HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0657.004 1996-1998 r RKF1V®~~^~..,,
T E S T I MO NY rn+~----
County Council / ~
MY NAME IS NASA TAKAKI, i LIVE IN PAPAIKOU AND I'M HERE TO
TESTIFY AGAINST THE ORDINANCE GOVERNING SEWER FEE'S RELATING
TO WATER CONSUMPTION.
A YEAR BEFORE THE SEWER LINES WERE INSTALLED IN PAPAIKOU, I PAID
OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DIG A NEW CESSPOOL. THE OLD ONE LASTED
OVER 30 YEARS. AFTER COMPLETION I RECEIVED A BILL FROM THE
WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT, $36.00 FOR TWO MONTHS. WHEN I CALLED
WASTEWATER DIVISION TO STATE THAT I AM NOT CONNECTED TO THE
SEWER SYSTEM THEREFORE I WILL NOT PAY THAT BILL. I WAS INFORMED
THAT EVEN IF I DIDN'T CONNECT TO THE SEWER SYSTEM I STILL HAVE TO
PAY THAT BILL. ALSO THAT IT WAS MENDATORY FOR US TO CONNECT IT
TO THE SEWER. SO I DID.
NOW WE ARE CHARGED $20 A MONTH PLUS THE WATER COMPSUMTION FEE
OVER 12,000 GALS. EVEN IF THEY DECIDE TO CHARGE $200 A MONTH, I
HAVE NO CHOICE, I CANNOT DISCONNECT MY SEWER LINE. OTHER UTILITIES,
IF THE RATES GETS T00 HIGH, I HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE, I CAN DO WITHOUT
IT. BUT THE SEWER LINE, NO CHOICE. CALL THIS DEMOCRACY.
A YEAR AGO, MY GRANDSON, WHO LIVE WITH US STARTED RAISING KOI FOR
HIS SCIENCE PROJECT. TESTING THE WATER, THE GROWTH, THE FEED AND
ETC. WITH THE SUNLIGHT STRIKING THE WATER, THE WATER TURNS GREEN
AND THE FISH CANNOT BE OBSERVED, SO CONSTANT CHANGE IS REQUIRED.
WHEN CHANGING THE WATER, THE WATER IS DRAINED ON THE GROUND AND
NOT THE SEWER SYSTEM. I GAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION TO THE WASTE
WATER DEPT. AND I WAS TOLD TO PUT IN A SEPARATE WATER METER. I
TOLD THEM THIS IS RIDICULAS.
WITH THE COMPSUMPTION FEES, NOW WE MEN (3, ONE TEENAGER AND TWO
ADULTS USES THE BATHROOM OUTDOORS, I DO USE THE BATHROOM QUITE
OFTEN AND I GUESS ITS MY AGE, WE ARE FORCED TO DO THESE UNSANITARY
THINGS BECAUSE OF THE USAGE OF WATER. WE ARE GOING BACKWARDS.
I HAVE ASKED THE WASTEWATER DIVISION IF I COULD CONNECT BACK TO
MY CESSPOOL AND WAS DENIED.
:u. W
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enredS
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s.r. dAN 15 1998
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WHY ARE WE, IN THE COUNTRY, BEING SUBJECTED TO THIS WHEN EVEN IN
HILO,THERE ARE AREAS WITHOUT ANY SEWER SYSTEMS,INFACT THERE ARE
MANY TOWN AROUND THE ISLAND THAT DO NOT HAVE THE SEWER SYSTEM,
PAPAIKOU IS LOCATED ON THE LOWER SLOPES OF MAUNA KEA WHERE OUR
CESSPOOL DOES NOT CONTAMINATE OUR DRINKING WATER, I CANNOT
UNDERSTAND WHY THIS SEWER SYSTEM WAS NECESSARY IN THE FIRST
PLACE. ESPECIALLY IN THE COUNTRY.
WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I WORKED FOR A CONTRACTOR AND I'VE DUG MANY
CESSPOOLS. I REMEMBER I DUG ONE IN PUUEO WHICH WAS AN OLD ONE
AND THERE WERE NO SMELL, OR SI6NS THAT IT WAS A CESSPOOL UNTIL
I CAME ACROSS SOME CONDOMS AND THAT WAS A CLUE THAT TOLD ME I
DIGGING AN OLD CESSPOOL.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THERE ARE STILL FAMILIES HERE, ESPECIALLY
THE ELDERLY ONES AND THE ESTIMATE THEY GOT TO INSTALL THEIR SEWER
LINE IS LIKE $5000 BECAUSE ITS DEEP, OVER TWENTY FEET, TWO STORY
HOME, THEIR CESSPOOL IS LOCATED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOME, THERE
FORE MUST GO RIGHT AROUND THEIR HOUSE. THEY CAN'T AFFORD THAT KIND
OF MONEY SO THEY ARE NOT CONNECTED.
FOR THESE FACTS, I AM AGAINST BEING SUBJECT TO THE USAGE FEE,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.