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COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />STATE OF HAWAII <br />RESOLUTION NO. SGS 14 <br />A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO <br />PROCEED WITH A NEGATIVE RECOMMENDATION FOR REVISIONS TO THE <br />HAWAII ADMINISTRATIVE RULES 11-62, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE SEWER <br />CONNECTIONS OR UPGRADES OF EXISTING CESSPOOLS TO A SEPTIC SYSTEM <br />WITHIN 180 DAYS AFTER SALE OF PROPERTY. <br />WHEREAS, the Department of Health has statutory authority to adopt rules that it <br />deems necessary in the interest of public health and safety; and <br />WHEREAS, the Department of Health is considering amendments to the Hawaii <br />Administrative Rules (HAR), Chapter 11-62, Wastewater Systems, to prohibit the installation of <br />new cesspools and require that existing cesspools connect to a septic system within 180 days <br />after sale of property; and <br />WHEREAS, the Department of Health, Wastewater Branch has proposed and lobbied in <br />heavy favor of the considered amendments; and <br />WHEREAS, according to RealEstate.com, the average home in East Hawaii costs <br />between $265,000 to $300,000; and <br />WHEREAS, this rule change would cause added hardship to our Hawaii Island <br />residents who are already faced with the highest cost of living in the nation. Installation of a <br />septic system can range in cost from $10,000 to $15,000. Even without the added financial <br />burden of converting to a septic system, acquiring a mortgage can be a daunting task for many <br />prospective homeowners; and <br />WHEREAS, at a recent public hearing, numerous residents from Hawaii Island <br />expressed concern that this rule -amendment process was not transparent; and <br />WHEREAS, the timeline for converting a cesspool to a septic system is unrealistic when <br />costs are included as a factor; and <br />WHEREAS, the proposed amendments requiring sewer connections or upgrades of <br />existing cesspools to a septic system should be implemented in critical shoreline areas only; and <br />