on Hawaiʻi Island, click Get Help Now and Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help will start a free project file for you.

All cesspools must be converted by 2050, but many owners will need to upgrade sooner. Typical triggers include selling the property, major renovations, cesspool failure or location in a higher priority area near drinking water, streams or the shoreline. Department of Health and county offices, along with the Hawaiʻi cesspool prioritization maps, provide guidance about local timelines that can move your deadline forward. If you are unsure how these rules apply to your parcel, click Get Help Now and Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help can match you with a licensed engineer who works in your district.

Act 125 makes cesspool conversion a legal requirement. Owners who do not upgrade by the required time risk enforcement actions, restrictions on property use, complications during sale or refinance and potential liability if the cesspool harms water resources. Specific penalties and enforcement steps are set by law and Department of Health rules and may change as new programs and regulations are adopted. If you want a practical plan to move forward before deadlines become urgent, click Get Help Now and Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help will help you take the first steps.

Department of Health guidance explains that the first step is to hire a Hawaiʻi licensed civil engineer to design a new individual wastewater system such as a septic system or aerobic treatment unit. The engineer prepares a design that meets state rules and submits it with permit forms to the Department of Health or county as required. After permit approval a licensed contractor installs the new system, closes the cesspool and schedules inspections before final approval to use the new system. If you click Get Help Now, Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help will collect basic property information and connect you with an engineer and local installers who already work in your area.

Typical steps are a site check and records review with an engineer, design of a compliant individual wastewater system, permit application and review, construction by a licensed contractor, inspection and final approval and then closure of the old cesspool. On Hawaiʻi Island homeowners are responsible for hiring the engineer and contractor and for paying project costs, although grants or tax relief may offset part of the cost when available. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help makes this easier by organizing the information once and introducing you to professionals who handle each step when you click Get Help Now.

At minimum an individual wastewater system approval from the Department of Health Wastewater Branch is required. County building or plumbing permits may also be needed for excavation, plumbing and electrical work. The engineer usually prepares the Department of Health forms and design package while the contractor may handle county building permit applications with support from the engineer. When you start through Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help, your project file clearly lists the permits expected for your site so nothing important is missed.

Wastewater system designs and as built information are reviewed and approved by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Wastewater Branch and in some counties by county building and plumbing officials. The engineer and contractor coordinate inspections. When construction is complete and the system passes inspection the Department of Health issues final approval to use the new system and the cesspool can be properly closed. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help does not perform inspections, but by coordinating communication between you, the engineer and installer it helps keep the process organized from first design to final approval.

In locations with an accessible public sewer it may be possible to abandon the cesspool and connect to the sewer system instead of building a new septic system. This still requires design review and permits, and costs depend on distance to the sewer main and on any road or utility work. In rural areas without nearby sewer, a septic system or aerobic treatment unit with a disposal field is usually required. If you are unsure which option fits your parcel, click Get Help Now and Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help will connect you with a local engineer who can review realistic choices.

Design and permit approval must cover the full system, but some owners plan cash flow by separating costs into stages. For example they may pay for design and permits first, then schedule installation during a later dry season or after funding is confirmed. Once construction starts the system needs to be completed and inspected promptly to protect health and safety. Any phasing ideas should be discussed with the engineer and contractor before permits are submitted. When you begin with Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help through the Get Help Now button you can explain your budget and timing so professionals can suggest a schedule that fits your situation.

Yes. Department of Health guidance states that the first step in upgrading or replacing a cesspool is to hire a Hawaiʻi licensed civil engineer. The engineer designs an individual wastewater system that meets state rules, prepares the permit package and often helps coordinate with the contractor and regulators during the project. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help exists to introduce homeowners to engineers who already work in their district so you do not have to make dozens of calls. You can click Get Help Now to start that matching process.

An individual wastewater system in Hawaiʻi is a private on site system that treats and disposes of wastewater from a single home or a small group of buildings. For cesspool conversions the usual options are a septic system with a tank and leach field or an aerobic treatment unit with a disposal field. The design must follow Department of Health wastewater rules and be approved before construction. When you work through Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help, the engineer who takes your project designs an appropriate individual wastewater system for your parcel.

