HI SR91

Request county district health officers to establish regional cesspool modernization task forces in each county to investigate feasibility of cesspool replacement based on Department of Health's December 2017 findings.

Task forces must include at least eight members: county health officer, one Senate member, one House member, one county council member, economic development representative, wastewater management representative, agricultural representative, and community member.

First meetings must convene by July 1, 2018, and task forces must submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2019 regular session.

Background context: Hawaii has 87,900 inventoried cesspools discharging approximately 53 million gallons of raw sewage daily; estimated cost to upgrade all cesspools is $1.75 billion with 14 priority areas containing 42,730 cesspools identified.

Task forces cease to exist on June 30, 2020, and must collaborate with third-party consultants conducting cesspool-related studies.