2006-05-04 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

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Ms. Nicholson said it would be a source of ultimate revenue, and Ms. Beck said it only costs about $27 per month, not a whole lot. The Chair pointed out that the main line that the County put in is being wasted if people are not tying in, and Ms. Beck said the main concern is the environment. Ms. Stremski asked whether a buyer of a property whose owner could not afford to connect would have to connect, and Ms. Beck said she believes that is a requirement. The Chair said someone would need to monitor that type of situation, and Ms. Beck said that if someone does not connect, the County could put a lien on the property as a way of tracking it. Ms. Stremski said that if an unconnected property is being sold or even passed on to children, they should have to connect. Mr. Sakaguchi said there should be a computer system that would flag this. Ms. Beck said it would require working with Real Property Tax and putting the information into their data base. She believes that real estate agents also research the issue. The Chair said he would like the issue of getting people to tie in to the sewer system worded to make it a suggestion in their report, to improve efficiency. What route could the County take to get people to tie in? Should people go door -to -door? Ms. Nicholson suggested providing a financing system for people. The Chair said he wanted an umbrella statement about pursuing more actively those not participating in the sewer system. Mr. Sakaguchi said they needed to separate out the problems. Some who do not connect are elderly or poor, and it seems that others just do not want to connect. Ms. Beck said that one of the attitudes they encounter are those who have cesspools which are working fine, and question why they should dig up their yard. Mr. Sakaguchi asked what precludes the State from taking over the treatment of wastewater. Ms. Beck said it goes back to privatization and legal and labor issues. It may not be easy to work out with the unions. Ms. Beck said she does not know if there is a State agency which handles wastewater systems. The DOH is a regulatory agency which is to make sure the counties are in compliance with EPA rules. Mr. Sakaguchi said there shouldn't be two governing entities for things, as is the case with roads and highways. Mr. Joseph asked if the Keaukaha plant is still open, and the Chair said it is closed and being rebuilt into an aquaculture system. Ms. Stremski said another plant was built, farther inland. Mr. Joseph asked if the pollution in the bay is caused in part by wastewater, and Ms. Beck said that before wastewater leaves Hilo's treatment plant, it is chlorinated, disinfected, and dechlorinated. It should not be contributing to pollution. Ms. Stremski said a lot of the pollution was from the bagasse from the former sugar plantations. The Chair said there is also a lack of circulation. Ms. Nicholson said it is not a wastewater issue. Mr. Joseph asked whether the DOH monitors Hilo Bay, and Ms. Beck said she is not certain of that. She believes the Clean Water Branch may be involved with that. 12