Department of Health recognizes several individual wastewater system types. For most homes the practical options are a conventional septic system with a tank and leach field or an aerobic treatment unit that treats wastewater before it reaches the disposal area. In some locations connection to a public sewer is also possible. The engineer chooses the appropriate system based on soil tests, groundwater depth, lot size, setbacks and state rules. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help helps you reach engineers and installers who understand these choices in your part of the island when you click Get Help Now.

Useful information includes the tax map key for the property, any existing permits or as built drawings, past septic or cesspool approvals, number of bedrooms and plumbing fixtures, water source, photos or sketches of the current cesspool location and any site constraints such as steep slopes, rock outcrops or limited yard space. The more complete the information, the easier it is for an engineer to propose realistic options and rough cost ranges. The short form behind the Get Help Now button guides you through the most important items so your engineer and installer start with a clear picture of your site.

The licensed civil engineer typically prepares the wastewater design and Department of Health forms and may support the contractor on county building or plumbing permit applications. The contractor manages construction and coordinates with the engineer and inspectors. The homeowner hires these professionals and pays for their work, while the agencies review plans and grant approvals. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help does not replace the engineer or contractor but keeps communication clear so each party understands what comes next in the sequence.

Costs vary with access, soil conditions, lot size, slope, rock depth, groundwater depth and whether a simple septic system or a more advanced system is needed. Hawaiʻi guides and homeowner reports often describe project totals starting in the low tens of thousands of dollars and going higher for complex sites. Only a site visit and design by a licensed engineer, along with quotes from local installers, can provide a realistic estimate for a specific property. When you click Get Help Now, Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help sets up your project information so that engineers and installers can give more accurate and transparent pricing.

Private landowners are responsible for closing their cesspools and paying for connection to an approved wastewater system unless a grant program, tax credit or special funding source reduces their share. Some owners may qualify for state grants, tax benefits or federal rural programs, but even with assistance homeowners often pay a large part of the cost themselves. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help cannot guarantee funding, but by organizing your project early it makes it easier to explore available programs with your engineer and installer.

Hawaiʻi has offered several financial support tools including a cesspool pilot grant program that reimbursed part of the cost for a limited number of homeowners and state income tax credits that reduce the cost of upgrades to qualifying cesspools. Lawmakers have considered bills to extend and expand these programs and amounts and eligibility rules can change. Homeowners should check current Department of Health financial support information and review any active tax credit or grant programs before starting work. When you begin with Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help you can note that you are interested in financial options so your engineer and installer know to discuss them with you.

A realistic plan starts with an engineer reviewing records and visiting the site, then providing a design that installers can price. Owners can request multiple quotes, ask for separate line items for design, permits and construction and ask about rock excavation or groundwater issues that could add cost. Some owners stage design and construction over time or explore loans and assistance programs so that the project fits their budget. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help helps by gathering your information one time and sharing a clear summary with the engineer and installers you choose so that estimates are based on real site conditions.

From first contact to final approval many projects take several months. Time is spent gathering records and site information, having an engineer prepare and submit a design, waiting for permit review, scheduling excavation and installation and completing inspections. During periods of heavy demand permit review and contractor schedules can add more time, which is why agencies encourage owners to start well before any deadline. By clicking Get Help Now you start that process early so that design and scheduling can move at a steady pace rather than under last minute pressure.

On Hawaiʻi Island review times and contractor availability can stretch out during busy periods, during storms or when new laws increase demand. Starting early, having complete information ready for your engineer and being flexible about construction windows helps reduce delays and gives more options for scheduling work around weather and other projects. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help cannot control agency workloads, but it does keep your project details organized so your engineer and installer can submit complete applications and secure time on the schedule sooner.

Cesspools simply collect and dispose of raw wastewater without treatment. Across the state they can release millions of gallons of sewage into the ground each day. This can send pathogens and nutrients into groundwater that supplies most of Hawaiʻi drinking water and into streams and the ocean where it can damage coral reefs and harm people who swim and fish. This public health and environmental impact is the main reason the state is phasing cesspools out and asking owners to move to modern systems.

