Bill > SB1512

This bill establishes a cesspool conversion on-bill financing program administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority to help homeowners upgrade or convert their cesspools, which are outdated and environmentally harmful wastewater systems. Currently, Hawaii has nearly 83,000 cesspools that release over 53 million gallons of untreated sewage into the ground daily, threatening groundwater and drinking water sources. The program will provide low-interest loans to low- and moderate-income homeowners, with loan repayments included directly on their water bills. The bill creates a new special fund to support the program, which can receive money from legislative appropriations, federal and private funding sources, and loan repayments. Counties will collaborate with the authority to implement the program by adding loan repayments to water bills and transmitting collections back to the authority. The legislation aims to accelerate the conversion of cesspools, which are currently being upgraded at a slow rate of about 200 conversions annually, with the ultimate goal of meeting a 2050 deadline for cesspool upgrades or connections to sewerage systems. The program will initially be funded with state appropriations and will allocate funds to each county, with the requirement that counties match the funding on a 3-to-1 basis.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1512&year=2026