WRRC faculty member Dr. Christopher Shuler and researchers Aimee Schriber and Robert Litt, alongside engineers from Carollo Engineering, briefed lawmakers in the House Majority Caucus at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol as part of a “Lawmakers Learn” series, delivering an overview of the state’s cesspool challenges and ongoing University of Hawaiʻi and Carollo Engineering projects related to cesspools.
In addition to providing an overview of cesspools in Hawaiʻi, Dr. Shuler highlighted the Hawaiʻi Cesspool Prioritization Tool (HCPT), which was completed in 2022 by WRRC and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and identifies the highest-risk cesspools statewide. He also provided updates on the WRRC and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Act 217 Wastewater Overlay project, a legislatively mandated effort to incorporate new sewer expansion data into the HCPT.
Hawaiʻi currently has more than 85,000 cesspools, all of which must be upgraded by 2050 due to documented risks to public health and the environment.
Visit the HCPT at: http://hawaiicesspooltool.