Many buyers and lenders view a modern permitted wastewater system as a positive feature because it reduces future legal risk and environmental impact. Some agencies already require disclosure when a property has a cesspool, especially if it appears in the state priority maps. Upgrading now can remove a future obstacle for sale and may make a property more attractive in a market where more buyers are aware of the 2050 requirement. If you plan to sell or refinance in the future, starting a project through the Get Help Now form can make that transition smoother.

The Hawaiʻi Cesspool Prioritization Tool is an online map created by the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant program and the state that ranks each cesspool by its risk to groundwater, drinking water and nearshore waters. The maps show priority levels and recommended timelines so owners and policymakers can see which areas should convert first in order to protect water quality and public health. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help uses information from these maps, along with local knowledge from engineers and installers, when considering timing for projects.

You can use the Hawaiʻi Cesspool Prioritization Tool, county maps and Department of Health guidance to see whether your property falls in a higher priority zone, such as areas near drinking water wells, streams or the shoreline. Engineers who work in your district are also familiar with local priority designations and expected conversion timelines. If you would like someone to look at your parcel information with you, click Get Help Now and Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help will connect you with professionals who understand your side of the island.

Homeowners often feel overwhelmed by the number of calls and decisions needed to move from a cesspool to a modern system. A coordination service like Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help gathers your project details once, matches you with a licensed civil engineer who works in your district and introduces local installers who understand local conditions. This can save time, reduce miscommunication and help the project move steadily from first questions through final approval. Clicking Get Help Now is the simplest way to start this coordination for free.

Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help is a free coordination service for homeowners on Hawaiʻi Island. The service gathers information about the property and existing cesspool, helps prepare a clear project file, connects the owner with a local licensed civil engineer for design and then introduces trusted installers who work in the same district. The homeowner always chooses who to hire while the coordination service focuses on clear communication, reasonable timelines and organized information.

Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help is not an engineering firm and does not install systems. It is a coordination service. Licensed civil engineers provide designs that meet state rules and independent local contractors install the systems. The coordination service brings the right parties together, keeps information in one place and helps everyone understand the sequence of steps from design through construction and approval.

Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help focuses on the island of Hawaiʻi including Hilo, Puna, Kaʻū, Kona, Kohala and Hāmākua. The goal is to match each homeowner with engineers and installers who already work in that district and understand local conditions, access issues and permit expectations. If your property is on Hawaiʻi Island you can click Get Help Now to see whether there is coverage in your area.

The service operates as part of a coordinated network supported by licensed engineers and installers who take on projects. That means homeowners can receive project coordination without extra charges or markups on top of normal engineering and construction fees. Homeowners only pay the professionals they choose to hire for design and installation. The goal is to make it easier to comply with the law and protect water resources without adding another bill on top of the work itself.

Information provided to Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help is used to create a project file, understand site constraints and share a clear summary with the single licensed engineer and any installer that the homeowner authorizes. The service does not sell data. Sharing is limited to the professionals needed to move the project forward and to help you receive accurate designs and quotes. You can review privacy details any time on the Privacy page.

If a cesspool fails, floods or is damaged by a storm or other event, the property owner still must meet Department of Health requirements for safe wastewater handling. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help can help the owner connect quickly with a licensed engineer and local contractors who can evaluate the site and propose compliant replacement options so that health and environmental risks are reduced as soon as possible. Clicking Get Help Now is a practical first step in that situation.

First confirm that a cesspool exists on the property and collect basic information such as the tax map key, number of bedrooms, water source and any old permits or drawings. Reviewing the priority maps and reading Department of Health guidance helps set expectations. From there, contacting a coordination service or an engineer who works in your district is a practical way to understand options and timing. The Get Help Now form is designed to walk you through these first steps in a simple sequence.

Owners often move forward when they plan to sell, renovate, refinance or when they learn that their area is considered high priority. If a cesspool is aging, failing or located close to drinking water or the shoreline, acting sooner can reduce risk and avoid rushed work later as deadlines get closer. Talking with an engineer or coordination service about your specific property is the best way to decide on timing. Hawaiʻi Cesspool Help can collect your details now so that you and your engineer can choose a schedule that fits your plans rather than waiting for a firm deadline.