Bill > SB471

This bill aims to protect Hawaii's nearshore waters and coral reef ecosystems by requiring certain newly installed or modified individual wastewater systems to include denitrification capacity. Specifically, the bill mandates that wastewater systems located within 200 feet of a shoreline or situated at or below 1,500 feet above sea level with specific soil characteristics must be equipped with denitrification technology. The denitrification capacity must meet the National Sanitation Foundation and American National Standards Institute standard 245 for on-site residential wastewater treatment. The bill's rationale is based on a 2023 scientific study published in Nature, which found that coral reefs protected from land-based pollutants, especially wastewater contaminants, are more resilient to ocean-warming events. The new requirements apply to wastewater systems in areas with young substrates (less than 5,000 years old) and soils with low nutrient holding capacity, low shrink and swell characteristics, and very fast permeability, as defined in the Hawaii soil atlas. The bill will take effect upon approval, with the goal of supporting ecosystem health and public health by reducing nitrogen pollution in nearshore waters.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=471&year=2025