The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on July 19, 2024, a settlement with the County of Maui to close seven Large Capacity Cesspools on the islands of Maui and Molokai.
Cesspools collect and release untreated raw sewage into the ground, where disease-causing pathogens and harmful chemicals and pharmaceuticals can contaminate groundwater, streams and the ocean.
Under the proposed terms, the County of Maui has agreed to close the seven cesspools by June 30, 2025, and pay a penalty.
The county will also review all county owned property to identify any additional Large Capacity Cesspools and close them within an agreed upon time frame.
In June 2022, the EPA conducted an inspection of the wastewater disposal systems servicing the Hana Motor Vehicle and Licensing Office and the Hana Public Works Vehicle Maintenance shop in Hana.
During the inspection, the EPA observed that both locations utilized cesspools for the disposal of sanitary wastewater that meet the regulatory definition of a Large Capacity Cesspool.
The county then disclosed to the EPA that it found five additional Large Capacity Cesspools on properties it owned including three cesspools servicing the Makawao Baseyard in Upcountry Maui, one cesspool servicing the Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao, and one cesspool servicing the Molokai Veterans Cemetery in Molokai.
The EPA is authorized to issue compliance orders and/or assess penalties to violators of the Safe Drinking Water Act’s Underground Injection Control regulations which regulate large capacity cesspools.
The EPA has assessed a $193,247 penalty for the violations.
