HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0131.023 2020-2022 'cc 25 i
From: ric rapp
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2021 8:27 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Written testimony for Bill 25 of the County Council/ DON'T Waste more money!!!!
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To Whom It may concern:
I have owned my home in Puako since 1994 and have lived here full time for over 20 years. During that time I have had 250 scuba dives on
Puako Reef and at least 1000 snorkels. The Coral Reef Alliance and their propaganda machine would have you believe we are swimming and
playing in sewage. That would include all the dive and snorkel boats that come to this reef daily with their clients. The Coral Alliance
contributed to an article published in the Wall Street Journal claiming heavy pollution of Puako Reef. We are not insane and would not
participate in recreational activity in polluted areas. As noted in a Coral Alliance report massive damage happened in 2015 when the ocean
temperature warmed.Worldwide reefs were damaged. The damage I saw on Puako Reef from this one year was more than all previous years
combined.
A generous neighbor donated $2 million dollars to the Coral Reef Alliance. I spoke with this neighbor about her donation. She was under the
impression funds would be used to replace some of the problem cesspools. I personally can walk you down the street and show the very few
problem areas. The Coral Reef Alliance did not replace one cesspool. NOT ONE. They used the money for a beautiful website, four color
brochures sent out by the hundreds, gave themselves jobs and accomplished nothing in the neighborhood. They did publish a report, involved
politicians and to many organizations to list. Then informed us that cesspools, Septic Tanks nor ATU [Aerobic Treatment Untis]would treat
wastewater successfully. Their recommendation was a private sewer treatment plant and latter published costs that were so ridiculous it was to
the point of insanity. The vendor they recommended and brought to our meetings had the experience of installing a treatment center in, I recall,
New Guinea but no others. Some company with basically no track record. Spending another$1.8 on another study is a waste.
Coral Alliance attended our community meeting and informed us they had sent out a survey to 200 property owners asking them if they would
like a private sewer system. The survey did not state costs or the ridiculous huge charges the owners would be charged over the next 30
years. The response to the survey was 35 replies, 18 for and 17 against. From this 18 for a private sewer system without any costs stated they
announced the MAJORITY wanted one.
Below is a statement from one of their newsletters stating:
"Back in 2015, as part of developing the PER, CORAL met with the KL wastewater treatment facility operator to discuss the possibility of
connecting Puako wastewater effluent to their facility. Although both the KL Facility and Mauna Lani development owners informally
agreed they would to take on Puak6wastewater effluent,the CWFR Puako Advisory Committee and
the Puako Community Association(PGA)agreed to pursue the highest rated option-the onsite treatment facility-as our first line of
action, based on the PER recommendation."
They state the majority of the homeowners want an onsite treatment facility. THERE IS NO MAJORITY. Everyone I have talked with who has
seen the exorbitant insane costs published by the Coral Alliance want to tie into Muan Lani or one of the resort facilities.Why recreate the
wheel? It would be a nightmare to run our own facility. Do we want to protect the reef?Yes! That does NOT mean we want a private treatment
facility? NO! Puako is a 1 112 mile dead-end street along the ocean with around 200 lots created in the 1950's. That is how small we are. Do
you normally spend $1.8 million on a study of a community this small?
All one has to do is watch the wind and ocean movement coming down from the north daily to see that studying just Puako is an exercise in
futility.Without a study including the surrounding areas: Muana Kea, Muana Lani, Fairmont,Waikoloa Resort, Kawaihae Harbor, Kohala
Estates, Kohala Ranch, Kohala By-the-Sea, Kohala Water Front, Hawaiian Homelands,the stream that runs down from Waimea and the runoff
from the hugely expanded Waikoloa Village where there are over 1000 cesspools and septic tanks{2008 statistic},the Coral Alliance study of
a small area is totally flawed. If water testing was performed at Hapuna State Park Beaches on busy days, I'll bet money the pollution levels
will be higher than Puako.
One great start would be to fine and replace the cesspools on the few problem lots in Puako rather than spending millions and taking years of
repetitive costly study.
Thank you,
Ric Rapp
PS:
Below is another article published by someone who doesn't have a clue what residents want. No costs are mentioned here either.
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Cornm.
f.To:
Ref. LV
New post on PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS
ROBERTS
Russ Roberts
A sewage treatment plant is the best option for keeping human waste off a
fragile and environmentally significant reef at Puako Bay.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: wwfw.hawaiitribune-hE=rald.coFru
An engineering report recommends a sewage treatment plant as the most cost-effective
way to protect the ecology and water table in the Puako area along the South Kohala
coast. Aqua Engineering, the Coral Reef Alliance, and a majority of homeowners in
Puako favor a treatment plant over the expensive installation of separate aerobic
treatment units for each home. The estimated 60 to 70 cesspools in the area are
contributing to a grooving ground grater pollution problem in Puako. Puako resident
Karan Anderson tells reporter Bret Yager that a sewage treatment plant 9Bis the best
solution with the least burden on homeowners in the long term." Kohala State
Representative Cindy Evan has introduced legislation that would give the residents of
Puako "a leg up when they are ready to proceed with constructing a treatment plant." HB
4,852 would make nonprofit organizations eligible for no-interest loans from the Clean
Nater State Revolving Fund loan program. Funds would be used to design, plan, and
build the sewage treatment plant. Aloha, Russ.
See on fat- PRG HIN61AI I NEWS V`VI H RUSS ROBERTS
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