Residents cry foul on new cesspool proposal

West Hawaii residents tore into a proposed state water quality plan in Kailua-Kona Thursday night.

Frustrations boiled to the surface, with people firing questions and not being satisfied with the answers they received from a state Department of Health official leading an informational meeting at the West Hawaii Civic Center.

Under the 115-page draft water quality plan, new cesspool construction would be banned and the islands 50,000 existing cesspools would have to be replaced with septic systems within 180 days after the sale of a property.

None of the 60 people attending the meeting had good things to say about the plan.

Mark and Joyce Lintner of Kilohana said the proposed rules would leave them without recourse.

We are on a gang cesspool. We cant put in a septic system, Mark Lintner said. Every house in our neighborhood is in this situation.

Residents questioned the cost of converting to septic systems, wondered what to do with lots comprised of hard, blue rock, and asked whether variances would be granted for homes on lots too small to accommodate the upgrades.

Kailua-Kona resident Jacky Rogers asked the DOH not to take it out on homeowners because the island lacks the infrastructure necessary for the number of residents it has.

We dont have the treatment plants. We dont have the sewer lines, Rogers said. You cant address a problem if you dont put in the infrastructure you need for change.

Residents said they didnt oppose the ban on new cesspools, but they wanted existing ones to be grandfathered.

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Residents cry foul on new cesspool proposal