Hawai‘i County Advances Low‑Pressure Sewer Project in Puakō

Residents of Puakō, a coastal community on Hawaii Island, have spent more than a decade working to reduce wastewater pollution that threatens nearby coral reefs. Volunteer nonprofit Puakō For Reefs has drafted plans for a low‑pressure, liquid‑only sewer system, described as the only realistic alternative to cesspools and septic tanks in low‑lying coastal areas. Hawai‘i County officials, led by Mayor Kimo Alameda, have shifted from skepticism to backing the project and are collaborating on funding and construction. “This is the most organized community right now. They have a plan. This could be the model for the state,” Alameda said, adding the approach could later be applied to Kahalu‘u, Miloliʻi, Keaukaha and other priority coastal zones. The effort aims to help the state meet its mandate to convert more than 49,000 cesspools by 2050. Cindi Punihaole, director of the Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center, is working on a similar low‑pressure system for the nearby snorkeling destination, noting that nitrogen runoff has degraded the reef. A dye test conducted in December 2024 measured how quickly raw sewage reaches the coast.