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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0341.002 2002-2004 tY OIy ~ly ....y_,_ . Harry Kim ~ ~r~ Dixie Kaetsu Mayor Managing Direcmr ~''~'o:'w~"'~ Peter L. Hendricks Deputy Managing Dirtttor c~ouutp of ~abuai`i 25 Aupuni SVCCI, Koom 215 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4252 • (808) 961-821 I • I~~x (808) 961-6553 KONA 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103 • Kuilua-Kona. Haw nPi 96740 (808)329-5226 • Fax (808)326-566? O September 7, 2003 ~ w On ~ ~ O c_ The Honorable Aaron S.Y.Chung, Chairman ~ to Committee on Finance Hawaii County Council - 3 r-+ 25 Aupuni Street ~ ~ ~ rV ~,I Hilo, Hawaii 96720 ) ~ cn = CD Dear Chairman Chung: This letter is to provide you and the Finance Committee with information and justification for the request for $100,000 from the Council's Contingency Account to help Hawaii County communities comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's upcoming ban on large capacity (or gang) cesspools. Background The United States Environmental Protection Agency promulgated regulations on December 7, 1999 that require all existing large capacity cesspools in the nation to be upgraded or closed by April 5, 2005. Large capacity cesspools are those using 1,000 gallons of water or more per day, or structures having five or more bedrooms. Because Hawaii County has municipal sewer systems in very limited areas, there are many gang cesspools on the island. This was the waste disposal system of choice for plantation communities, and some former plantation camps still utilize this type of wastewater disposal. Four communities in the Kea`au area, as well as communities in Pahala and Na`alehu are known to still utilize gang cesspools. It is suspected that other communities are also affected, and the Cull extent of the impact to our people is not known. Known Issues Lack oflnventory Neither the State Department of Health nor the County of Hawaii has an inventory of the gang cesspools still in use in Hawaii County. There undoubtedly are other communities that are either unaware that their wastewater disposal is through large capacity cesspools, or that such cesspools will be banned after April 5, 2005. Replacement Method Depending on the individual or community situation, gang cesspools can be replaced with individual cesspools, individual septic systems, or gang septic systems. Comm. No. • 2 Ref. To:Yreae _ Ref. Dafe September 7, 2003 The Honorable Aaron S.Y. Chung Page 2 Each of these methods requires its own set of govenunent approvals and in some cases, variances. This is complex, and beyond the understanding of many community members. Fiscal Issues Replacing a gang cesspool with either individual cesspools, individual septic systems, or a community septic system will be costly to the homes and/or businesses impacted. Financial Resources There are several financial resources available to help communities or individuals convert from gang cesspools. Federal Grant Through Senator Daniel Inouye's efforts, $495,000 has been made available to assist disadvantaged communities and individuals in Hawaii County to replace existing gang cesspools with approved waste disposal systems. This money is being channeled through the EPA, and was originally slated to go to the Department of Health. However, it was determined that the County of Hawaii is in the best position to assist its communities, so this money will come to the County of Hawaii to help in this effort. There is a 45% match requirement for these funds, which can be a "soft" match. Clean Water Act X5319 Grants The County of Hawaii is applying for a grant of $200,000 under this program to assist in installing septic systems to replace gang cesspools. We are working with the Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Office and the Puna Soil and Water Conservation District in this application. If our application is successful, these funds will be available in six to nine months, and require a 100% match, which also can be a "sofr" match. SRF Loan Funds There is a program where the County can "piggy-back" an additional loan amount on top of one of its own SRF loans to assist communities with conversion of gang cesspools. If this is done, the State will lower the interest rate on the County's SRF loan so that the debt service payments to the State are the same on the higher borrowed principal as they would be on the lower County loan amount. C Brewer Funds C. Brewer is making some funds available to assist the communities in Ka'u with the conversion from gang cesspools to an acceptable form of waste disposal. County Involvement Council Chairnian James Arakaki has taken the leadership role in addressing this problem. Other council members have also been working with communities in their districts on this issue. Chairman Arakaki started with the communities in Kea`au and Ka`u. Under his September 7, 2003 The Honorable Aaron S.Y. Chung Page 3 initiative, he contacted Dennis Tulang, who recently retired from the State Department of Health, and convinced him to help the former plantation camps in Kea`au and Ka`u on a volunteer basis. Mr. Tulang's work has been invaluable in raising the awareness of the people in the communities, making them aware of the various options available to them, and assisting them with paperwork, variance applications, etc. However, Mr. Tulang also has other commitments and cannot devote the amount of time necessary to complete the planning, both engineering and financial, that is necessary to get these projects completed before the EPA deadline of April 5, 2005. I agree with Chairman Arakaki that it is appropriate for the County of Hawaii to assist the communities on our island to comply with this EPA mandate. As we have discussed this with community members, the EPA, ILWU, C. Brewer, and council members, it has become apparent that there is no one on the County's staff who has the necessary time to devote to a project of this magnitude. With no idea aC the present time of the scope of the problem island- wide, with multiple options as far as replacement and funding, there is a need for a knowledgeable individual whose task is to work with our commwiities and help them devise a plan for compliance, funding and see it to completion. Proposal The $100,000 requested from the Council Contingency Account will be used, along with $22,000 from the administration's budget, to hire an individual or firm under a professional services contract to manage this project. This amount is the best estimate we have of the cost of one year of services. The consultant hired will work with rural communities islandwide to: l . assist them in determining if they are presently utilizing gang cesspools for waste disposal; 2. assist them in determining what alternative acceptable waste disposal option they as a community want to pursue; 3. and assist them in implementing the chosen alternative through assistance with variance applications, coonlination of design work, funding resources. If the County is successful in its application fora §319 grant, that funding may kick in and cover this consultant cost from the time the grant is awarded. In that case, this fidl amount may not be expended. Dennis Tulang has committed to continue to assist the County of Hawaii as his time permits. In addition, Margarita Hopkins and Jane Horike from the County Research and Development staff have been working on this and will continue to do so. This will be awell-coordinated effort. September 7, 2003 The Honorable Aaron S.Y. Chung Page 4 Conclusion I ask the Finance Committee and the full Council to support this request for funds. This is a very important project, and it is our job to help the people of the County of Hawaii comply with this very complex mandate. We pledge to work with the Council, our rural communities, and other groups already working on this issue such as the ILWU, Big Island Resource Conservation and Development, the Puna Soil and Water Conservation District to ensure that this effort is coordinated effectively, efficiently, and without costly duplication of effort. Thank you for your consideration and support. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me before the Finance Committee meeting. A a, l . Harry Kim MAYOR